By Scout Nelson
The Farm Service Agency (FSA) has issued final payments under the Emergency Livestock Relief Program (ELRP) for losses that occurred in 2023 and 2024 due to drought, flood, and wildfire. These payments provide financial relief to eligible livestock producers affected by natural disasters.
Applicants who applied for ELRP 2023 and 2024 flood and wildfire assistance for wildfire losses on non-federally managed lands will receive 100% of their calculated payment in one lump sum. This ensures that eligible participants receive their full approved amount without further reductions.
In addition, FSA is sending an automatic second payment to producers who previously received a reduced payment for drought and wildfire losses on federally managed lands. Earlier payments were factored at 35% because of high program demand and limited funding.
The second installment equals 8.2% of the producer’s 2023 or 2024 Livestock Forage Disaster Program gross calculated payment. This adjustment raises the final payment factor to 43.2%. The update allows producers to receive additional support while keeping total program spending within available funds.
The combined payment limit for ELRP 2023 and 2024 programs is $125,000 per year. Producers who have already reached the maximum payment amount for drought and wildfire losses are not eligible to receive additional funds under the current structure.
However, eligible producers may request an exception to the $125,000 limit for certain programs by submitting form FSA-510. The deadline to apply for this exception is November 2, 2026. If approved, the payment limit may increase to $250,000.
These final payments reflect FSA’s effort to deliver disaster relief while managing federal funding responsibly. The ELRP program continues to support livestock producers recovering significant weather-related losses across the country.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-d-keine
Categories: Kansas, Government & Policy, Livestock, Weather