The Mitchell-Yancey FSA Offices have opened the Livestock Forage Program (LFP) for grazing losses on native pasture and full season improved pasture due to the qualifying D3 drought. LFP provides compensation if you suffer grazing losses for covered livestock due to drought on privately owned or cash leased land. Producers wishing to sign up for this program must make an appointment with USDA-FSA due to the time and needs to prepare each producer application.

To sign up for LFP, producers must report their acreage for pasture with the USDA-FSA. The deadline to timely file a grass or hay pasture acreage report is July 15th. Acreage reports filed after July 15th will incur a late-file fee of $46 per farm. When filing cash leased pasture land, having a written lease agreement on file will be required.

To benefit from this program, livestock producers will also have to report the total number of head on hand February 21-April 21. Only grazing livestock, or livestock that from a nutritional or physiological perspective satisfy more than 50% of their net energy requirement through the consumption of growing forage grasses and legumes, are eligible for this program. Large livestock, including cattle are reported as adults (bulls and cows), non-adults (500 lbs or more), and non-adults (less than 500 lb). For other livestock species, total herd inventory for the period between February 21 and April 21 can be reported. Unweaned grazing livestock are not considered grazing animals as defined and are not eligible for LFP. Livestock producers can also report animals sold February 21 - April 21 as long as they submit a copy of their sales ticket(s).

If you have any questions about the USDA-FSA Livestock Forage Program (LFP), qualifications, or how to sign up, please contact Olivia Knott, County Executive Director for the Yancey/Mitchel USDA-FSA by calling (828) 765-5049 (ext. 2).