Sign up extended for USDA emergency program for honeybees and livestock

Washington Ag Today April 20, 2010 USDA has announced it will accept applications for the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP) for losses that took place in calendar years 2008 and 2009. Initially ELAP sign-up ended in December for 2008 losses and in February for 2009 losses. However, Amy Mitchell of the Farm Service Agency says that because of changes to program eligibility provisions, the agency is accepting late-filed applications for 2008 and 2009 through May 5, 2010. Mitchell says originally;

Mitchell: “Farm-raised fish producers and honeybee producers had to actually replace the honeybees or farm-raised fish that were lost in order to be eligible for the program.” :

But now they do not have to replace that stock so more producers might want to apply for the program.

Mitchell says sign up is also open to livestock producers because this is one of those programs with a dollar limit each year. In this case 50-million dollars.

Mitchell: “So we have to wait until sign up is closed before we can make any payments.”

They have to see if the claims come out to more than 50-million dollars. If they do payments have to be pro-rated.

ELAP assistance is for losses not covered under other Supplemental Agricultural Disaster Assistance programs established by the 2008 Farm Bill, specifically the Livestock Forage Disaster Program, the Livestock Indemnity Program and the Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments Program.

I’m Bob Hoff and that’s Washington Ag Today on Northwest Aginfo Net.