Documenting Losses

I'm Lacy Gray with Washington Ag Today.

USDA Farm Service Agency State Executive Director Judy Olson says the agency has been busy gathering information in order to help those producers impacted by the recent wildfires. Yesterday she spoke about the numerous FSA programs in place to help producers and the importance of supporting documentation when submitting claims for losses of either livestock or grazing land. Today Olson explains what kind of reimbursement percentage is available to producers through the FSA Livestock Indemnity Program.

OLSON: The LIP payments are equal to 75% of the market value of the applicable livestock on the day before the date of death. Again it's reliant upon these records to help establish the age and weight and size and numbers and values of the various animals.

Producers do not have to supply all the documentation the day they report the loss.

OLSON: They can start their record and start bringing in information, and as they gather up additional records then they can submit those as well.

There is a timeframe for reporting loss.

OLSON: Well, they are supposed to be in contact with us within 30 days of the event or that they have identified that they have a loss. They don't have to quantify at that time how much loss they have.

Olson also says that producers who have had to evacuate do not have to wait until they get back home to report to their local FSA office that they have a potential loss.

OLSON: We also want to be sure that if producers have any questions that they contact their local Farm Service Agency Service Center in their county. Those local folks can be of great help and direct them toward what programs are available.

That's Washington Ag Today.

I'm Lacy Gray on the Ag Information Network.