Deadline Nears for USDA Emergency Livestock Relief Applications

You may have already heard about this from USDA or even gotten a notice from your local FSA office—but with the deadline just over a month away, it’s worth repeating. Livestock producers hit by the severe floods and hurricanes of 2023 and 2024 now have a new source of relief through the Emergency Livestock Relief Program – Flood, or ELRP-FW. Applications are open now and due October 31, 2025.

This program is designed to help cover the steep feed costs that piled up after flooding, flash storms, and hurricanes like Helene and Milton in 2024. Unlike earlier drought programs where payments went out automatically, this one requires you to apply directly by filing form FSA-970.

Here’s the deal: eligible producers can get payments covering 60% of three months of feed costs, based on USDA’s standard estimates. Covered livestock includes beef and dairy cattle, sheep, goats, bison, alpacas, llamas, equine and more.

The full Market Intel Report from the American Farm Bureau has all the details—including a county map, the application link, and a checklist of what you’ll need to file. Learn more at https://www.fb.org/market-intel/elrp-expands-to-support-livestock-after-floods-and-fires