Livestock producers in 27 North Dakota counties are eligible to receive disaster assistance payments under the Livestock Forage Program (LFP), which is one of five permanent disaster programs authorized in the 2008 farm bill.

“In order to receive this disaster payment, a producer must have all grazing land, for which he is at risk, covered by a federal insurance policy or noninsurable assistance program,” says Dwight Aakre, North Dakota State University Extension Service farm management specialist.

For 2008 only, a producer has until Sept. 16 to pay a “buy-in” fee at the county Farm Service Agency if any grazing acreage is not insured. The buy-in fee does not provide insurance coverage, but does make the producer eligible for any LFP payments.

Counties in which producers are eligible for three monthly payments are Divide, Burke, Renville, Bottineau, Williams, Mountrail, Ward, McHenry, McKenzie, Dunn, McLean, Mercer, Oliver, Golden Valley, Billings, Stark, Morton, Slope, Hettinger, Grant, Bowman and Adams.

Producers in Rolette, Towner, Cavalier, Pierce and Sheridan counties are eligible for two monthly payments.

Eligibility for LFP payments is based on the duration and intensity of the drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. A disaster declaration is not required.

“At this time, the expected payment rate is approximately $18 per month per animal unit,” Aakre says. “The maximum eligibility is three monthly payments.”

NDSU Agriculture Communication