Indian Time - A Voice from the Eastern Door

The USDA Farm Service Agency would like to remind farmers, agricultural producers and land owners there are a variety of programs available to provide assistance due to weather losses including excessive cold, blizzards and icy conditions. Producers with losses are encouraged to contact the Farm Service Agency as soon as possible after a loss is apparent. Timeframes to report losses vary across programs from 30 to 90 days. Documentation of losses including dated pictures, veterinarian records, production records, purchase records and other similar records are very important.

Here is an over-view of some of the programs applicable to extreme winter weather conditions:

LIVESTOCK INDEMNITY PROGRAM (LIP): Covers livestock losses in excess of normal mortality due to blizzards and excessive cold conditions. Losses due to low temperatures are based on two consecutive days of extreme (below zero) cold temperatures considering the wind chill. This varies for different ages and types of livestock. The temperature threshold, including wind chill for lambs is -10° F, young beef and dairy cattle -20°F, mature sheep -30°F and mature cattle -40°F. Losses must be reported within 30 days of when the loss is apparent.

EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE FOR LIVESTOCK, HONEY-BEES AND FARM RAISED FISH (ELAP): This program covers losses of purchased feed and/or mechanically harvested feed due to an eligible weather event. Eligible weather related honeybee losses include the loss of purchased feed, cost of additional feed purchased above normal, Colony Collapse Disorder and hive losses. A notice of loss must be filed within 30 days of the loss being apparent.

TREE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (TAP): Provides financial assistance to qualifying orchardists and nursery tree growers to replant or rehabilitate eligible trees, bushes and vines lost by natural disasters. The loss must be in excess of 15 percent mortality (adjusted for normal mortality). Nursery trees include ornamental, fruit, nut and Christmas trees produced for commercial sale. A TAP application must be filed within 90 days of the weather event or from when the loss was apparent. Blizzards and freeze are eligible causes of loss.

EMERGENCY FOREST RESTORATION PROGRAM (EFRP): Provides payments to eligible owners of rural nonindustrial private forest land, including woodlots and sugar bushes, to carry out emergency measures to restore forest health including tree planting and debris removal. Blizzards and excessive winds are qualifying weather events. Notify the FSA office of potential losses. A special request by the FSA County Committee needs to be made in order to obtain funding for this program at the local level.

EMERGENCY CONSERVATION PROGRAM (ECP): Winter type losses can include the destruction of permanent fencing due to blizzards and high winds. Since this program requires the FSA County Committee to request funding, losses should be reported to the local FSA office as soon as possible.

To learn more about the FSA Disaster Programs visit http://www.fsa.usda.gov. Producers in Franklin County are encouraged to contact the Franklin County FSA office at 151 Finney Boulevard in Malone or calling 518-483-2850, option 2 for more information. Clinton & Essex County farmers can contact the Clinton-Essex FSA office by calling 518-561-4616, option 2 or visiting the office at 6064 Route 22, Plattsburgh.

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