Oklahoma Rancher Loans
FSA, Farm Credit and local lending for Oklahoma cattle producers

Drought, Fire and Disaster

The Oklahoma FSA’s Livestock Forage Disaster Program

When drought thins your grass, you feel it in feed bills before any program check arrives. Here is how this kind of forage disaster assistance generally works and what to prepare.

Illustration for the farm.FM story “Livestock Theft Investigation: 11 Cows Won’t Talk”
A farm.FM story about drought and pasture fits this guide to the Oklahoma FSA Livestock Forage Disaster Program. Read “Livestock Theft Investigation: 11 Cows Won’t Talk” on farm.FM.

What is the Livestock Forage Disaster Program?

The Livestock Forage Disaster Program, often called LFP, is an FSA program that offers assistance to eligible livestock producers who have grazing losses due to qualifying drought or fire on certain grazing land. The eligibility rules, how drought is measured, payment rates and deadlines come from the agency and can change, so verify them on the FSA farm programs site and with your county office.

This article explains the general idea and what to prepare. It is not a guide to current payment amounts.

A good way to start is a call to your FSA office in the county where your cattle graze, not where you live, if those differ. Offices handle records by county, and knowing which one covers your pasture saves a round of calls.

How does drought connect to eligibility?

Programs of this type often tie eligibility to drought conditions measured over a period, such as those shown on the U.S. Drought Monitor. Ask your FSA office how your county's conditions are used and what your grazing period is. Drought data is also available from Drought.gov.

Eligibility also depends on the type of grazing land and the kind of livestock. Ask whether your pasture and animals qualify.

Some ranchers are surprised that grazing records matter as much as the drought map. Be ready to show how many animals grazed where and when, since these details can affect whether you qualify and how a payment is figured. Ask your office exactly what they will want to see.

What records should you keep?

Keep records of livestock numbers, pasture acreage, grazing dates, leases, feed purchases and any weather events. Photographs of dry pastures with dates can help. Hypothetical example: if you lease grass, keep the lease to show your right to graze it.

Report your acreage and livestock to your local FSA office as required, since some programs need earlier filings. Ask which reports and dates matter for you.

Keep feed receipts and hay purchase records as well, even if they are not part of an application. They show how hard the drought hit your operation, and they help your lender, your accountant and your own planning. A folder or a spreadsheet is enough.

How does it fit with other options?

LFP is one piece of a larger set of tools. Others include insurance, other disaster programs, conservation help from NRCS, lender workouts and emergency loans described on the FSA farm loans page. Each has its own rules and may interact with the others.

Also keep your lender informed. A call before a payment is missed is easier than one after.

Talk to your accountant about how any payments are treated for tax purposes. Tax rules for disaster income and livestock sales can be complicated, and the IRS publishes general farm tax guidance. This is not tax advice, and your situation may differ.

How do you plan for the next dry spell?

A written drought plan includes trigger dates, destocking steps, feed budgets and who you will call. The ranch beef cattle guide covers herd management, and the farm money guide helps you plan cash needs. The OSU Extension offers drought and forage management help in Oklahoma.

If stress is weighing on you or your family during a dry stretch, call or text 988 any time, and use the 988 Lifeline for support.

Practice your drought plan on paper in a normal year. Decide what you would do at each stage, such as culling, early weaning or buying feed, and what each choice costs. When dry weather comes, you will already have a plan.

What should you ask the agency?

Ask what the program covers, how eligibility is decided for your county and what documents you need. Ask about deadlines and how payments are determined. Keep notes of every call.

This site is education only, not a lender, and nothing here is financial, legal or tax advice. Talk to a licensed professional. For more ranch coverage, see farm.FM ranching and farm.FM agribusiness, along with this farm.FM story on drought and pasture.

Lastly, check in on your neighbors. Drought is hard on rural families, and sometimes a conversation over the fence is the most useful help of all. Share what you learn from your FSA office, since someone nearby may not have called yet.

Sources and further reading

Ask locally: Your county FSA office is the best place to confirm LFP eligibility and filing dates.

General education only, not financial, legal or tax advice, and Oklahoma Rancher Loans is not a lender. Rates, terms and deadlines change, so confirm current details with the lender or agency.

Related articles