Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

USDA Adds Mycoplasma Bovis (M. bovis) As Eligible Bison Disease for Livestock Indemnity Program

Deadline to Report 2021 Losses and File Application for Payment is Feb. 28, 2022

Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) provides benefits to eligible livestock owners or contract growers for livestock deaths exceeding normal mortality caused by eligible loss conditions, including eligible adverse weather, eligible disease and attacks by animals reintroduced into the wild by the federal government or protected by federal law, including wolves and avian predators. In addition, LIP assists eligible livestock owners that must sell livestock at a reduced price because of an injury from an eligible loss condition.

Regarding losses due to eligible disease, research indicates that the bacteria M. bovis is transmitted from bison to bison through instances of adverse weather conditions that cause stressors for bison and enhance transmission and symptoms. Once symptomatic, it is nearly impossible to treat M. bovis in bison.

There is no vaccine currently labeled to mitigate the effects of the bacteria in bison which often results in the death of eligible livestock. No acceptable management practices to treat the disease exist for bison that are stricken with M. bovis.

LIP eligibility for M. bovis bison deaths due to eligible adverse weather events are established by FSA State Offices.

The deadline to file a notice of loss and submit a LIP application for payment specifically for M. bovis bison deaths that occurred in 2021 is Feb. 28, 2022. At the time of application, producers should be prepared to provide proof of bison death losses due to M. bovis.

For bison deaths resulting from M. bovis in 2022 and future years, producers are required to file a notice of loss for livestock that died as a direct result of an eligible loss condition within 30 calendar days from the ending date of the eligible loss condition.

For more information or to report losses and file a LIP application for payment, contact your local USDA Service Center.