January 12, 2015

Contact:

Shelly Bilderback

405-742-1041

STILLWATER, Okla., Jan. 12, 2015 - Francie Tolle, State Executive Director of the Oklahoma Farm Service Agency (FSA), is encouraging livestock producers who have suffered eligible disaster-related losses to call their local FSA office and schedule an appointment before the upcoming Jan. 30 deadline. Producers must be placed on an appointment register before the deadline in order to receive program benefits.

The Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) compensates eligible livestock producers for grazing losses due to drought, or fire on federal lands between Oct. 1, 2011 and Dec. 31, 2014. Producers forced to liquidate their livestock may also be eligible for program benefits.

"In the eight months since disaster assistance enrollments began, our staff has been working diligently to process over 69,000 applications, making a significant impact for Oklahoma’s livestock producers who continue to suffer losses due to the drought," said Tolle. “We want to stress the importance that all producers who have not already done so, call their local office and get on the register before the Jan. 30 deadline.”

Also availableis the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) whichprovides compensation to eligible livestock producers that have suffered livestock death losses in excess of normal mortality due to adverse weather and attacks by animals reintroduced into the wild by the federal government or protected by federal law. And, theTree Assistance Program (TAP) which provides financial assistance to qualifying orchardists and nursery tree growers to replant or rehabilitate eligible trees, bushes and vines damaged by natural disasters. Producers who suffered losses covered by these programs should also contact their local FSA office by January 30, 2015.

A complete directory of Oklahoma FSA Offices can be located online at www.fsa.usda.gov/ok. For further information about our disaster programs and USDA’s Farm Bill implementation plan, visit FSA’s 2014 Farm Bill Web page online at www.fsa.usda.gov/farmbill.