USDA Offers Honolulu County Livestock Producers Impacted by Drought Disaster Assistance

Honolulu, Hawaii, May 13, 2022 — U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Honolulu County today announced that commercial ranchers and livestock producers can apply for assistance from the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) for grazing losses incurred in 2022.

“Drought conditions in Honolulu County have triggered availability of the Livestock Forage Disaster Program," said Jason Shitanishi, County Executive Director. “LFP provides compensation to livestock producers who have suffered grazing losses due to drought. We encourage producers to contact our office for an appointment and to learn what records they need to have on hand in order to apply for assistance.”

Shitanishi said the program covers full season improved pasture, and native pasture. For losses due to drought, an eligible livestock producer must own or lease grazing land or pastureland physically located in a county meeting drought intensity criteria rated by the U.S. Drought Monitor. A list of eligible counties for LFP drought may be found on the FSA website.

Eligible livestock include beef cattle, dairy cattle, goats, or sheep that have been or would have been grazing the eligible grazing land or pastureland during the normal grazing period.

Producers must provide a completed application and supporting documents to their FSA office within 30 calendar days after the end of the calendar year in which the grazing loss occurred. Applicants should collect records documenting their losses and evidence that the grazing land or pastureland is owned or leased. Additional supporting documents include federal grazing permits and contract grower agreements.

For more information, contact the Honolulu County FSA office at 808-861-8538.  Additional USDA disaster assistance information can be found on farmers.gov, including USDA resources specifically for producer impacted by drought and wildfire and the Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool, Disaster-at-a-Glance fact sheet, and Farm Loan Discovery Tool. For FSA and Natural Resources Conservation Service programs, producers should contact their local USDA Service Center. For assistance with a crop insurance claim, producers and landowners should contact their crop insurance agent.