Livestock Risk Protection

The Livestock Risk Protection Insurance Plan for Fed 

Cattle (LRP-Fed Cattle) is designed to insure against 

declining market prices. Beef producers may choose from a 

variety of coverage levels and insurance periods that 

correspond with the time your market-weight cattle would 

normally be sold.

You may buy LRP-Fed Cattle throughout the year from 

Risk Management Agency (RMA)-approved livestock 

insurance agents. Premium rates, coverage prices, and 

actual ending values are posted online daily.

You may choose coverage prices ranging from 70 to 100 

percent of the expected ending value. At the end of the 

insurance period, if the actual ending value is below the 

coverage price, you may receive an indemnity payment for 

the difference between the coverage price and actual 

ending value.

Visit RMA’s website to see the LRP-Fed Cattle program’s 

coverage prices, rates, actual ending values, and per 

hundredweight insurance cost (see useful links below). The 

actual ending values are based on weighted prices from 

USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service. Actual ending 

values are posted on the RMA’s website at the end of the 

insurance period.

Availability

You submit a one-time application for LRP-Fed Cattle 

coverage. After the application is accepted, you may buy 

specific coverage endorsements for up to 2,000 head of 

heifers and steers (weighing between 1,000 and 1,400 

pounds) that will be marketed for slaughter near the end of 

the insurance period. The annual limit for LRP-Fed Cattle 

is 4,000 head per producer for each crop year (July 1 to 

June 30). All insured cattle must be located in a state 

approved for LRP-Fed Cattle at the time you buy insurance 

coverage.

The length of insurance coverage available for each 

specific coverage endorsement is 13, 17, 21, 26, 30, 34, 39, 

43, 47, or 52 weeks.

 LRP-Fed Cattle is available in: Alabama, Arizona, 

Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, 

Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, 

Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, 

Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, North 

Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, South 

Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, 

West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

Buying a Policy

You must buy LRP-Fed Cattle insurance through a 

livestock insurance agent. You can fill out an application at 

any time. However, insurance does not attach until you buy 

a specific coverage endorsement. You must pay the 

insurance premium the day you buy insurance coverage for 

coverage to start. You may buy multiple specific coverage 

endorsements with one application. Your insurance 

coverage starts the day you buy a specific coverage 

endorsement and RMA approves the purchase. 

There are funding limitations for all livestock programs. 

Therefore, RMA tracks total policy sales against available 

underwriting capacity using a real-time, web-based 

program. Sales stop when underwriting capacity is reached.

Where to Buy Crop Insurance

All multi-peril crop insurance, including Catastrophic Risk 

Protection policies, are available from private insurance 

agents. A list of crop insurance agents is available at all 

USDA service centers and on the RMA website at: 

www3.rma.usda.gov/apps/agents/.

Contact Us

USDA/RMA

1400 Independence Ave., SW, Stop 0801

Washington, D.C. 20250-0801

Phone: (202) 720-0723

Fax: (202) 690-2818 

RMA Website: www.rma.usda.gov

E-mail: RMA.Media.Requests@rma.usda.gov

This fact sheet gives only a general overview of the crop insurance program and is not a complete policy. For further information and an 

evaluation of your risk management needs, contact a crop insurance agent.

United States 

Department of 

Agriculture

A Risk Management Agency Fact Sheet

Livestock Risk Protection 

Fed Cattle

Revised May 2014

Useful Links

Daily LRP Coverage Prices, Rates, and Actual Ending 

Values: www.rma.usda.gov/tools/livestock.html

Premium Calculator: 

www.rma.usda.gov/tools/premcalc.html

Approved livestock agents and insurance companies: 

www.rma.usda.gov/tools/agent.html

Related AMS online livestock reports:

marketnews.usda.gov/portal/lg?paf_dm
Risk Management Agency Livestock Risk Protection: Fed Cattle

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, 

color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, 

sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, 

sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or a part of an individual’s income is derived 

from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases 

apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require 

alternative means for communication of program information 

(Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s 

TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD). 

To file a complaint of discrimination, complete, sign and mail a 

program discrimination complaint form, (available at any 

USDA office location or online at www.ascr.usda.gov), to: 

United States Department of Agriculture; Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights; 1400 Independence Ave., SW; 

Washington, DC 20250-9410. Or call toll free at (866) 632-

9992 (voice) to obtain additional information, the appropriate 

office or to request documents. Individuals who are deaf, hard 

of hearing, or have speech disabilities may contact USDA 

through the Federal Relay service at (800) 877-8339 or (800) 

845-6136. 

Download Copies from the Web

Visit our online publications/fact sheets page at: 

www.rma.usda.gov/pubs/rme/fctsht.html.