FACTSHEET • NOVEMBER 2023

DISASTER ASSISTANCE

ELAP - LIVESTOCK ASSISTANCE / Emergency Assistance for

Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program

Overview

The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (the 2018 Farm Bill) 

amended the 2014 Farm Bill which authorized the Emergency 

Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program 

(ELAP). ELAP provides emergency assistance to eligible producers 

of livestock, honeybees and farm-raised fish. It covers losses due to 

an eligible adverse weather or loss condition, including blizzards, 

disease (including cattle tick fever), water shortages and wildfires, as 

determined by the Secretary. ELAP covers losses that are not covered 

under other disaster assistance programs such as the Noninsured 

Crop Disaster Assistance Program, Livestock Forage Disaster 

Program (LFP) and the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP). The 2018 

Farm Bill, enacted Dec. 20, 2018, amended certain provisions related 

to ELAP effective with the 2019 program year. 

Those amendments included:

• providing reimbursement of 90 percent of the cost of losses for 

socially disadvantaged, limited resource, or beginning or veteran 

farmer or rancher.

• removing ELAP from the combined ELAP and LFP maximum 

per person and legal entity payment limitation for the 2019 and 

subsequent program years (as discussed in this fact sheet)

• in addition to covering the cost related to gathering livestock to 

treat for cattle tick fever, ELAP will now cover the cost related to 

gathering livestock to inspect for cattle tick fever;

• no longer covering livestock death losses due to diseases that 

are caused or transmitted by a vector and are not controlled by 

vaccination or an acceptable management practice. The 2018 

Farm Bill authorizes these diseases to be covered under LIP.

• ELAP is administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA) of the U.S. 

Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Policy Enhancement

In response to ongoing drought conditions across the U.S., USDA 

expanded ELAP to help drought-stricken ranchers cover above normal 

costs of hauling water and feed or hauling livestock to forage or other 

feeding location. ELAP livestock and feed hauling assistance was 

retroactive for 2021 and is available for losses in subsequent years.

How it Works

There are five categories of livestock losses 

covered by ELAP, described in greater detail 

within this fact sheet:

• Grazing losses that are not due to 

drought or wildfires on federally 

managed lands;

• Livestock feed losses caused by eligible 

loss condition that result in purchased 

or mechanically harvested feed being 

destroyed, additional feed purchased 

above normal, and additional cost of 

feed delivery; 

• Losses resulting from the additional 

cost of transporting water to livestock 

due to an eligible drought;

• Losses resulting from above normal 

costs of hauling feed to livestock due to 

an eligible drought;

• Losses resulting from above normal 

costs of hauling livestock to forage or 

other feeding location and back due to 

an eligible drought; and

• Losses resulting from the additional 

cost associated with gathering livestock 

for treatment and inspection related to 

cattle tick fever.

fsa.usda.gov/ELAP
FACTSHEET • JUNE 2023

What Is Eligible?

Livestock Feed and Grazing Losses

Eligible Livestock

For livestock feed and grazing losses, livestock must be:

• Grazing animals that are weaned, such as alpacas, 

adult or non-adult dairy cattle, adult or non-adult 

beef cattle, adult or non-adult buffalo, adult or nonadult beefalo, deer, elk, emus, equine, goats, llamas, 

ostriches, reindeer, sheep, and adult or non-adult 

water buffalo;

• Livestock that would normally have been grazing 

the eligible grazing land or pastureland during 

the normal grazing period for the specific pasture 

type of grazing land or pastureland in the county 

where the eligible adverse weather or loss condition 

occurred;

• Owned, cash-leased, purchased, under contract for 

purchase or been raised by a contract grower or an 

eligible livestock producer, during the 60 calendar 

days prior to the beginning date of the eligible 

adverse weather or loss condition; and

• Maintained for commercial use as part of the 

producer’s farming operation on the beginning date 

of the eligible adverse weather or loss condition.

Eligible Producer

An eligible producer is a person or legal entity who, 

in addition to satisfying other payment eligibility 

requirements, is an owner or contract grower of 

livestock that shares in the livestock or the risk of 

producing the livestock who:

• During the 60 calendar days before the beginning 

date of the eligible adverse weather or loss 

condition, owned, cash-leased, purchased, entered 

into a contract to purchase or been a contract 

grower of eligible livestock;

• Suffered a loss on land that is either:

• Native or improved pastureland with a 

permanent vegetative cover; or

• Planted to a crop specifically for the purpose of 

providing grazing for covered livestock; and

• Provided pastureland or grazing land during 

the normal grazing period to eligible livestock, 

including cash-leased pastureland or grazing 

land for livestock that is physically located in 

the county where the eligible adverse weather 

or loss condition occurred during the normal 

grazing period.

Eligible Adverse Weather or Loss Condition

• Eligible adverse weather or loss conditions for 

livestock feed and grazing losses include, but are 

not limited to:

• Blizzard;

• Eligible winter storm;

• Flood;

• Hurricane;

• Lightning;

• Tidal surge;

• Tornado;

• Volcanic eruption; or

• Wildfire on non-federal land.

Drought and wildfire on federally managed land are not 

eligible adverse weather or loss conditions for livestock 

feed and grazing losses under ELAP. These conditions 

are covered by LFP.

Eligible Grazing Losses

Eligible grazing losses must be incurred on eligible 

grazing lands physically located in the county where 

the eligible adverse weather or loss condition occurred 

and because of an eligible adverse weather or loss 

condition. The daily livestock payment rates per head 

for eligible livestock grazing losses for 2023 is $1.94.

Eligible Feed Losses

Eligible feed losses under ELAP are losses:

• Of purchased forage or feedstuffs;

• Of mechanically harvested forage or feedstuffs;

• Resulting from the additional costs incurred for feed 

delivery to eligible livestock because of an eligible 

adverse weather or loss condition; and

• Resulting from the additional costs of purchasing 

additional feed, above normal quantities, required to 

maintain eligible livestock during an eligible adverse 

weather or loss condition, until additional livestock feed 

becomes available.

ELAP - LIVESTOCK ASSISTANCE 2

fsa.usda.gov/ELAP
FACTSHEET • NOVEMBER 2023

Eligible feed losses must not exceed 150 days of lost feed.

Eligible Transportation Losses

To be eligible for ELAP assistance, livestock must be 

intended for grazing in a county suffering an eligible 

drought and producers must have incurred feed or 

livestock transportation costs on or after Jan. 1, 2023. 

Although producers will self-certify losses and expenses to 

FSA, producers are encouraged to maintain good records 

and retain receipts and related documentation in the event 

these documents are requested for review by the local FSA 

County Committee. 

Grazing Loss Payments, Excluding Wildfire on 

Non-Federal Land

Payments for eligible grazing losses, except grazing 

losses due to wildfires on non-federal land, will be 

calculated based on a minimum of 60 percent of the 

lesser of the total value of:

• The feed cost for all covered livestock owned by the 

eligible livestock producer based on the number of 

grazing days lost, not to exceed 150 days of daily 

feed cost for all covered livestock; or

• Grazing lost for eligible livestock based on the normal 

carrying capacity of the eligible grazing land of the 

eligible livestock producer for the number of grazing 

days lost, not to exceed 150 days of lost grazing.

Payments for eligible livestock producers for losses 

suffered because of a wildfire on non-federal land will 

be calculated based on a minimum of 60 percent of:

• The result of dividing the number of acres of grazing 

land or pastureland acres affected by the wildfire by 

the normal carrying capacity of the specific type of 

eligible grazing land or pastureland, multiplied by;

• The daily value of grazing multiplied by;

• The number of days grazing was lost due to the 

wildfire, not to exceed 180 calendar days.

Livestock Feed Payment Calculations

Payment calculations for feed losses will be based on 

a minimum of 60 percent of the producer’s actual 

cost for:

• Livestock feed that was purchased or mechanically 

harvested forage or feedstuffs intended for use as 

feed for the producer’s eligible livestock that was 

physically damaged or destroyed due to an eligible 

adverse weather or loss condition;

• The additional costs incurred for transporting 

livestock feed to eligible livestock due to an eligible 

adverse weather or loss condition; and

• The additional cost of purchasing additional livestock 

feed above normal to maintain the eligible livestock 

during an eligible adverse weather or loss condition 

until additional livestock feed becomes available.

FSA will calculate ELAP payments for an eligible 

livestock producer for livestock feed and grazing losses 

for no more than 150 calendar days.

Livestock Transportation Payment Calculations 

USDA will reimburse eligible ranchers 60% of livestock 

transportation costs above what would have been 

incurred in a normal year. Producers qualifying as 

underserved (socially disadvantaged, limited resource, 

beginning or military veteran) will be reimbursed for 

90% of the feed transportation cost above what would 

have been incurred in a normal year. 

USDA uses a national cost formula to determine 

reimbursement costs that will not include the first 25 

miles and distances exceeding 1,000 transportation 

miles. The calculation will also exclude the normal cost to 

transport hay or feed if the producer normally purchases 

some feed or normally transports livestock. For 2023, the 

initial cost formula of $6.44 per mile will be used (before 

the percentage is applied). 

Losses Resulting from Additional Cost of 

Transporting Water

Eligible Livestock

For losses resulting from the additional cost of 

transporting water, eligible livestock must be:

• Alpacas, adult or non-adult dairy cattle, adult or 

non-adult beef cattle, adult or non-adult buffalo, 

adult or non-adult beefalo, deer, elk, emus, equine, 

goats, llamas, ostriches, reindeer, sheep, and adult 

or non-adult water buffalo;

• Owned, cash-leased, purchased, under contract for 

purchase or been raised by a contract grower or an 

eligible livestock producer, during the 60 calendar 

days prior to the beginning date of the eligible 

adverse weather or loss condition;

• Livestock that are grazing eligible pastureland or 

grazing land during the normal grazing period 

for the specific pasture type of grazing land or 

pastureland that:

• Are physically located in the county where 

the eligible adverse weather or loss condition 

occurred;

• Had adequate livestock watering systems or 

facilities before the eligible adverse weather or 

loss condition occurred; and

• Do not normally require the transport of water 

by the producer; and

• Maintained for commercial use as part of the 

producer’s farming operation on the beginning date 

of the eligible adverse weather or loss condition.

ELAP - LIVESTOCK ASSISTANCE 3

fsa.usda.gov/ELAP
FACTSHEET • NOVEMBER 2023

ELAP - LIVESTOCK ASSISTANCE 4

Livestock that were or would have been in a feedlot 

are not eligible for livestock losses resulting from 

transporting water under ELAP.

Eligible Producer

For losses resulting from transporting water, producers 

must have, during the 60 calendar days before the 

beginning date of the eligible adverse weather or loss 

condition, owned, cash-leased, purchased, entered into 

a contract to purchase or been a contract grower of 

eligible livestock.

Payments for Losses from Transporting Water

 Payments for losses due to transporting water will be 

based on a minimum of 60 percent of the lesser of: 

• The total value of the cost to transport water to 

eligible livestock for 150 days, based on the daily 

water requirements for the eligible livestock; or 

• The total value of the cost to transport water to 

eligible livestock for the program year, based on 

the actual number of gallons of water the eligible 

producer transported to eligible livestock for the 

program year. 

The national average price per gallon to transport 

water is provided in the following table based on the 

method the producer uses to transport water for the 

applicable program year. A state or regional price may 

be established based on the recommendation and 

documentation by the FSA State Committee.

Method of 

Transporting Water

National Average 

Price per Gallon

Personal labor/equipment $0.035

Hired labor/rented equipment $0.05

Contracted water transportation $0.07

Eligible Adverse Weather or Loss Condition 

Eligible adverse weather for losses resulting from the 

additional cost of transporting water to eligible livestock 

includes an eligible drought, meaning that any area of 

the county has been rated by the U.S. Drought Monitor 

as having a D3 (extreme drought) intensity that directly 

impacts water availability at any time during the normal 

grazing period. 

Eligible Losses from Transporting Water Eligible losses 

due to the additional costs of transporting water under 

ELAP are losses that: 

• Are due to an eligible drought; 

• Are for the additional cost of transporting water to 

eligible livestock, including, but not limited to, costs 

associated with water transport equipment fees, 

labor and contracted water transportation fees; and 

• Do not include the cost of the water itself.

Losses Related to Treatment and Inspection for 

Cattle Tick Fever

Eligible Livestock

For losses resulting from the additional cost to treat 

and/or inspect for cattle tick fever, eligible livestock 

must be:

• Adult or non-adult dairy cattle, adult or non-adult 

beef cattle, adult or non-adult buffalo, adult or nonadult beefalo and adult or non-adult water buffalo;

• Owned, cash-leased, purchased, under contract for 

purchase or been raised by a contract grower or an 

eligible livestock producer, during the 60 calendar 

days prior to the beginning date of the eligible 

adverse weather or loss condition; and

• Maintained for commercial use as part of the 

producer’s farming operation on the beginning date 

of the eligible adverse weather or loss condition.

Livestock that were or would have been in a feedlot 

are not eligible for livestock losses resulting from the 

additional cost to treat for cattle tick fever under ELAP.

Eligible losses include those losses resulting from the 

additional cost associated with gathering livestock 

to treat and/or inspect for cattle tick fever. To be 

considered an eligible loss, acceptable records 

that provide the number of livestock treated and/

or inspected for cattle tick fever and the number of 

treatments given during the program year must be on 

file with the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection 

Service (APHIS).

Payments for Losses for Gathering Livestock to 

Treat and/or Inspect for Cattle Tick Fever

Payments for losses resulting from the additional cost 

associated with gathering livestock to treat and/or 

inspect for cattle tick fever will be equal to the sum of 

the following for each treatment:

• A minimum national payment factor of 60 percent 

multiplied by;

• The number of eligible livestock treated and/or 

inspected by APHIS for cattle tick fever, multiplied by;

fsa.usda.gov/ELAP
• The average cost to gather livestock, per head, as 

established by FSA.

Socially Disadvantaged, Limited Resource, 

Beginning, or Veteran Farmers and Ranchers

With respect to the national payment rates referenced 

above, an eligible livestock producer who certifies they are 

socially disadvantaged, limited resource or a beginning or 

veteran farmer or rancher will receive 90 percent of the 

payment rate for livestock losses under ELAP.

Payment Limitations

The 2018 Farm Bill removed ELAP from the combined 

$125,000 payment limitation under ELAP and LFP. 

Therefore, for 2019 and subsequent program years, 

payment limitation does not apply to ELAP benefits. 

The average adjusted gross income (AGI) limitation 

on payments for persons or legal entities, excluding 

joint ventures and general partnerships, with certain 

levels of average AGI will apply. Specifically, a person 

or legal entity with an average AGI (as defined in 7 CFR 

Part 1400) that exceeds $900,000 will not be eligible to 

receive ELAP payments.

Direct attribution provisions also apply to ELAP. Under 

direct attribution, any payment to a legal entity will also 

be considered for payment limitation purposes to be a 

payment to persons or legal entities with an interest in 

the legal entity or in a sub-entity. For more information 

on payment limitations, visit fsa.usda.gov/limits.

How to Apply

Producers can apply to receive ELAP assistance at local 

FSA service centers. The ELAP application period ends Dec. 

31 of each calendar year. In addition to submitting an 

application for payment, producers who suffered livestock 

losses should submit a notice of loss to the local FSA office 

that maintains their farm records.

 The following table provides the final dates to file a notice 

of loss and application for payment for livestock losses.

Date of 

Livestock 

Loss

Final Date to 

File Notice of 

Loss

Final Date to 

Submit an 

Application for 

Payment

For program 

years 2019 

through 2022, 

within Jan. 1 – 

Dec. 31

30 days after loss 

is apparent

For producers 

applying for 

livestock, feed 

and water 

hauling, the loss 

apparent date 

may be extended 

back if the 

county is in an 

eligible drought 

designation 

during the 

grazing season

Jan 30 after the 

program year in which 

the loss occurred.

For program 

year 2023 and 

subsequent 

years, within Jan. 

1 – Dec 31

Jan 30 after the 

program year in 

which the loss 

occurred

Jan 30 after the 

program year in which 

the loss occurred

The producer must include a copy of the grower 

contract if they are a contract grower and any other 

supporting documents required for determining 

eligibility. Supporting documents must show evidence 

of loss, current physical location of livestock in 

inventory and evidence that grazing land or pastureland 

is owned or leased.

FSA will use data furnished by the applicant to determine 

eligibility for program benefits. Furnishing the data is 

voluntary; however, without all required data, program 

benefits will not be approved or provided.

More Information

This fact sheet is for informational purposes only; other 

restrictions may apply. For more information about 

ELAP, visit fsa.usda.gov/ELAP or contact your local FSA 

office. To find your local FSA office, visit farmers.gov.

FACTSHEET • NOVEMBER 2023

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

ELAP - LIVESTOCK ASSISTANCE 5