DISASTER ASSISTANCE

ELAP - Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees 

and Farm-Raised Fish Program

Overview

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

authorized the use of Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) funds for 

the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised 

Fish Program (ELAP). ELAP provides financial assistance to eligible 

producers of livestock, honeybees and farm-raised fish for losses 

due to disease, certain adverse weather events or loss conditions, 

including blizzards and wildfires, as determined by the Secretary. 

ELAP assistance is provided for losses not covered by other disaster 

assistance programs authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill, such as losses 

not covered by the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) and the 

Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP).

The 2018 Farm Bill amended certain provisions related to ELAP 

effective with the 2019 program year. Those amendments included:

• removing ELAP from the combined ELAP and LFP maximum 

per person and legal entity payment limitation for the 2019 and 

subsequent program years;

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

socially disadvantaged, limited resource, beginning, or veteran 

farmer or rancher;

• 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 under LIP.

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

Department of Agriculture (USDA).

What Is Eligible?

Eligible Losses

ELAP provides assistance for livestock feed and grazing losses that 

are not due to drought or wildfires on federally managed lands; 

losses resulting from the cost of transporting water to livestock 

due to an eligible drought; losses resulting from the additional cost 

associated with gathering livestock for treatment and/or inspection 

related to cattle tick fever, honeybee feed, colony and hive losses; 

and farm-raised fish feed and death losses. ELAP also helps ranchers 

cover above normal costs of hauling feed to livestock and hauling 

livestock to forage or other grazing acres due to a qualifying drought.

Eligibility Requirements and Payment 

Calculations

For additional information regarding 

eligibility requirements and payment 

calculations for a specific type of livestock, 

honeybee and/or farm-raised fish loss, see 

the ELAP - Farm-Raised Fish Assistance, 

ELAP - Honeybee Assistance or ELAP – 

Livestock Assistance fact sheet at 

fsa.usda.gov/ELAP.

Socially Disadvantaged, Limited 

Resource, Beginning, or Veteran 

Farmers or Ranchers

An eligible livestock, honeybee or farmraised fish producer who certifies they are 

socially disadvantaged, limited resource, 

beginning, or a veteran farmer or rancher 

will receive 90 percent of the payment rate 

for the losses under ELAP.

FACTSHEET • NOVEMBER 2023 fsa.usda.gov/ELAP
EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE FOR LIVESTOCK, HONEYBEES AND FARM-RAISED FISH PROGRAM 2

Payment Limitations

The 2018 Farm Bill removed ELAP from a combined 

$125,000 payment limitation under ELAP and LFP. 

Therefore, effective for 2019 and subsequent program 

years, payment limitation does not apply to ELAP 

benefits. The average adjusted gross income (AGI) 

limitation relating to limits on payments for persons 

or legal entities, excluding joint ventures and general 

partnerships, with certain levels of AGI apply.

Specifically, a person or legal entity with an AGI (as 

defined in 7 CFR Part 1400) that exceeds $900,000 is not 

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. To learn more, visit 

the Payment Eligibility and Payment Limitations fact 

sheet at fsa.usda.gov/payment-limitations.

How it Works

Applying for Assistance

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 losses must submit a notice of 

loss to the local FSA service center that maintains the 

farm records for their business.

The following table provides the final dates to file a 

notice of loss and application for payment for losses.

Date of 

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

For honeybee losses, 

15 days after loss is 

apparent.

For Livestock and 

farm-raised fish 

losses, 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.

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.