Congressman Cleaver Supports Livestock Producers Hit by 2012 Drought

This week U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver sent a letter to US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack, requesting flexibility within the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP). He urged the Secretary to provide support for those livestock producers in Missouri applying for aid after the devastating losses suffered during the 2012 drought.

"This is an issue affecting thousands of Missouri's Fifth District livestock producers, resulting in millions in economic losses for them and the local economy," stated Congressman Cleaver. "That's why I've urged Secretary Vilsack to provide flexibility in the LFP such that producers will be allowed to demonstrate their acres were used for pastureland during the covered disaster period. I look forward to working with USDA to ensure a resolution to support those livestock producers who suffered through the worst drought in over half-a-century."

Those who raise, feed, and process cattle and other livestock in Missouri were devastated by the historic 2012 drought. Feed and hay costs rose to all-time highs that year and pressured many farmers to thin their herds, through no fault of their own, simply because they could not feed all of their animals. Due to USDA's quick work, the livestock disaster assistance programs provided for in the 2014 Farm Bill recently became available for applications from producers, and are retroactively applied to 2012 and 2013.

But, now that producers are applying for assistance at their local Farm Service Agency offices, many are finding that an unintended error in their annual crop reports is causing them to be deemed ineligible for the Livestock Forage Program. Many producers have diversified production and are required to annually report their total crop acreage and intended use for the land in order to receive payments from other commodity programs.

Unfortunately, many producers recorded some acres as hay, even if they were used for pastureland during the grazing season, since there was no difference in eligibility for other commodity programs. Conversely, other producers that have pastureland only can now self-certify that their land was only used for grazing, creating an unfair advantage over diversified producers.