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USDA issues $1.89 billion in Emergency Livestock Relief Program payments to farmers

The USDA’s Farm Service Agency has issued $1.89 billion in Emergency Livestock Relief Program (ELRP) payments.

These are the final payments going to livestock producers who applied for ELRP 2023 and 2024 Flood and Wildfire Assistance, as well as those awaiting a second payment under the programs.

The producers who previously received partial ELRP payments will get a second payment equal to more than eight percent of their Livestock Forage Disaster Relief Program gross calculated payment, bringing the final payment factor to more than 43 percent.

There is a combined payment limit for producers of $125,000 for each program year, but some farmers might be able to request an exemption to that payment limit and should contact their local FSA Office for more details.

These payments are part of the $2 billion in emergency relief authorized by Congress through the American Relief Act of 2025, which was approved for livestock producers who suffered losses from drought, wildfires, or flooding in 2023 and 2024.