Drought Resources
Resources
Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP)
- Payment to livestock producers if they suffered grazing losses due to drought when grazing land is physically located in a county that is in a severe (D2) or extreme (D3) Drought area.
- Administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA).
- LFP Fact Sheet here.
- Apply at local FSA office. Find yours here.
Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Haying and Grazing
- Emergency haying and grazing acres may be authorized to provide relief to livestock producers in areas affected by a severe drought.
- Counties are approved that are in a severe drought (D2).
- An FSA County Committee can initiate a county if they can document a 40% or greater loss of forage production due to drought.
- CRP Fact Sheet here.
Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP)
- ELAP will be the primary program to examine if you lose livestock feed due to natural disaster including baled hay.
- ELAP was updated to help cover the cost of transporting feed for livestock that rely on grazing. USDA has expanded the program to help ranchers cover above normal costs of hauling livestock to forage or other grazing acres. To view an online tool created to help producers estimate payments under this new provision, please click here. This includes places where:
- Drought intensity is D2 for eight consecutive weeks as indicated by the U.S. Drought Monitor;
- Drought intensity is D3 or greater; or
- USDA has determined a shortage of local or regional feed availability.
- The deadline to request all ELAP assistance for 2022 calendar year losses will be Jan. 31, 2023.
- ELAP Fact Sheet here.
Roadside Haying Permits
- Apply online here.
- Issued by Nebraska Department of Transportation.
- Landowners may submit applications between March 1 and July 29. If you are not a landowner, applications may not be submitted until 7:00 a.m. CST on July 30. Please note that applications submitted online will be given a timestamp that will put them “in-line” as determined by the first-come, first-serve basis. Applicants who apply in-person at an NDOT office will also be considered “in-line” for an application alongside those who apply online.
Hay & Forage Needs
Noninsured Drop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP)
- NAP provides financial assistance to producers of non-insurable crops to protect against natural disasters that result in lower crop yields or crop losses or prevents crop planting. This is not a disaster response program; NAP policies must be purchased prior to the growing season. Check with your county FSA office for NAP policy deadlines.
- NAP Fact Sheet here.
Tree Assistance Program (TAP)
- Provides financial assistance to qualifying orchardists and nursery tree growers to replant or rehabilitate eligible trees, bushes, and vines damaged by natural disasters.
- Eligible trees, bushes, and vines are those from which an annual crop is produced for commercial purposes. Nursery trees include ornamental, fruit, nut and Christmas trees produced for commercial sale.
- TAP Fact Sheet here.
- Apply at local FSA office. Find yours here.
Webinars
Drought & Crop Insurance Webinar
The webinar highlights what farmers should do under their crop insurance policies if their crops are damaged by drought. The speaker discusses options farmers have under crop insurance if crops suffer from drought and what producers should do if they want to cut a portion of the crop for silage or divert water from one crop to adequately water another crop. They will also touch on Pasture, Range, and Forage Coverage and how drought impacts Livestock Risk Protection (LRP) .
Irrigation & Water Management During Drought Webinar
This webinar focuses on water and irrigation management during drought. Steve Melvin, an Irrigated Cropping Systems Extension Educator located in Central City with the University of Nebraska, will discuss factors irrigators should keep in mind when managing irrigation applications this year. Steve’s work focuses on working with farmers to conserve water and effectively manage their irrigation equipment. Proper pressure, soil water monitoring, irrigation timing, end of season applications, and other water management factors will be discussed.
Rural Wellness
What do I do if I’m feeling overwhelmed?
If you or someone you know is feeling overwhelmed with stress, depression or other mental health issue, please don’t hesitate to call the Nebraska Rural Response Hotline at 1-800-464-0258. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services also has a Disaster Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-5990.
