Deadlines Approaching for USDA Programs

Several U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) national program deadlines are approaching.

This list may not contain all deadlines. Please contact your local Farm Service Agency office to see if any other program may apply to your farm or ranch.

Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-raised Fish Program (ELAP) for 2021 Losses

Deadline: Jan 31, 2022

ELAP provides financial assistance to eligible producers for livestock, honeybee, and farm-raised fish losses due to disease and certain adverse weather events or loss conditions The ELAP policy was updated to help cover the cost of transporting feed for livestock that rely on grazing and also lowered the drought intensity threshold to trigger assistance for water hauling expenses. Additionally, in 2021 USDA updated ELAP policy to make food fish and other aquatic species eligible for ELAP assistance from now on.

Learn more about ELAP for 2021 Losses

Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) for 2021 Losses

Deadline: Jan 31, 2022

LFP provides payments to eligible livestock producers who have suffered grazing losses on land that is native or improved pastureland with permanent vegetative cover or is planted specifically for grazing. The grazing losses must be due to a qualifying drought condition or fire on federally managed land during the normal grazing period for a county.

Learn more about LFP for 2021 Losses

Organic and Transitional Education and Certification Program (OTECP)

Deadline: Feb 4, 2022

USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) will accept applications for the Organic and Transitional Education and Certification Program (OTECP) for fiscal years 2020 and 2021 from November 8, 2021, through February 4, 2022. FSA extended the original signup deadline, which was January 7, 2022. OTECP provides assistance for certified organic operations and transitional operations that incurred eligible expenses in fiscal years 2020, 2021, and/or 2022. This program is part of USDA’s Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative.

Learn more about OTECP

Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) and Supplemental Dairy Margin Coverage (SDMC)

Deadline: Feb 18, 2022

Enrollment is open from December 13, 2021 through February 18th, 2022 for the Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program and the new Supplemental Dairy Margin Coverage (SDMC) program. SDMC enrollment must occur before 2022 DMC enrollment.

DMC continues to offer protection to dairy producers when the difference between the all-milk price and the average feed price (the margin) falls below a certain dollar amount selected by the producer. SDMC expanded the program to allow dairy producers to better protect their operations by enrolling supplemental production.

Learn More About DMC and SDMC

Spot Market Hog Pandemic Program (SMHPP)

Deadline: Feb 25, 2022

USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) will accept applications for the Spot Market Hog Pandemic Program (SMHPP) from December 15, 2021, through February 25, 2022. SMHPP provides pandemic assistance to hog producers who sold hogs through a negotiated sale from April 16, 2020 through September 1, 2020, the period in which these producers faced the greatest reduction in market prices due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This program is part of USDA’s Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative.

Learn more about SMHPP

Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) for 2021 Losses

Deadline: Mar 1, 2022

LIP provides benefits to livestock owners and contract growers who experience livestock deaths exceeding the normal mortality, due to specific adverse weather, disease, or animal attacks.

Learn more about LIP for 2021 Losses

Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) Programs

Deadline: Mar 15, 2022

USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) encourages producers to contact their local USDA Service Centers to make or change elections and to enroll for 2022 Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) or Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs, providing future protections against market fluctuations. The election and enrollment period opened on Oct. 18, 2021 and runs through March 15, 2022.

Learn more about ARC and PLC