What This Program Covers and Who Runs It

The Emergency information for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish (ELFF) program provides money to farmers and ranchers whose animals or animal products have been lost or damaged by natural disasters. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) administers the program, which covers livestock deaths, honeybee colony losses, and farm-raised fish losses from weather events, disease, or other disasters declared by the Secretary of Agriculture.

The program is not automatic. You must file a notice of loss with your local FSA office within 30 days of discovering the loss, and the FSA must determine that the loss qualifies under program rules. The amount you receive depends on the type and number of animals lost, the market value at the time of loss, and the total funding available that year.

Key Takeaways

  • You must report livestock, honeybee, or farm-raised fish losses to your local FSA office within 30 days of discovering them, or you lose the right to file.
  • The program covers losses from natural disasters, disease outbreaks, and other events the Secretary of Agriculture declares may be able to access, but not from poor management or market price drops.
  • Payment amounts vary by animal type and are based on the market value of what was lost, not replacement cost.
  • The FSA must inspect or verify your loss before payment, which can take several weeks or longer depending on the disaster's scale.
  • Funding is limited and allocated by Congress each year, so not all losses may be fully reimbursed if the program runs short.

Types of Animals and Losses the Program Covers

ELFF covers livestock including cattle, swine, sheep, goats, poultry, and horses. It also covers honeybees and farm-raised fish such as catfish, trout, and other aquaculture species. The loss must result from a natural disaster, disease outbreak, or other event that the USDA Secretary has determined qualifies — such as drought, flood, hurricane, wildfire, blizzard, or a disease like avian influenza or swine fever.

The program does not cover losses from poor feeding, inadequate shelter, neglect, or market price declines. It also does not cover animals that were already sick or injured before the disaster, or losses you could have prevented with reasonable care. If you had insurance on the animals, the FSA payment is reduced by the insurance payout you received.

For honeybees, the program covers colony losses from disease, pesticide exposure, or weather events. For farm-raised fish, it covers losses in ponds or tanks from disease, oxygen depletion, or flooding. In both cases, you must be able to document the loss with records of the number of colonies or fish you had before the event.

How to Report a Loss and What Documents You Need

Report your loss in person at your county FSA office. You must file a notice of loss within 30 days of discovering the loss. Waiting longer than 30 days disqualifies you from the program, even if the disaster happened more recently. The FSA office will give you a form to complete that asks for the number of animals lost, the date of loss, the cause, and details about your operation.

Bring documents that prove what you lost. For livestock, bring farm records showing the number and type of animals you owned before the loss, such as purchase receipts, vaccination records, or inventory lists. For honeybees, bring records of the number of colonies and their condition before the loss. For farm-raised fish, bring pond or tank records and any disease test results if applicable. If the loss was from a disease outbreak, bring veterinary records or test results confirming the disease.

You will also need to show proof of ownership or operation of the animals — a deed, lease, or partnership agreement. The FSA may ask for photographs of dead animals or damaged facilities, though in large disasters the FSA may waive this if the loss is already documented by other means.

How the FSA Verifies Your Loss and Calculates Payment

After you file, an FSA representative will contact you to schedule a loss verification. For livestock, this usually means an on-farm inspection where the FSA counts dead animals or examines records. For honeybees and fish, the FSA may inspect your operation or ask you to provide detailed records of what you had and what was lost. The inspection can happen within days of a small loss or weeks after a large disaster when the FSA is processing many claims.

The FSA uses the market value of the animals on the date of loss to calculate payment, not what you paid for them or what it would cost to replace them. For cattle, the FSA uses the average price reported by the USDA on the loss date. For other livestock, honeybees, and fish, the FSA may use regional market prices or prices you can document from sales around that time. If you can show you sold similar animals recently, bring those sales records.

Payment is reduced by any insurance proceeds you received. If you had crop insurance or livestock insurance that paid out for the same loss, the FSA subtracts that amount from what it would otherwise pay you. The FSA will ask you to declare any insurance payments when you file.

Funding Limits and Payment Timing

Congress appropriates a fixed amount of money for ELFF each year, and that money is divided among all approved claims. If losses in a year exceed the available funding, the FSA may pay a percentage of each approved claim rather than the full amount. For example, if total approved losses are twice the available funding, each farmer might receive 50 cents for every dollar of loss. The FSA announces the payment percentage after the fiscal year ends and all claims are processed.

Payment timing depends on how quickly you file and how busy the FSA is. For a single-farm loss reported quickly with clear documentation, payment can arrive within 4 to 8 weeks. For large disasters affecting many farms, processing can take several months. The FSA will send you a check once your loss is verified and the payment percentage is determined.

What Happens If Your Loss Is Denied or Partially Approved

The FSA may deny your claim if the loss does not meet program rules — for example, if it was caused by poor management, if you filed more than 30 days after discovery, or if the animals were already in poor condition before the disaster. If your claim is denied, the FSA will send you a letter explaining why. You have the right to request reconsideration by submitting additional documentation or a written explanation to your county FSA office.

If you disagree with the FSA's decision, you can file a formal appeal with the FSA's administrative appeal process. The appeal must be filed within 30 days of the denial letter. You can represent yourself or bring someone to help you present your case. The appeal goes to a hearing officer who reviews the FSA's decision and your evidence.

If your claim is partially approved — for example, if the FSA determines you lost fewer animals than you reported — you can also appeal that information. Bring any additional records or witnesses who can support your count of the animals you lost.

Other Disaster information Programs for Farmers

ELFF is one of several USDA programs that help farmers recover from disasters. The Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) covers livestock deaths from natural disasters and is separate from ELFF, though you cannot receive payment from both programs for the same loss. The Tree information Program (TAP) covers losses of trees and timber. The Crop Disaster Program provides payments for crop losses.

If you have crop losses in addition to livestock losses, you may be able to file under multiple programs. Your county FSA office can tell you which programs explore to your situation and help you file for each one. Some programs have different important date, so ask about all of them when you report your loss.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I discover my loss more than 30 days after it happened?

You cannot file under ELFF if you report the loss more than 30 days after you discover it. The 30-day important date is firm and cannot be extended. If you discover a loss late — for example, if you find dead animals in a remote pasture weeks after a storm — you have already missed the window. Check your operation regularly after any disaster to catch losses within the reporting period.

Can I file for ELFF if I had insurance on the animals?

Yes, but the FSA payment will be reduced by the amount your insurance paid. If your insurance covered the full loss, the FSA will not pay anything additional. If your insurance paid part of the loss, the FSA covers the difference up to the market value of the animals. Bring your insurance settlement letter when you file so the FSA can calculate the correct amount.

How do I know if a disaster qualifies for ELFF?

The USDA Secretary must declare the event may be able to access for ELFF information. Your county FSA office can tell you whether a specific disaster qualifies. Not every weather event or disease outbreak automatically triggers the program — the Secretary reviews the scope and impact before making a information. Ask your FSA office as soon as you experience a loss.

What if I disagree with the FSA's count of my dead animals?

You can request reconsideration or file a formal appeal. Bring any additional evidence — photographs, veterinary records, feed purchase records, or witness statements — that supports your count. If you have a neighbor or veterinarian who can testify about the number of animals you had, ask them to provide a written statement to the FSA.

Does ELFF cover animals that died from disease before the disaster?

No. The program covers losses directly caused by the disaster event. If animals were already sick or dying before the disaster, those losses do not may have access to. The FSA will ask about the health status of your animals before the loss occurred, so be honest about any pre-existing disease or injury.