FARGO, N.D. (NDSU) – Livestock producers in 10 North Dakota counties may be eligible for Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) payments because of drought in 2018.

North Dakota State University has an Excel program that quickly will provide an estimate of LFP payments under most scenarios in North Dakota, Montana and South Dakota, says Andy Swenson, the NDSU Extension farm and family resource management specialist.

The LFP calculator is available at www.ag.ndsu.edu/farmmanagement/farm-bill.

LFP, authorized under the 2014 farm bill, provides assistance to producers for grazing losses caused by drought. Payments are determined by the duration and intensity of drought as determined by the U.S. Drought Monitor. Payments can be made for one, three, four or five months of forage loss.

As of Oct. 11, livestock producers may be eligible for payments on four months of forage loss in McHenry, Renville and Ward counties; three months in Eddy, Foster, Nelson and Wells counties; and one month in Bottineau, Rolette and Pierce counties. Montana and South Dakota have three and four counties, respectively, that are eligible for one month of forage loss.

LFP eligibility rules require that producers own, lease or be a contract grower of covered livestock during the 60 days prior to the qualifying drought. Producers also must have owned or leased grazing land for the livestock in a county affected by drought. Producers must file an acreage report on that grazing land by Nov. 15.

Contact your local Farm Service Agency office for complete details.