USDA Announces New Financial Assistance for Livestock Producers Forced to Cull Animals During Pandemic

USDA announced Tuesday “Pandemic Livestock Indemnity Program,” or PLIP, to help compensate livestock and poultry producers who were forced to depopulate their herds due to processing issues during the pandemic.

USDA announced a new program called "Pandemic Livestock Indemnity Program," or PLIP, to help compensate livestock and poultry producers who were forced to depopulate their herds between March 1, 2020 and December 26, 2020.
USDA announced a new program called “Pandemic Livestock Indemnity Program,” or PLIP, to help compensate livestock and poultry producers who were forced to depopulate their herds between March 1, 2020 and December 26, 2020.
(USDA)

Several livestock producers faced the unthinkable during the pandemic,having to cull their animals due to a lack of processing capacity. Now, USDA is rolling out help for those livestock producers.

The program is called “Pandemic Livestock Indemnity Program,” or PLIP. USDA announcing livestock and poultry producers who were forced to depopulate their herds between March 1, 2020 and December 26, 2020.

Payments will be based on 80% of the fair market value, plus the cost of depopulation and disposal. Eligible livestock include swine, chickens and turkeys.

“Throughout the pandemic, we learned very quickly the importance and vulnerability of the supply chain to our food supply,” said Agriculture Secretary Vilsack in a release Tuesday. “Many livestock producers had to make the unfortunate decision to depopulate their livestock inventory when there simply was no other option. This targeted assistance will help livestock and poultry producers that were among the hardest hit by the pandemic alleviate some financial burden from these losses.”

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There are additional payment stipulations and rules, but applications can be turned into local FSA offices starting Tuesday, July 20, 2021.

Since USDA rolled out the Pandemic Assistance initiative in March, the Department has announced over $7 billion in assistance to producers and agriculture entities. For more details, please visit www.farmers.gov/pandemic-assistance.

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