The U.S. Department of Agriculture will begin accepting applications July 20 for its new program supporting farmers who were forced to euthanize livestock due to processing bottlenecks early in the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Pandemic Livestock Indemnity Program will assist chicken, turkey, and pork producers. PLIP payments will be based on 80 percent of the fair market value of the livestock euthanized and will also include the cost of depopulation and disposal of the animals. Aid previously received through other programs will be subtracted from the payment amount.
Eligible livestock must have been depopulated between March 1 and Dec. 26, 2020 due to insufficient processing access as a result of the pandemic. Applicants must have had legal ownership of the livestock; contract growers are not eligible.
Applications will be open through Sept. 17 and can be submitted to the FSA office at your local USDA Service Center.
The new assistance is part of the Pandemic Assistance for Producers Program the agency announced in March to fill gaps not addressed through previous rounds of assistance and direct additional relief to agriculture. Within the next month, USDA plans to also implement programs supporting dairy, timber, biofuels, and other areas.
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