Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP)

What causes of death qualify

LIP covers livestock deaths above normal mortality when caused by:

• Adverse weather. Blizzards, tornados, hurricanes, extreme cold, extreme heat, wildfires, floods, hail, lightning. Weather-related shortly-after-event deaths (a calf with pneumonia after a storm, a cow with hyperthermia after extreme heat) count with veterinary documentation.
• Disease. Outbreaks including anthrax, cyanobacteria poisoning from drought-driven water conditions, and other qualifying disease events.
• Fire. Both wildfires (documented by fire perimeter and evacuation records) and structure fires on the operation.
• Predators. Attacks by federally protected animals (wolves, grizzly bears, certain avian predators), federally reintroduced species, and unattended dogs. Losses to federally protected or reintroduced predators are now paid at 100% of market value as of July 8, 2026 (retroactive to January 1).

Not eligible: deaths from old age, general management failures, or non-qualifying causes. Losses within normal mortality thresholds are also not compensated (LIP pays for losses above normal — e.g., non-adult cattle under 400 lbs have a 5% normal mortality baseline).

Payment rates

LIP payment structure has three main tracks as of July 2026:

Per-head fair market values are set annually by USDA — historically published in May of each program year, calculated from prior-year averages. Regional price premiums that exceed national averages are now allowed under the July 2026 rule change.

All livestock categories are covered: newborn beef calves, weaned calves, yearlings, bred heifers, mature cows, mature bulls, plus sheep, goats, poultry, and other categories with their own rates. Producers who filed claims for eligible unborn livestock losses during 2024 and 2025 will automatically receive additional compensation using existing FSA records — no refile required.

Documentation — the load-bearing part of any LIP claim

LIP claims live or die on the strength of the documentation. What FSA needs to establish the loss:

• Cause of death. Photographs with date stamps. Veterinary records or postmortem reports. For predator kills, USDA Wildlife Services investigation reports and state game agency reports. For fire, the fire perimeter map and any evacuation records.
• Livestock category and count. Head count by category (newborn calf, yearling, mature cow, etc.), matched to the operation's typical inventory records — brand inspection, herd records, prior sales receipts.
• Third-party corroboration. A neighbor's signed statement is admissible. Rendering-service pickup records count. A local sheriff or extension agent statement counts.
• Shortly-after-event evidence. For losses that occurred hours or days after a qualifying event (e.g., a calf that developed pneumonia after a blizzard), veterinary records tying the death to the event are what establishes the causal link.

Photos taken immediately after the event — of the carcass, the ground conditions, the fire damage, the flooded pasture — are consistently the most persuasive evidence in a LIP file.

The filing process

1. Notice of Loss. Filed at the local FSA office within 30 days of the loss event, or within 30 days of becoming aware of the loss. LIP has its own Notice of Loss form; the office provides it.
2. Documentation. See above. Bring photos, veterinary records, third-party statements, and inventory records.
3. Full LIP application. Due by March 1 of the year after the loss.
4. Payment processing. Historically a few weeks after complete application; in 2026, county-office backlogs are extending timelines. Details on the payments page.

Find your local FSA office: farmers.gov/working-with-us/service-center-locator

Common LIP questions

Related programs

LIP covers animal deaths. Producers with other types of disaster loss usually have parallel claims:

• LFP — Livestock Forage Disaster Program. Drought-related grazing losses. The main federal drought program for cattle producers.
• ELAP — Emergency Assistance for Livestock. Feed and water hauling, livestock transportation, honey bee losses, and other losses not covered by LFP or LIP.
• SDRP — Supplemental Disaster Relief Program. Top-up payments for 2023 and 2024 losses. Payment factor doubled to 70%. Deadline extended to September 30, 2026.
• All four programs together. Homepage overview with interactive worth-it calculator.
• Payment timing across all programs. Current status for LFP, LIP, ELAP, and SDRP payments.

Sources

• USDA FSA — Livestock Indemnity Program page. fsa.usda.gov
• eCFR Title 7, Part 1416 — LIP federal regulations. ecfr.gov
• USDA press release, July 8, 2026 — "USDA Celebrates One Year Anniversary of the Working Families Tax Cuts Act, Delivers Final Farmers First Program Improvements." usda.gov
• DTN Progressive Farmer (July 9, 2026), "USDA Lowers Drought Aid Trigger and Increases Depredation Coverage." Link
• Southeast AgNET (July 10, 2026), "USDA Makes Changes to Livestock Indemnity Program." Link
• U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service — Managing Mexican Wolf-Livestock Conflict. Link

Last updated August 2026. Per-head fair market values and specific LIP payment amounts are calculated by FSA based on the operation's records — verify with the local FSA office.

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