While grain farmers hit by flooding wait for Congress to pass a disaster bill, livestock producers have welcomed the USDA disaster programs currently in place. Farm Service Agency Administrator Richard Fordyce says the Livestock Indemnity Program is covering losses of livestock due to weather. He says it has been even more responsive during the recent disaster due to some changes they made on the county level.

The ELAP program has also helped replace feed that was lost in the storms and emergency grazing of CRP was approved in affected counties in Iowa and Nebraska. Fordyce says that not only provides needed forage, but a better temporary environment for livestock.

One area that is not covered by insurance or USDA disaster programs is the stored grain that was damaged or lost in the flood.

Fordyce says Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue will be pushing Congress for a grain indemnity program to be included in the disaster bill.