ORIGINALLY WRITTEN WILLIAM HARMON
The 2002 Livestock Compensation Program (LCP) was created to provide financial assistance to cattle, sheep, and goat producers who suffered 2001 and 2002 feed and grazing pasture losses due to drought conditions.
In accordance with Section 32 of the Act of Aug. 24, 1935, as amended, $752 million is available to producers in eligible counties nationwide.
Marion County received authorization for LCP Oct. 22, along with 40 other Kansas counties in a secondary U.S. Department of Agriculture designation. Previously, 63 Kansas counties were originally designated for LCP assistance.
Signup for LCP began Oct. 1 and will continue until an ending date is announced. LCP applications are to be filed at the Farm Service Agency office in the producer’s livestock headquarters county.
In Marion County the FSA office is located at 301 Eisenhower Drive, Marion.
Separate LCP applications will be accepted where livestock herds are being maintained in multiple counties.
Livestock types eligible for assistance are beef and dairy cattle (including adult cows, bulls, heifers, steers), buffalo and beefalo, sheep and goats.
To be eligible, cattle must have weighed at least 500 pounds by June 1. All livestock must have been owned by the applicant within a 90-day period by June 1 or after.
Following are the established payment rates for LCP, per head:
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Adult cows, bulls, $18;
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Adult dairy cattle, $31.50;
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Beef and dairy replacement heifers, $13.50;
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Beef and dairy steers, $13.50;
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Nonbred beef and dairy heifers, $13.50;
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All sheep and goats, $4.50.
Payments are limited to $40,000 per person, with offsets made for any indebtedness owed FSA or the Commodity Credit Corp.
A person earning payments under LCP must have a qualifying gross revenue that will not exceed $2.5 million for the preceding tax year. Producers must certify that more than 50 percent of gross annual receipts is received from farming and ranching operations and that the gross annual receipts from these operations is not in excess of $2.5 million.
Bill Harmon is the executive director of the FSA office in Marion.
