With many eyes across the Southeast tracking the movement of Hurricane Ian, this is a good time to remind livestock producers about the importance of inventory records in the event of a natural disaster.
When a disaster, like Hurricane Ian strikes, the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) can help you if you’ve suffered excessive livestock death losses and grazing or feed losses due to eligible natural disasters.
To participate in livestock disaster assistance programs, you’ll be required to provide verifiable documentation of death losses resulting from an eligible adverse weather event and must submit a notice of loss to your local FSA office within 30 calendar days of when the loss of livestock is apparent. For grazing or feed losses, you must submit a notice of loss to your local FSA office within 30 calendar days of when the loss is apparent and should maintain documentation and receipts.
You should record all pertinent information regarding livestock inventory records including:
- Documentation of the number, kind, type, and weight range of livestock
- Beginning inventory supported by birth recordings or purchase receipts
So remember to keep your livestock records updated. For more information on documentation requirements, contact your local County USDA Service Center or visit fsa.usda.gov.