FSA Direct Loans and Livestock Disaster Assistance Guide

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) has announced its lending rates for May 2026 and continues to provide a suite of disaster assistance programs designed to mitigate losses for agricultural producers.

These initiatives focus on providing financial liquidity through direct loans and targeted compensation for livestock and forage losses resulting from adverse weather, disease and natural disasters.

The agency’s current operational framework is led by Administrator William “Bill” Beam, who was sworn into the role on March 24, 2025.

Agricultural Lending and Emergency Loans

The FSA has released updated lending rates for agricultural producers for May 2026. These rates apply to the agency’s direct loan offerings, which are intended to support farming and ranching operations.

Among these financial tools is the Emergency Loan Program. This program provides loans to help producers recover from physical and production losses caused by drought, flooding, and other natural disasters.

The Emergency Loan Program also extends to losses caused by quarantine imposed by the Secretary under the Plant Protection Act or by animal quarantine laws.

Eligibility for emergency loan assistance for physical losses is restricted to designated and contiguous counties following a disaster designation by the FSA Administrator.

Livestock and Forage Disaster Assistance

The USDA maintains several specialized programs to compensate producers for livestock-related losses. These include the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP), which provides compensation to eligible producers who have suffered grazing losses due to fire or drought on native or improved pastureland with permanent vegetative cover, or land planted specifically for grazing.

For livestock deaths that exceed normal mortality rates, the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) provides benefits. These deaths must be caused by adverse weather or attacks by animals that were reintroduced into the wild by the federal government.

The Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish (ELAP) program covers losses due to disease, adverse weather, or other conditions—such as wildfires and blizzards—that are not covered by the LFP and LIP.

the Emergency Livestock Relief Program (ELRP) offers emergency relief payments to compensate for increases in supplemental feed costs. This program is available to livestock producers who had approved applications through the 2021 Livestock Forage Disaster Program for forage losses caused by wildfire or severe drought.

Program Deadlines and Conservation Initiatives

The FSA has established several critical deadlines for its conservation and relief programs throughout the second and third quarters of 2026:

• The second batching period for the Continuous Conservation Reserve Program requires offers to be submitted by May 1, 2026.
• The Grassland Conservation Reserve Program has a deadline of May 29, 2026.
• The Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (SDRP) has a deadline of August 12, 2026.

The agency has also issued a second Supplemental Disaster Payment to farmers and has extended the application period for the associated program.

To assist new farmers and ranchers, the USDA provides a Program Finder and a Loan Assistance Tool, which serves as a guide for selecting appropriate loans. The Outreach and Education Office also provides resources for those beginning agricultural operations.