Thune leads bipartisan group seeking expanded emergency coverage for certain ag producers

The Biden administration must address a gap in coverage under the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP), according to U.S. Sen. John Thune (SD) and a bipartisan contingent of his colleagues.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in September announced that ELAP, which plays a critical role in assisting America’s producers who face losses due to adverse weather events, would receive assistance for the cost of transporting feed to livestock.

However, under current regulations, producers who are transporting their livestock to feed are not eligible for the program, according to a Dec. 1 letter Sen. Thune and other lawmakers sent to USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Zach Ducheneaux.

“While livestock producers welcomed these improvements to ELAP assistance, we continue to hear from producers who have been severely affected by drought this year and have incurred costs related to transporting their livestock to feed sources instead of hauling feed to their livestock,” the senators wrote. “We respectfully request that FSA exercise its authority to further improve ELAP by providing payments to producers for a portion of the costs they have incurred from transporting their livestock to feed sources.”

Among the 19 lawmakers who joined Sen. Thune in signing the letter are U.S. Sens. Steve Daines (R-MT), Deb Fischer (R-NE), John Hoeven (R-ND), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Mike Rounds (R-SD), and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN).

“It is critically important that USDA disaster programs appropriately respond to the challenges that farmers and ranchers face during difficult times,” wrote the senators, who thanked Ducheneaux for “prompt consideration” of their request.