ELAP (Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish) is an FSA program for losses other programs don't cover, such as extra feed or hauling water and feed during drought. For 2026 losses, the notice of loss and application are due by March 1, 2027.
ELAP fills gaps around LFP and LIP. For livestock it can cover:
- Feed lost or extra feed bought because of an eligible adverse weather event
- Hauling water to livestock in a qualifying drought
- Hauling feed or moving livestock to grazing during a qualifying drought
- Grazing losses not covered by LFP, such as some losses from wildfire on non-federal land or flooding
- Some death losses from disease that LIP doesn't cover
Drought-related ELAP help (water and feed hauling) generally needs the county to be in severe drought or worse. FSA sets yearly payment rates; for 2026 the livestock feed and grazing loss rate is $1.1885 per animal unit per day and the hauling rate is $3.75 per mile per truckload (FSA Notice ELAP-27).
Keep receipts. FSA wants original feed receipts with the vendor's details and documentation of miles hauled.
The rule from FSA's page: file a notice of loss and an application for payment by March 1 after the program year in which the loss occurred. Your county office has the forms.
Official sources
Rules checked against these pages on Oct 18, 2026. Live numbers update with each data load. Information only: the agency decides. Not affiliated with USDA.