Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program

ELAP covers losses that are not covered under other disaster assistance programs such as the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program, Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) and the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP). The 2018 Farm Bill, enacted Dec. 20, 2018, amended certain provisions related to ELAP effective with the 2019 program year. In response to ongoing drought conditions across the U.S., USDA expanded ELAP to help drought-stricken ranchers cover above normal costs of hauling water and feed or hauling livestock to forage or other feeding location. Starting in 2024, milk producing dairy cattle began testing positive for H5N1 virus, more commonly known as bird flu. In response, USDA expanded ELAP once again to help producers that suffered milk production losses due to positive tests indicating that dairy herds were infected with H5N1. ELAP also covers eligible losses for Farm Raised Fish for food and eligible losses for honeybee colonies and hives.