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National & World Ag News Headlines |
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Group Wants USDA to Cut Payments to Those Who Neglect Livestock
USAgNet - 04/18/2017
The Humane Farming Association has filed a petition with the Trump Administration to cease USDA Livestock Indemnity Program payments to producers who do not protect their livestock from adverse weather. The Farm Service Agency LIP provides
compensation to livestock producers who incur death losses from inclement weather. Producers receive compensation in the amount of 75 percent of the animals' market value up to $125,000 per year.
The petition was filed in conjunction with Tax Day 2017, to draw attention to the fact that taxpayers are being bilked out of millions of dollars to pay for this program.
"Instead of providing adequate shelter to vulnerable livestock, producers who do not assure protections from adverse weather are rewarded with a government check," said HFA National Director Bradley Miller. "Compensating producers for dead livestock
without ever requiring adequate shelter is actually a disincentive to farmers and ranchers to take the necessary steps to provide their animals with protections from inclement weather. Without this compensation, many producers would no doubt make an effort to
provide for their animals. Instead, massive numbers of neglected livestock are dying painfully and needlessly and taxpayers are footing the bill."
HFA says records revealed that in the last three years, LIP issued payments of $134 million to farmers and ranchers for animal deaths due primarily to weather-related issues. Total animal deaths included a staggering 202,445 livestock and 2.4 million poultry.
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