Sign-up for the Livestock Compensation Program (LCP) will begin on April 1 and run through early June 2003. This program expands the LCP to all counties that were not eligible for the initial program in the fall of 2002 but were declared disaster areas before Feb. 20, 2003.

To be eligible for this additional assistance, a producer's livestock operation headquarters must be physically located in a county with a qualifying disaster designation. Eligible livestock are cattle, sheep, goats and buffalo. Contiguous counties are not eligible for this program. Ranchers should visit their local FSA office in April to sign-up.

The Agricultural Assistance Act authorized $3.1 billion for disaster aid for producers suffering from natural disasters and related conditions. USDA will continue to announce sign-ups for other assistance programs provided by the Act as quickly as possible, including the $250 million for the Livestock Assistance Program as well as the crop disaster program.

The USDA has developed a Web site that provides farmers and ranchers immediate access to information on programs authorized by this Act of 2003. The site will include details on sign-up, program requirements. Information: <http://disaster.fsa.usda.gov/