Eligible livestock are grazing animals that satisfy the majority of net energy requirement of nutrition via grazing of forage grasses or legumes and include such species as alpacas, beef cattle, buffalo/bison, beefalo, dairy cattle, deer, elk, emus, equine, goats, llamas, ostrich, reindeer or sheep.
Within those species animals that are eligible include those that are or would have been grazing the eligible grazing land or pastureland:
- During the normal grazing period for the specific type of grazing land or pastureland for the county; or
- When the federal agency prohibited the livestock producer from having livestock graze the normally permitted livestock on the managed rangeland due to fire
Eligible Livestock must:
- Have been owned, leased, purchased, entered into a contract to purchase, or held by a contract grower during the 60 days prior to the beginning date of a qualifying drought or fire condition
- Have been sold or otherwise disposed of due to a qualifying drought condition during the current production year or up to two production years immediately preceding the current production year if there is a systemic drought condition
- Have been maintained for commercial use as part of a farming operation on the beginning date of the eligible drought or fire condition
- Not have been produced and maintained for reasons other than commercial use as part of a farming operation including, but are not limited to, wild free-roaming animals or livestock used for hunting, racing or wagering, or consumption by the owner; and
- Not have been livestock that were or would have been in a feedlot on the beginning date of the qualifying drought or fire as part of the normal business operation of the livestock producer grower.
Information is accurate as of May 2025. For the most current information contact your
local FSA office.