Bill Summary
The Livestock Disaster Relief Act is a bill that aims to amend the Agricultural Act of 2014 in order to improve a program that provides assistance to farmers for livestock losses due to disasters. This bill would expand the program to include unweaned cattle and make changes to the Livestock Forage Disaster Program. It would also provide emergency assistance for livestock and other farm animals affected by adverse weather conditions or shortages, including transportation costs. This bill is referred to as the "Livestock Disaster Relief Act" and is being proposed by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America.
Possible Impacts
1. Farmers who raise unweaned cattle may be eligible for assistance under the Livestock Disaster Relief Act and receive aid for losses due to natural disasters or adverse weather conditions.
2. The amendment to the Livestock Forage Disaster Program could potentially provide more financial support to farmers in areas with shorter grazing periods, such as those affected by drought, by increasing the number of monthly payments they can receive.
3. Beekeepers and fish farmers may also be eligible for emergency assistance under the Agricultural Act of 2014 if they experience losses due to adverse weather conditions or other factors that affect their production.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2707 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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117th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 2707
To amend the Agricultural Act of 2014 to improve a program that
provides livestock disaster assistance, and for other purposes
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
August 10, 2021
Mr. Hoeven (for himself and Mr. Tester) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture,
Nutrition, and Forestry
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Agricultural Act of 2014 to improve a program that
provides livestock disaster assistance, and for other purposes
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Livestock Disaster Relief Act''.
SEC. 2. SUPPLEMENTAL AGRICULTURAL DISASTER ASSISTANCE.
(a) Definitions.--Section 1501(a)(4)(A) of the Agricultural Act of
2014 (7 U.S.C. 9081(a)(4)(A)) is amended by inserting ``and unweaned
cattle'' after ``dairy cattle''.
(b) Livestock Forage Disaster Program.--Section 1501(c)(3) of the
Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9081(c)(3)) is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (C)(iii)(I)--
(A) in item (aa), by striking ``or'' at the end;
(B) in item (bb), by striking ``by'' at the end and
inserting ``or''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(cc) the national average
corn price per bushel for the
3-month period immediately
preceding that March 1; by'';
and
(2) in subparagraph (D)(ii)(II)--
(A) in item (aa), by striking ``3'' and inserting
``4'';
(B) in item (bb), by striking ``4 monthly'' and
inserting ``6 monthly''; and
(C) in item (cc), by striking ``an amount equal
to'' and all that follows through the period at the end
and inserting the following: ``an amount equal to--
``(AA) in the case
of a county with a
normal grazing period
of not less than 8
months, 8 monthly
payments using the
monthly payment rate
determined under
subparagraph (B); or
``(BB) in the case
of a county with a
normal grazing period
of less than 8 months,
1 monthly payment for
each month of the
normal grazing period
for that county, using
the monthly payment
rate determined under
that subparagraph.''.
(c) Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-Raised
Fish.--Section 1501(d) of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C.
9081(d)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1)--
(A) by inserting ``(including drought)'' after
``adverse weather''; and
(B) by striking ``, that are not covered under
subsection (b) or (c)''; and
(2) in paragraph (2), by inserting ``(including
transportation costs)'' after ``shortages''.
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