Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) 2026: Payment Rates, Deadline, and How to File
Livestock died? Do these things first.
- Photograph every animal before you move or dispose of it. Dated photos and the location matter. Rendering-truck receipts, vet records, and brand inspection records also count as proof.
- Suspect a predator? Call USDA Wildlife Services or your state wildlife agency right away so someone can confirm the kill. The 100% predator rate applies only to confirmed kills, and carcass evidence degrades fast.
- File a notice of loss with FSA. Find your local FSA office or call the FSA line at 1-877-508-8364. The final date for 2026 losses is March 1, 2027.
- Save weather records (a National Weather Service or NOAA report for the storm, flood, or heat event) and your herd inventory from before the loss.
This is a free guide, not financial or legal advice. FSA decides eligibility and payment amounts. Always verify with your local FSA office. Report an error
The Short Version
LIP can pay you when livestock die above normal mortality because of eligible weather, an eligible disease, or an attack by a federally protected or reintroduced predator. For 2026 losses it can pay 75% of FSA’s market value for weather and disease deaths and 100% for eligible predator kills. FSA’s 2026 national average market value for an adult beef cow is $2,819.67, so the 75% rate works out to $2,114.75 per cow. You file a notice of loss and an application at your FSA county office by March 1 after the year of the loss. The work is in the records: FSA needs proof of how many animals died, why, and what you had on hand before.
At a Glance
| What it can pay for | Livestock deaths above normal mortality from eligible weather, eligible disease, or eligible predator attacks; injured animals sold at a reduced price (weather and predator only); and, since 2024, unborn livestock when a bred female dies. |
| Payment rate | 75% of market value for weather and disease losses; 100% for eligible predator attacks (losses on or after January 1, 2026). |
| Deadline | Notice of loss and application by March 1, 2027 for 2026 losses. |
| Form | CCC-852, Livestock Indemnity Program Application |
| Where to file | The FSA county office that serves the county where the animals died. |
| Payment limit | No annual dollar limit. The $900,000 AGI limit applies, with a waiver for producers with at least 75% farm income. |
Does My Loss Qualify?
| What happened | Can LIP pay? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cattle died in a blizzard, flood, tornado, wildfire, lightning, extreme heat or cold, or straight-line wind | May qualify (75%) | Deaths must be above normal mortality and within 30 days of the end of the event (7 days for newborns). |
| A wolf, grizzly bear, eagle, or other federally protected or reintroduced predator killed livestock | May qualify (100% for 2026 losses) | Needs a confirmed kill from Wildlife Services, a state wildlife agency, or another source FSA accepts. |
| Kills by predators that are not federally protected or reintroduced | Generally no | Ask your state about state compensation programs. |
| Disease made worse by eligible weather (for example anthrax, cyanobacteria, larkspur poisoning) | May qualify (75%) | A vet statement can serve as proof of death if it meets FSA’s requirements. |
| Animals injured by eligible weather or a predator and sold at a reduced price | May qualify | Must be sold through a sale barn, packer, or rendering plant. The payment is the rate minus what you received. |
| Deaths from drought, heat stress you could have prevented, or poor management | Generally no | Drought counts only when it leads to anthrax deaths. |
| Livestock kept for hunting, racing, or your own table | No | LIP covers livestock kept for commercial use. |
2026 LIP Rates by Animal and Weight
FSA published its 2026 national average market values for livestock owners on the FSA LIP page in July 2026. LIP can pay 75% of the market value for weather and disease losses and 100% for eligible predator attacks. The two right-hand columns do that math. Selected categories:
| Kind | Type | 2026 market value | 75% (weather, disease) | 100% (eligible attack) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beef cattle | Adult cow | $2,819.67 | $2,114.75 | $2,819.67 |
| Beef cattle | Adult bull | $3,665.57 | $2,749.18 | $3,665.57 |
| Beef cattle | Non-adult, under 400 lb | $1,358.23 | $1,018.67 | $1,358.23 |
| Beef cattle | Non-adult, 400 to 799 lb | $1,931.14 | $1,448.36 | $1,931.14 |
| Beef cattle | Non-adult, 800 lb or more | $3,218.57 | $2,413.93 | $3,218.57 |
| Dairy cattle | Adult cow | $2,912.50 | $2,184.38 | $2,912.50 |
| Dairy cattle | Adult bull | $2,907.36 | $2,180.52 | $2,907.36 |
| Dairy cattle | Non-adult, under 400 lb | $728.13 | $546.10 | $728.13 |
| Dairy cattle | Non-adult, 400 to 799 lb | $1,456.25 | $1,092.19 | $1,456.25 |
| Dairy cattle | Non-adult, 800 lb or more | $2,378.54 | $1,783.91 | $2,378.54 |
| Buffalo/bison | Adult cow | $2,555.81 | $1,916.86 | $2,555.81 |
| Buffalo/bison | Adult bull | $3,083.48 | $2,312.61 | $3,083.48 |
| Sheep | Adult ewe | $309.43 | $232.07 | $309.43 |
| Sheep | Adult ram | $784.46 | $588.35 | $784.46 |
| Sheep | Lamb | $269.92 | $202.44 | $269.92 |
| Goats | Adult nanny | $166.95 | $125.21 | $166.95 |
| Goats | Adult buck | $317.53 | $238.15 | $317.53 |
| Goats | Kid or slaughter goat | $122.45 | $91.84 | $122.45 |
| Equine | Adult | $1,985.64 | $1,489.23 | $1,985.64 |
| Equine | Non-adult | $996.94 | $747.71 | $996.94 |
| Elk | Adult | $1,625.85 | $1,219.39 | $1,625.85 |
| Alpacas | Adult | $867.37 | $650.53 | $867.37 |
| Llamas | Adult | $701.13 | $525.85 | $701.13 |
FSA publishes values for other kinds too, including poultry, swine, deer, caribou, and water buffalo, and a separate table for contract growers. See the full 2026 owners table. FSA’s 2025 adult beef cow payment rate was $1,810.09, so check which year’s figure you are reading.
How FSA can set a higher value
For 2026 and later, FSA uses the highest of: the national average value at the start of the year, the national average value at the end of the year, or your own verifiable sale price for the same kind, type, and weight class, capped at 145% of the higher national value. To use your own price, bring a sale record in your name from the same year that shows the buyer, head count, price per head, date, and location.
Unborn livestock
If a bred female dies from an eligible cause, LIP can add a payment for the unborn animal. For 2026 losses it is 85% of the payment rate for the lowest weight class of the same kind, times a birthing factor (1 for cattle, 2 for sheep and goats). For a bred beef cow lost to weather that is 85% × 75% × $1,358.23 = $865.87; for a bred cow killed by an eligible predator it is 85% × $1,358.23 = $1,154.50. You certify on the application how many of the dead females were bred, and FSA may ask for breeding or vet records.
Predator Losses: 100% Since January 1, 2026
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act raised the LIP rate for eligible attacks from 75% to 100% of market value. FSA applies it starting with the 2026 program year, so it covers losses on or after January 1, 2026. Eligible attacks are attacks by animals reintroduced into the wild by the federal government or protected by federal law, including wolves and avian predators. Whether a given species counts where you ranch depends on its federal status there, so ask your FSA office.
The step most often missed is the confirmation. FSA needs documentation of a confirmed kill from APHIS Wildlife Services, your state natural resources agency, or another source FSA accepts. Call as soon as you find the carcass and leave it in place until it has been examined. See the predator loss guide for state compensation programs that may also apply.
What to Bring and Where to File
- Notice of loss and application. File at the FSA county office that serves the county where the loss happened, by March 1 after the year of the loss. The LIP application is form CCC-852.
- Proof of death and cause. Purchase records, vet records, rendering-plant receipts, bank or loan papers, production records, tax or insurance records, or dated photos and contemporaneous notes if better records don’t exist.
- Proof of the event. A public weather record FSA can check (for example NOAA), or the confirmed-kill report for a predator.
- Inventory. How many animals you had before the loss and where they were, so FSA can apply normal mortality.
- Reduced-price sales. The sale-barn, packer, or rendering receipt showing the gross price.
- Payment-eligibility forms if they are not already on file: a farm operating plan (CCC-902), the AGI certification (CCC-941), and the conservation compliance certification (AD-1026).
If nobody outside the family saw the losses and no records exist, FSA can accept a written statement from an independent third party, such as a neighbor or hired hand who is not a family member, together with your own certification.
What most people get wrong
- Waiting until late winter to start. Records are easier to gather while the loss is fresh, and the notice needs documentation that the event happened. Start with FSA soon after the loss rather than close to March 1.
- Moving or burying carcasses before anyone documents them. A photo with the date and location takes a minute and may be the best proof you have.
- Assuming losses below normal mortality pay. FSA subtracts the normal mortality rate your state committee sets for each category before it pays.
Worked Example
A hypothetical 150-cow beef operation loses 12 adult cows in a 2026 blizzard. Suppose FSA’s normal mortality for the herd works out to 3 head (your FSA state committee sets the percentage). 7 of the eligible cows were bred. Later that year, wolves kill 2 steers weighing about 600 pounds, and Wildlife Services confirms both kills.
| Loss | Math | Possible payment |
|---|---|---|
| Adult beef cows, weather | (12 − 3) = 9 head × $2,114.75 | $19,032.75 |
| Unborn calves | 7 × $865.87 | $6,061.09 |
| Steers, 400 to 799 lb, confirmed wolf kill | 2 × $1,931.14 (100%) | $3,862.28 |
| Total | $28,956.12 |
This uses FSA’s published 2026 national values. If FSA’s end-of-year value comes in higher, or you document a higher sale price, the payment could be higher. FSA decides the eligible head count.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the 2026 LIP payment rate for a beef cow?
FSA’s 2026 national average market value for an adult beef cow is $2,819.67. LIP can pay 75% of that, $2,114.75, for a cow lost to eligible weather or disease, and 100%, $2,819.67, for a cow killed by a federally protected or reintroduced predator. FSA uses the higher of its beginning-of-year and end-of-year national values, or your own documented sale price up to 145% of the national value, so the final rate may be higher.
Does LIP pay 100% for wolf and grizzly kills?
For losses on or after January 1, 2026, LIP can pay 100% of the market value for livestock killed by animals reintroduced into the wild by the federal government or protected by federal law, including wolves and avian predators. The kill has to be confirmed by a source FSA accepts, such as USDA Wildlife Services or your state wildlife agency.
When is the LIP deadline for 2026 losses?
File the notice of loss and the application for payment with your FSA county office by March 1, 2027 for losses in calendar year 2026. File as soon as you can: the notice needs documentation that the weather event or attack happened, and FSA may ask for more records before it approves the application.
Does LIP cover drought deaths?
Generally no. Drought is not an eligible adverse weather event for LIP, except when livestock die of anthrax that occurs because of drought. Drought grazing losses go through LFP, and the extra cost of hauling water or feed in a drought may be covered by ELAP.
Is there a payment limit for LIP?
LIP has no annual dollar payment limit. The $900,000 average adjusted gross income limit applies, though it can be waived if at least 75% of your income comes from farming, ranching, or forestry and a CPA, attorney, or enrolled agent verifies it.
Related Programs
- ELAP: extra costs LIP doesn’t cover, such as hauling water or feed, and feed lost to a blizzard or wildfire.
- All disaster programs, including LFP for drought grazing losses.
- Farm Disaster Triage: what to file first after a disaster.
Sources
- Eligible attacks, eligible weather, eligible disease, and normal mortality definitions: 7 CFR 1416.302
- Eligible livestock, 30-day window, unborn-loss eligibility: 7 CFR 1416.304
- Notice of loss, March 1 deadline, documentation, alternative market price: 7 CFR 1416.305
- Payment calculation: market value, 75% and 100% rates, 145% cap, unborn losses, birthing factors: 7 CFR 1416.306
- Predator rate effective with the 2026 program year: Federal Register final rule, July 9, 2026 (91 FR 42313)
- 2026 national average market values (owners): FSA LIP 2026 Livestock Market Values on the FSA LIP program page
- Application form: CCC-852; payment limits: 7 CFR 1400.1; AGI waiver: 7 CFR 1400.504
Regulation links go to the eCFR, current as of October 16, 2026. Rates checked October 21, 2026.