Winter Storm Damage to Your Honeybee Operation? Federal Disaster Assistance Program Could Help

The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, also known as the 2018 Farm Bill, made producer funds available for emergency assistance (ELAP). This program provides financial assistance to eligible producers of livestock, honeybees and farm-raised fish for losses due to disease, certain adverse weather events or loss conditions, including blizzards and wildfires, as determined by the Secretary. ELAP assistance is provided for losses not covered by other disaster assistance programs authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill, such as losses not covered by the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) and the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP).

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What is eligible?

ELAP provides assistance to beekeepers with losses resulting from costs associated with honeybee feed, colony, and hive losses. The colony, hive and feed losses must be due to an eligible adverse weather or loss condition and incurred by an eligible honeybee producer in the county where the eligible adverse weather or loss condition occurred. These losses include, but are not limited to: colony collapse disorder, winter storm, excessive wind, flood, hurricane, lighting, tornado and wildfire.

Who is eligible? An eligible producer is defined as having an interest and risk in an eligible colony for the purposes of producing honey, pollinating, or breeding for commercial use as part of a farming operation on the beginning date of the eligible adverse weather or loss condition; and suffered an eligible honeybee loss in a county where the eligible adverse weather or loss condition occurred on the beginning date of the eligible adverse weather or loss condition. Also, an eligible producer who certifies they are socially disadvantaged, limited resource, beginning, or a veteran farmer or rancher will receive 90 percent of the payment rate for the losses under ELAP.

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How does this work?

For colony loss payments, USDA – Farm Service Agency (FSA) has established a normal mortality rate for colony losses of 24.5 percent for the 2023 program year. Payments for colony losses are based on the average fair market value of colonies in the program year in which the loss occurs, as established by FSA. FSA has established the average fair market value at $125 per colony for the 2023 program year. Payments for hive losses are based on the average fair market value of hives in the program year in which the loss occurs, as established by FSA. FSA has established average fair market value at $220 per hive for the 2023 program year. Feed loss payments are based on a minimum of 60 percent of the actual cost of purchased or harvested feed that was intended for honeybees and was damaged because of an eligible adverse weather or loss condition.

There are new changes to the program for 2024. Please contact your local USDA – FSA office for more details. To find your local USDA – FSA office, please use this link: USDA Service Center Locator.  You can reach out to your local county extension office for contact information, as well.

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For more information, please read the USDA – FSA ELAP Honeybee Assistance fact sheet: ELAP – HONEYBEE EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE