USDA Offers Lamb Producer Relief

April 10, 2002

Signup began Monday for USDA incentive payments to help ewe lamb producers suffering financial losses due to current poor market conditions. The Lamb Meat Adjustment Assistance Program is a four-year program started in 2000 to help stabilize the lamb market.

To date, LMAAP has provided over $25 million in assistance. The program now will provide $26 million in incentive payments to help producers increase the supply of domestic lamb meat.

Applications are available at USDA Service Centers. The incentive payments have two application periods. Applications for the first period (year three), which lasts from Aug. 1, 2001, through July 31, 2002, are due by Aug. 15, 2002. Applications for the second period (year four), which lasts from Aug. 1, 2002, through July 31, 2003, are due by Aug. 15, 2003.

To be eligible, producers must purchase or retain a ewe lamb to expand the sheep herd from Aug. 1, 2001, through July 31, 2003. The producer must also certify that each ewe lamb is not older than 18 months of age, has not produced an offspring, does not possess characteristics of parrot mouth, foot rot or scrapie, and is identified according to state identification requirements that comply with a USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service approved scrapie program for interstate movement.

Payments will be $18 per ewe lamb, subject to the availability of funds. If application amounts exceed the funding limit of $26 million, USDA will prorate payments. Funds not utilized during the first application period will be carried forward to the next year.

The LMAAP final rule was published in the Federal Register on March 26, 2002. Further information on program restrictions, eligibility requirements and other LMAAP payments is available from local USDA Service Centers and on FSA's web site at: www.fsa.usda.gov.