Forced to Weather the Storm: Reforming the Livestock Indemnity Program to Improve Farm Animal Welfare

Each year, extreme weather events put the lives and wellbeing of millions of farm animals at risk. These events can lead to injury, suffering, acute and chronic stress, decreased productivity, and loss of life. As storms increase in frequency and intensity, efforts should be made to ensure livestock are protected. This paper proposes modifications to the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP), a federally run disaster assistance program that compensates livestock owners and growers for animal deaths and reduced value caused by eligible conditions, including extreme weather. Surprisingly, the program does not require producers to show proof and use of a disaster mitigation plan before drawing down indemnity payments. Some believe this is a missed opportunity to better safeguard animal welfare and compromises the fiscal integrity of the program. The value of emergency planning is recognized by federal agencies, lawmakers, advocates, researchers, and many sectors of the livestock industry as an important (or essential) aspect of ensuring animal welfare. Furthermore, an analysis of publicly available data shows that LIP payments have been made to some of the same counties 15 out of 15 years. Repeat payments demonstrate a reliance on the program and proof that animal suffering and death is occurring extensively in some parts of the country. This paper argues that tying disaster planning to the LIP, whether through incentives or a mandate, is a prudent and overdue policy change to the program. The impact of extreme weather on livestock is reviewed, including methods of assessing welfare. The LIP is detailed, including the program’s purpose, participation criteria, and payment data. Past and current congressional and advocate efforts to reform the LIP are presented. New approaches to federal reforms are proposed, as well as a review of private sector engagement opportunities to advance farm animal protections during weather disasters. As extreme weather increases so will the impact on farm animals and cost of compensating ranchers through the LIP. Congressional oversight and reforms of the LIP are urgently needed to better protect farm animals and taxpayer funding of the program.