As you battle the misfortunes doled out by Mother Nature, keep in mind that USDA has a new program aimed at compensating livestock owners for death loss due to extreme weather and weather-related events.

"This program will provide livestock producers with a vital safety net to help them overcome the damaging financial impact of natural disasters," said USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack when he announced the program last week.

The Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) is administered by USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA). According to Vilsack, LIP compensates livestock owners and contract growers for livestock death losses in excess of normal mortality due to adverse weather, including losses due to hurricanes, floods, blizzards, disease, wildfires, extreme heat and extreme cold.

Eligible losses are those occurring on or after Jan. 1, 2008, and before Oct. 1, 2011. You can find details for the program at your local FSA office or through www.fsa.usda.gov.