[Archived] Pandemic Livestock Indemnity Program

How the Pandemic Livestock Indemnity Program Works

PLIP provides financial assistance to support producers of eligible swine, chickens, and turkeys depopulated from March 1, 2020, through December 26, 2020. To be eligible, depopulation of your poultry or livestock must have been due to insufficient processing access resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Livestock and poultry also must have been physically located in the United States or a territory of the United States at the time of depopulation.

PLIP payments will compensate eligible producers for 80 percent of the loss of the eligible livestock or poultry, and for the cost of depopulation and disposal, based on a single payment rate per head. Any previous payments you received for disposal of your animals under a state program or USDA’s Environmental Quality Incentives Program will be subtracted from the final PLIP payment amount. The payments will also be reduced by any CFAP 1 and CFAP 2 payments paid on the same inventory of swine that were depopulated. There is no per person or legal entity payment limitation on PLIP payments.

Payment rates per head are outlined by category in the table below. Your expected PLIP payment can be calculated using this table and the following equation:

Expected PLIP Payment = (PLIP Payment Rate Per Head X # Head Depopulated)  –  Previous Payments

Please note that swine that were depopulated before birth are not eligible for PLIP payments.

Program Eligibility

The below list captures all eligibility requirements for PLIP. We recommend you review this list before initiating your PLIP application.

To be eligible for PLIP, an individual or legal entity must:

• Have had legal ownership associated with the livestock or poultry as of the day of depopulation. Please note that packers, live poultry dealers, and contract growers are not eligible for PLIP.
• Have an average adjusted gross income (AGI) of less than $900,000 for tax years 2016, 2017, and 2018. For joint ventures and general partnerships, this AGI provision will be applied to individual members.
• Comply with provisions of the “Highly Erodible Land and Wetland Conservation” regulations, often called the conservation compliance provisions. These will be addressed via form AD-1026 during the application process.
• Not have a controlled substance violation.
• Be a citizen of the United States or a resident alien.
• Submit a complete PLIP application form (FSA-620) and provide all required documentation. The below section details all documents required to apply for PLIP.

If you have questions about your eligibility, please contact the FSA office at your local USDA Service Center or call 877-508-8364 to speak directly with a USDA employee ready to offer assistance.

Apply for the Pandemic Livestock Indemnity Program

Eligible producers can apply for PLIP by working directly with the Farm Service Agency office at their local USDA Service Center. Applications will be accepted via mail, fax, hand delivery, or electronic means.

Producers with an eAuthentication account can apply for PLIP via our PLIP Application Portal. Applications can be completed, electronically signed, and submitted directly to your local USDA Service Center through this online system. Reference our PLIP Application Portal User Guide for more information. Producers interested in creating an eAuthentication account should visit farmers.gov/sign-in to learn more.

FSA staff will work with you to complete portions of the CCC-902 – Farm Operating Plan – if necessary. Additionally, the following forms will be needed to apply for PLIP.

• FSA-620, Pandemic Livestock Indemnity Program (PLIP) Application: Applicants must complete and sign the PLIP application form and submit it to any FSA county office nationwide. 
• AD-2047, Customer Data Worksheet: This form will be filled out for all individuals and legal entities, including entity members, who have not previously provided their personal information to USDA that positively identifies the customer. Existing customers can also use the form to update their customer profile.
• CCC-901, Member Information for Legal Entities (If Applicable): Legal entities will fill out the CCC-901 to facilitate the administration of eligibility requirements, including providing members’ names and taxpayer identification numbers.
• AD-1026, Highly Erodible Land Conservation (HELC) and Wetland Conservation (WC) Certification: This form ensures compliance with highly erodible land conservation and wetland conservation requirements.
• CCC-941, Average Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) Certification and Consent to Disclosure of Tax Information: This form reports average adjusted gross income for programs where income restrictions apply and is required to be filed by the applicant. The individual or a legal entity applying must provide information on all members, stockholders, or partners at or above the fourth level of ownership in the business structure.
• If requested by FSA, the applicant must provide supporting documentation to substantiate the applicant’s ownership share of the livestock or poultry and information provided on the PLIP application. Examples of supporting documentation include veterinarian records, feeding records, inventory records, rendering receipts, purchase receipts, and other records determined acceptable by the County Committee.

You are encouraged to contact the FSA office at your local USDA Service Center with any questions about PLIP, program eligibility, or the application process. You may also call 877-508-8364 to speak directly with a USDA employee ready to provide one-on-one assistance.

Additional Resources

• Frequently Asked Questions about the Pandemic Livestock Indemnity Program
• Notice of Funds Availability: Pandemic Livestock Indemnity Program 
• Pandemic Livestock Indemnity Program Fact Sheet in English
• Daim Ntawv Qhia Qhov Tseeb Txog Khoos Kas Pab Nyiaj Rau Kab Mob Sib Kis Rau Tej Tsiaj Txhu uas sau ua lus Hmoob (Pandemic Livestock Indemnity Program Fact Sheet in Hmong)
• Hoja informativa del Programa de Indemnización de Ganado por la Pandemia (PLIP) en Español (Pandemic Livestock Indemnity Program Fact Sheet in Spanish)  
• Stakeholder Toolkit: Pandemic Livestock Indemnity Program
• Pandemic Livestock Indemnity Program Stakeholder Webinar Recording 
• USDA’s Pandemic Assistance for Producers Initiative
• News Release: USDA to Provide Pandemic Assistance to Livestock Producers for Animal Losses (July 13, 2021)
• News Release: USDA Extends Deadline to Apply for Pandemic Assistance to Livestock Producers with Animal Losses (September 16, 2021)