LIP Enhancement Act of 2025 Livestock Indemnity Program Enhancement Act of 2025
Summary
HB3448, the Livestock Indemnity Program Enhancement Act of 2025, would amend the Agricultural Act of 2014 to create an additional livestock indemnity payment for unborn livestock losses. The bill covers death losses incurred on or after January 1, 2025, when livestock that was gestating at the time of death is lost in excess of normal mortality because of a qualifying condition under the existing livestock indemnity payment program.
Under the bill, the Secretary of Agriculture would be required to make an additional payment to eligible producers, with the payment rate set by the Secretary and capped at 85 percent of the rate used for the lowest weight class of livestock. The payment amount would be calculated using species-specific multipliers tied to the type of livestock involved, including certain categories of cattle, swine, sheep, goats, and other livestock covered by the existing statute. The bill also defines “unborn livestock death losses” to clarify that the new payment applies to gestating animals that die before birth.
Impact
The bill would amend 7 U.S.C. 9081(b), expanding the federal livestock indemnity payment program to include a new category of losses for unborn livestock. This would affect USDA administration of disaster assistance for livestock producers by adding a payment mechanism, setting a statutory ceiling on the payment rate, and requiring the Farm Service Agency to apply the new formula to eligible claims for losses beginning in 2025.
Sentiment
Based on the available record, there is no committee transcript or vote history showing debate, support, or opposition, so the overall sentiment cannot be measured directly from proceedings. The bill’s text suggests a targeted agricultural relief measure intended to help producers recover from livestock losses, which typically indicates a supportive policy purpose for affected farmers and ranchers.
Contention
No specific points of contention are documented in the provided materials because there are no recorded committee discussions or votes. Potential areas of debate, if the bill advances, could include the cost of expanding indemnity payments, how the Secretary sets the new payment rate, and whether unborn livestock losses should be treated differently from other covered livestock losses under the program.
Cattle Fever Tick Eradication Program Enhancement Act of 2025This bill requires the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to enter into a contract to evaluate the Cattle Fever Tick Eradication Program.Under the program, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service works in coordination with the Texas Animal Health Commission to combat the spread of cattle fever ticks, which can spread a serious cattle disease called bovine babesiosis or cattle fever.Specifically, USDA must enter into a contract to review and report on the Cattle Fever Tick Eradication Program with a (1) land-grant college or university, or (2) non-land-grant college of agriculture.The review must include an evaluation of the program's (1) effectiveness with respect to preventing and reducing the spread of cattle fever ticks; and (2) benefits, and the burdens of compliance, to cattle producers.The review must also evaluate the treatment protocols developed and implemented under the program.Further, the review must evaluate the federal and state funds allocated to support the program for the most recent fiscal year.