Conservation Reserve Program is USDA’s largest environmental improvement program on private lands. Mississippi producers received $39.9 million under this program during FY 2009.

The program covers non-insurable crop losses and planting prevented by disasters. Eligible crops include commercial crops and other agricultural commodities produced for food or fiber for which the catastrophic level of crop insurance is not available. In FY 2009, Mississippi producers were paid $289,383 under this program.

The Commodity Title of the Farm Bill helps to stabilize agriculture by providing payments to eligible producers who enroll their farm each year. Mississippi farmers received $208 million in Direct and Counter Cyclical Program payments for FY 2009.

FSA may make loans to build or upgrade farm storage and handling facilities. The maximum term is 7 years. Over $ 2 million was funded in FY2009.

Mississippi producers received $97 million in Marketing Assistance Loans (MAL) and Loan Deficiency Payments (LDP) in fiscal year 2009.

The Dairy Disaster Assistance Program provided $245,000 in benefits for dairy production losses that occurred between Jan. 1, 2005, and December 31, 2007, because of natural disasters in FY 2008.

Mississippi livestock producers received over $5,000 for this program which provided funding for damages and losses due to natural disaster.

During FY 2009, Mississippi producers received over $840,000 to help restore farmlands that had been damaged by natural disasters.

During FY 2009 $7 million was provided to Mississippi producers to restore hurricane damaged forests.

This program helped compensate producers who suffered crop losses due to damaging weather and related conditions. Mississippi producers received over $740,00 during FY 2009.

FSA makes direct and guaranteed farm ownership (FO) and operating loans (OL) to family-size farmers and ranchers who cannot obtain commercial credit from a bank, Farm Credit System institution, or other lender. FSA loans can be used to purchase land, livestock, equipment, feed, seed, and supplies. Our loans can also be used to construct buildings or make farm improvements. For more information click here.

FSA guarantees loans made by conventional agricultural lenders for up to 95% of any loss. In FY 2009, Mississippi FSA guaranteed 69 loans for $23 million.

FSA provides assistance to those unable to obtain guaranteed loans from agricultural lenders. In FY 2009, FSA funded 389 operating loans for 15 million. This includes 115 Rural Youth Loans.

During FY 2009 of the loans made in Mississippi, 163 were farm loans to qualified beginning farmers. A socially disadvantaged applicant is one of a group whose members have been subjected to racial, ethic, or gender prejudice with out regard to his or her individual qualifications. In FY2009, 125 SDA farm loans were made in Mississippi.