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Receive email and text message alerts from USDA’s NRCS, FSA and RMA while on-the-go, in the field or on the tractor. Updates include deadline reminders, conservation initiatives, disaster assistance, crop insurance and more. Visit farmers.gov/subscribe.
2023 USDA Farm Service Agency County Committee Elections
USDA began mailing ballots Nov. 6 for FSA county and urban county committee elections to all eligible agricultural producers and private landowners across the country. Elections are occurring in certain Local Administrative Areas.
To be counted, producers and landowners must return ballots to the local FSA county office or have postmarked by Dec. 4, 2023. County committees are unique to FSA and serve as a direct link between agricultural communities across the country and USDA. For more information on FSA county committees, visit fsa.usda.gov/elections
Inflation Reduction Act Assistance for Distressed Borrowers
Since October 2022, USDA has provided approximately $1.5 billion in immediate assistance to more than 24,000 financially distressed direct and guaranteed FSA loan borrowers through the Inflation Reduction Act.
FSA is currently accepting individual requests for assistance from borrowers who took certain extraordinary measures to avoid delinquency on their direct FSA loans, missed a recent installment, or are unable to make their next scheduled installment.
USDA Extends Application Deadline for Discrimination Financial Assistance Program to January 13
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is extending the deadline for the Discrimination Financial Assistance Program to January 13, 2024, to give eligible farmers, ranchers and forest landowners more time to apply for assistance. The original deadline was October 31, 2023.
In addition to the application deadline change, the deadline to request records from USDA’s Farm Service Agency for use in applications has been extended to Friday, Nov. 3, 2023. The application process was designed so that FSA records are not required, though relevant records may be attached to an application as additional evidence if they are available.
To learn more about the Discrimination Financial Assistance Program or receive assistance in English or Spanish, visit www.22007apply.gov, email info@22007apply.gov or contact the national call center at 1-800-721-0970 from 8 a.m. ET to 8 p.m. PT, every day except federal holidays. If you use sign language to communicate, you can use the 711 relay service to call. You may also email or contact the national call center if you have a disability and need another accommodation. Information about the program, resources, recent office openings and local events across the country is also available through a weekly e-newsletter.
For more information view the following News Article: USDA Extends Application Deadline for Discrimination Financial Assistance Program to January 13 | USDA
USDA Announces Additional Program Payment for Rice Producers in Arkansas
Second production payment for rice farmers impacted by record high input costs in 2022
USDA today announced that rice producers will receive an additional payment through the Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) Rice Production Program, which provides up to $250 million in assistance to rice farmers based on 2022 rice acres.
As part of FSA’s efforts to streamline and simplify the delivery of additional Rice Production Program benefits, producers are not required to submit a new application for the additional Rice Production Program payment. Rice producers having a previously approved Rice Production Program application and who received an initial program payment, will receive an additional payment of .28 cent per pound based on previously reported data.
FSA made an initial payment to eligible producers at a reduced payment rate of one cent per pound, making the total overall payment rate $1.28 cent per pound.
For more information, view the Rice Production Program fact sheet or contact your local USDA service center.
USDA Establishes New FSA Urban County Committee in Little Rock, Arkansas
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is establishing a new urban county committee in Little Rock, joining 26 other cities with a committee focused on delivery of USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) programs to urban producers. County committee members make important decisions on how federal farm programs are administered locally, and this new urban county committee in Little Rock is part of USDA’s broad support for urban and innovative agriculture.
Urban agricultural producers who participate in USDA programs in these cities or cooperate with USDA programs by providing information about their farming operation are encouraged to participate by nominating and voting in their local urban county committee elections. FSA will share more information on the nomination process and elections for this new urban county committee.
To learn more about county committees, including urban county committees, visit our County Committees webpage. Visit farmers.gov/urban for more information on programs and services for urban producers.
Learn more at USDA Establishes New Farm Service Agency Urban County Committees in Little Rock.
Did you know you can subscribe to receive free email and text message updates from USDA related to the new urban county committee in Little Rock, Arkansas? Whether you’re scrolling through emails on your break or checking a text message between tasks, USDA wants to keep you posted on the latest news related to the new urban county committee and how it can help your farm. Information will include updates about nominations, elections and the work being done by the committee to help farmers like you in your local areas. Subscribe now to receive emails and text messages about important program information related to the new urban county committee in Little Rock, Arkansas.
You can sign up for email alerts and text alerts by visiting farmers.gov/subscribe. Urban agriculture is one of the many topics available to producers. If you subscribe online, you can also sign up for information on other topics, including disaster assistance, conservation programs, crop insurance and farm loans. Participants may unsubscribe at any time.
Information needed to sign up:
Name: AR - Little Rock - Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production
Code: USDAFARMERS_4141
Service Center Keyword: ARLittleRockUrbanAg
USDA Announces Grants for Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production
USDA is making available up to $7.5 million for grants through its Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (OUAIP). The competitive grants will support the development of urban agriculture and innovative production projects through two categories, Planning Projects and Implementation Projects.
USDA Announces Grants for Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production
Farmers.gov Portal
Producers can access their FSA farm records, maps and common land units through the farmers.gov portal. Through a new mapping feature, producers can import and view other shapefiles, such as precision agriculture planting boundaries. This allows producers to view, save, print and label their own maps for acreage reporting purposes. To access mapping features and other helpful on-line tools, producers need level 2 eAuth access linked to their Business Partner customer record. Visit farmers.gov/account to learn how to create a farmers.gov account.
In addition to mapping tools, a farmers.gov account offers a variety of self-service opportunities for FSA and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) customers, including managing FSA farm loans and NRCS conservation contracts.
Video tutorials, including how to use mapping tools, are available on the farmers.gov YouTube channel. Learn more about a farmers.gov account.
Arkansas Environmental Assessments for Public Review
There are no available Environmental Assessments in Arkansas at this time. Please check back periodically for updates.Arkansas Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) Normal Grazing Period
The Arkansas State Committee has determined that the grazing periods listed in the chart below are applicable to all Arkansas counties for 2018 and subsequent crop years.
| Pasture Type | Beginning Date of Normal Grazing Period | Normal Harvest Date | Normal Grazing Period Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full season improved mixed pasture | January 15 | November 15 | 305 |
| Full season improved pasture | March 15 | November 15 | 246 |
| Native pasture | March 15 | November 15 | 246 |
| Forage sorghum crops planted specifically for the purpose of providing grazing for covered livestock | April 1 | October 31 | 214 |
| Annual Ryegrass | November 1 | March 31 | 151 |
| Small grain crops planted specifically for the purpose of providing grazing for covered livestock (non-irrigated) | November 1 | March 31 | 151 |
Dates to Remember
- January 2, 2023 - FSA offices closed
- January 16, 2023 - FSA offices closed
- February 20, 2023 - FSA offices closed
- May 29, 2023 - FSA offices closed
- June 19, 2023 - FSA offices closed
- July 4, 2023 - FSA offices closed
- September 4, 2023 - FSA offices closed
- October 9, 2023 - FSA offices closed
- November 10, 2023 - FSA offices closed
- November 23, 2023 - FSA offices closed
- December 25, 2023 - FSA offices closed
Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) Planting Dates for Arkansas
| Commodity | FCIC Final Planning Date |
|---|---|
| Corn | April 25 Note: This date applies to all counties except for Benton, Clay, Craighead, Greene, Independence, Jackson, Lawrence, Mississippi, Poinsett, and Randolph Counties |
| Corn | May 1 Benton, Clay, Craighead, Greene, Independence, Jackson, Lawrence, Mississippi, Poinsett, and Randolph Counties |
| Grain Sorghum | May 15 |
| Upland Cotton | May 20 Clay, Craighead, Crittenden, Cross, Greene, Jackson, Lawrence, Mississippi, Poinsett, St. Francis, White, and Woodruff Counties |
| Upland Cotton | May 25 Arkansas, Ashley, Bradley, Chicot, Clark, Dallas, Desha, Drew, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lee, Lincoln, Little River, Lonoke, Miller, Monroe, Phillips, Prairie, and Pulaski Counties |
| Peanuts | May 25 |
| Rice | May 25 |
| Soybeans - Not following another crop | June 15 |
| Soybeans - Following another crop | June 25 |
Ongoing
-
- Final Date to Inform FSA of Crop Losses is Prior to the Crop Disposition.
- Reports of Failed Acreage Must be Filed with the County Office Before Disposition of the Crop.
- Reports of Prevented Planting Acreage Must be Filed with the County Office no Later than 15 Calendar Days after the Final Planting Date for that County
Latest FSA News for Arkansas
2023 Farm Service Agency County Committee Elections Open This Week
USDA Extends Application Deadline for Discrimination Financial Assistance Program to January 13
USDA Extends Milk Loss Program Assistance Deadline to Oct. 30
Dairy Margin Coverage Program Provides Critical Support for Dairy Operations
USDA Announces Additional Program Payment for Rice Producers in Arkansas
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