Arkansas State Office

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Welcome to Arkansas FSA

Contact AR State Office Farm Programs

Contact AR State Office Farm Loan Programs

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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.

Arkansas Environmental Assessments for Public Review

There are no Environmental Assessments available for public review at this time. Please check back for updates.

Organic and Transitional Education and Certification Program

USDA’s Organic and Transitional Education and Certification Program (OTECP) helps to cover certification and education expenses for agricultural producers who are certified organic or transitioning to organic. Certified operations and transitional operations may apply for OTECP for eligible expenses paid during the 2020 and 2021 program years and the program will continue into 2022. Eligible expenses include certification expenses, registration fees for educational events and soil testing as required by the National Organic Program.

Signup for OTECP for 2020 and 2021 is Nov. 8, 2021 through Feb. 4, 2022. FSA extended the original signup deadline, which was Jan. 7, 2022. Learn more at farmers.gov/otecp.

USDA Provides $1.8 Billion to Offset Market Fluctuations

Agricultural producers who enrolled in the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs for the 2020 crop year are receiving $1.8 billion, providing critical support to help mitigate fluctuations in either revenue or prices for certain crops.

FSA is also encouraging producers to contact their local USDA Service Centers to make or change elections and to enroll for 2022, providing future protections against market fluctuations. The election and enrollment period opened on Oct. 18, 2021 and runs through March 15, 2022.

Lenders Can Now Apply for New Heirs’ Property Relending Program

Intermediary lenders -- cooperatives, credit unions, can now apply for loans through the new Heirs’ Property Relending Program (HPRP) through October 29, 2021.Through HPRP, FSA loans up to $5 million at a 1% interest rate to eligible lenders. Then, those eligible lenders will reloan funds to heirs to help resolve title issues by financing the purchase or consolidation of property interests and financing costs associated with a succession plan. Intermediary lenders should apply using the HPRP application form (FSA-2637), which can be submitted to a farm loan chief at a local USDA Service Center.

Visit www.farmers.gov/heirs/relending to learn more.

USDA to Invest $67 Million to Help Heirs Resolve Land Ownership and Succession Issues

USDA is providing $67 million in competitive loans through the new Heirs’ Property Relending Program, which aims to help agricultural producers and landowners resolve heirs’ land ownership and succession issues.

Intermediary lenders -- cooperatives, credit unions, and nonprofit organizations – can apply for loans up to $5 million at up to 1% interest once the Farm Service Agency (FSA) opens the two-month signup window in late August. Visit www.farmers.gov/heirs/relending to learn more.

Pandemic Assistance for Producers

USDA is committed to delivering financial assistance to farmers, ranchers, and agricultural producers who have been impacted by COVID-19 market disruptions through our new initiative – USDA Pandemic Assistance for Producers. Stay updated on announcements under the USDA Pandemic Assistance to Producers initiative at farmers.gov.

Pandemic Response and Safety Grants

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) published a Request for Applications (RFAs) for the Pandemic Response and Safety (PRS) Grants program. This grant program will provide assistance to small businesses in certain commodity areas, including small scale specialty crop producers, food processors, manufacturers, distributors and farmers markets. Small businesses and nonprofits can apply for a grant to cover COVID-related expenses such as workplace safety measures, retrofitting facilities for worker and consumer safety, shifting to online sales platforms, transportation, worker housing, and medical costs. The minimum funding request is $1,500 and the maximum funding request is $20,000.

Eligible entities should visit the PRS grant portal at usda-prs.grantsolutions.gov for complete information on the program, including how to obtain a free of charge DUNS Number from Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) before applying for this program. Applications must be submitted electronically through the grant portal by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on Monday, November 22, 2021.

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