Please submit all media inquiries for FSA to FPAC.BC.press@usda.gov.
USDA Announces Conservation Reserve Program General Signup for 2024
Mon Mar 4, 2024 10:21 AMDES MOINES, Iowa, March 4, 2024 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that agricultural producers and private landowners can begin signing up for the general Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) starting March 4 and running through March 29, 2024. This conservation opportunity gives producers tools to conserve wildlife habitat while achieving other conservation benefits, including sequestering carbon and improving water quality and soil health.
Dairy Producers Can Enroll for 2024 Dairy Margin Coverage Beginning Feb. 28
Fri Feb 23, 2024 02:09 PMWASHINGTON, Feb. 23, 2024– Starting next Wednesday, dairy producers will be able to enroll for 2024 Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC), an important safety net program offered through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that provides producers with price support to help offset milk and feed price differences. This year’s DMC signup begins Feb. 28, 2024, and ends April 29, 2024. For those who sign up for 2024 DMC coverage, payments may begin as soon as March 4, 2024, for any payments that triggered in January 2024.
Agricultural Producers Have Until March 15 to Enroll in USDA’s Key Commodity Safety Net Programs for the 2024 Crop Year
Fri Feb 23, 2024 12:00 AMDES MOINES, Iowa, Feb. 23, 2024 – Agricultural producers who have not yet enrolled in the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) or Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs for the 2024 crop year have until March 15, 2024, to revise elections and sign contracts. Both safety net programs, delivered by USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA), provide vital income support to farmers who experience substantial declines in crop prices or revenues for the 2024 crop year. In Iowa, producers have completed 61,996 contracts to date, representing 38% of the more than 163,000 expected contracts.
USDA Rallies Partners to Help with Outreach to Beginning, Veteran and Socially Disadvantaged Producers in Iowa on the Conservation Reserve Program-Transition Incentives Program
Thu Feb 8, 2024 01:58 PMWASHINGTON, Feb. 8, 2024 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing almost $1.8 million in cooperative agreements with six partner organizations for outreach and technical assistance to promote awareness and understanding of the Conservation Reserve Program-Transition Incentives Program among agricultural communities. This includes partnerships with the Center for Rural Affairs & Trustees of Indiana University that focuses on Iowa producers.USDA to Issue $306 Million in Final Payments to Producers Impacted by 2020 and 2021 Natural Disasters
Tue Feb 6, 2024 01:48 PMWASHINGTON, Feb. 6, 2024 - The U. S Department of Agriculture (USDA) is issuing final Emergency Relief Program (ERP) payments totaling approximately $306 million to eligible commodity and specialty crop producers who incurred losses due to natural disasters in 2020 and 2021. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) will begin issuing these additional payments to eligible producers this week.Farmers, Ranchers Now Can Make USDA Farm Loan Payments Online
Mon Jan 29, 2024 03:44 PMWASHINGTON, Jan. 29, 2024 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced today that most farm loan borrowers will be able to make payments to their direct loans online through the Pay My Loan feature on farmers.gov in early February. Pay My Loan is part of a broader effort by USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) to streamline its processes, especially for producers who may have limited time during the planting or harvest seasons to visit a local FSA office; modernize and improve customer service; provide additional customer self-service tools; and expand credit access to assist more producers.
Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage Programs Receive 2018 Farm Bill One Year Extension, Farmers Can Now Enroll for the 2024 Crop Year
Mon Dec 18, 2023 04:11 PMWASHINGTON, Dec. 18, 2023 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced that agricultural producers can now enroll in the Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs for the 2024 crop year. Producers can enroll and make election changes for the 2024 crop year starting Dec. 18, 2023. The deadline to complete enrollment and any election change is March 15, 2024.
USDA Now Accepting Applications for Farm Loans Online
Tue Dec 5, 2023 03:00 PMWASHINGTON, Dec. 5, 2023 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has launched an online application for Direct Loan customers. More than 26,000 customers who submit a Direct Loan application each year can now use an online, interactive, guided application that is paperless and provides helpful features including an electronic signature option, the ability to attach supporting documents such as tax returns, complete a balance sheet and build a farm operating plan. This tool is part of a broader effort by USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) to streamline its processes, improve customer service, and expand credit access.
USDA Makes Producer-Friendly Change to 2023 Notice of Loss Requirements for Two Livestock Disaster Assistance Programs
Wed Nov 29, 2023 04:00 PMWASHINGTON, Nov. 29, 2023 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has waived certain notice of loss requirements for 2023 for the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-raised Fish (ELAP) and Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP). In an effort to streamline assistance to support access to critical 2023 natural disaster recovery assistance, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is waiving the requirement to submit ELAP or LIP notices of loss within a pre-determined number of days for 2023. Instead, producers have the flexibility to submit 2023 notices of loss as soon as possible, once losses are realized, following a natural disaster event or no later than the established annual program application for payment deadlines for each program. FSA county committees are also being asked to re-evaluate 2023 ELAP and LIP late-filed notices of loss to determine if the waiver applies.
USDA Designates Lee County, Iowa as Natural Disaster Area
Thu Nov 16, 2023 12:00 AMThis Secretarial natural disaster designation allows the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) to extend much-needed emergency credit to producers recovering from natural disasters through emergency loans. Emergency loans can be used to meet various recovery needs including the replacement of essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganization of a farming operation, or to refinance certain debts. FSA will review the loans based on the extent of losses, security available, and repayment ability.2023 Farm Service Agency County Committee Elections Open This Week
Mon Nov 6, 2023 04:00 PMWASHINGTON, Nov. 6, 2023 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will begin mailing ballots this week for the Farm Service Agency (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 for these committee members who make important decisions about how Federal farm programs are administered locally. Producers and landowners must return ballots to their local FSA county office or have their ballots postmarked by Dec. 4, 2023, for those ballots to be counted.USDA Administrator Makes Emergency Loans Available to Two Iowa Counties
Thu Nov 2, 2023 04:00 PMFarm Service Agency Administrator, Zach Ducheneaux is making Farm Service Agency (FSA) emergency physical loss loans available to nine (9) primary counties in Illinois due to physical damage and losses caused by a derecho and tornadoes that occurred June 29, 2023, through June 30, 2023. In addition, two (2) Iowa counties, Des Moines and Lee, are named as contiguous to the disaster area.USDA to Provide More Than $3 Billion to Commodity and Specialty Crop Producers Impacted by 2022 Natural Disasters
Fri Oct 27, 2023 04:00 PMWASHINGTON, Oct. 27, 2023 - The U. S Department of Agriculture (USDA) will provide more than $3 billion to commodity and specialty crop producers impacted by natural disaster events in 2022. Eligible impacted producers can apply for financial assistance through the Emergency Relief Program (ERP) 2022. The program will help offset the financial impacts of crop yield and value losses from qualifying disasters occurring in 2022.
USDA’s Conservation Reserve Program Pays More Than $1.77 Billion to America’s Producers in Support of Conservation and Climate-Smart Agriculture
Mon Oct 16, 2023 03:17 PMWASHINGTON, Oct. 16, 2023 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has issued more than $1.77 billion this year to agricultural producers and landowners through its Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), a critical piece of the Department’s efforts to support climate-smart agriculture and forestry on working lands. Right now, CRP’s more than 667,000 participants received payments from USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) for their voluntary conservation efforts on more than 23 million acres of private land. Since 2021, CRP has grown by 21 percent in terms of acres enrolled, testament to the Biden-Harris administration’s program improvement efforts.
USDA Extends Milk Loss Program Assistance Deadline to Oct. 30
Fri Oct 13, 2023 02:00 PMWASHINGTON, Oct. 13, 2023 – The U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) is extending the application deadline for the Milk Loss Program (MLP) to Monday, Oct. 30, 2023, allowing more time for eligible dairy farmers to apply for much-needed, weather-related disaster recovery assistance.
USDA Extends Application Deadline for Discrimination Financial Assistance Program to January 13
Fri Oct 13, 2023 08:55 AMWASHINGTON, Oct. 13, 2023 – 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.
Presidential Major Disaster Declaration Issued Impacting Five Iowa Counties
Thu Oct 12, 2023 04:00 PMA Presidential Major Disaster Declaration has been issued naming thirty-three (33) Missouri counties as primary disaster counties due to severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes, and flooding. Additionally, five (5) Iowa counties are contiguous to the disaster area. This determination will allow the Farm Service Agency’s Emergency Loans to be made available to eligible family farmers with qualifying production and physical losses in the primary and the contiguous counties to the declared disaster area.USDA Designates Lyon and Osceola Counties as Disaster Areas Due to Drought
Wed Oct 4, 2023 01:00 PMA Secretarial Disaster Designation has been issued for two (2) counties in Minnesota as primary disaster area for drought. Additionally, two (2) Iowa counties are contiguous to the disaster area. This determination will allow the Farm Service Agency’s Emergency Loans to be made available to eligible family farmers with qualifying production and physical losses in the primary and the contiguous counties to the declared disaster area.Dairy Margin Coverage Program Provides Critical Support for Dairy Operations
Fri Sep 29, 2023 04:00 PMWASHINGTON – Sept. 29, 2023— The August milk margin triggered the eighth consecutive payment for dairy producers who obtained Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) for the 2023 program year. August’s income over feed margin is $6.46 per hundredweight (cwt.) with projected DMC payments totaling $120 million. To date, including the projected August payments, dairy producers have received more than $1.2 billion in much needed economic support for 2023 and margin forecasts indicate the likelihood of more to come before the end of the calendar year.
USDA to Begin Issuing $1.75 Billion to Agricultural Producers Through Critical Emergency Relief Programs
Wed Sep 27, 2023 03:29 PMWASHINGTON, Sept. 27, 2023 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced that it will begin issuing more than $1.75 billion in emergency relief payments to eligible farmers and livestock producers. These much-needed payments are helping farming and ranching operations recover following natural disasters in 2020, 2021 and 2022.
Lee County Included in Recent USDA Disaster Designation
Mon Sep 25, 2023 04:00 PMA Secretarial Disaster Designation has been issued for nine (9) counties in Minnesota as primary disaster areas for drought. Additionally, one (1) Iowa county is contiguous to the disaster area. This determination will allow the Farm Service Agency’s Emergency Loans to be made available to eligible family farmers with qualifying production and physical losses in the primary and the contiguous counties to the declared disaster area.USDA Launches Program to Support Agricultural Employers and Farmworkers, Aiming to Increase Economic and Supply Chain Resilience as Part of President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda
Fri Sep 22, 2023 04:00 PMWASHINGTON, D.C., September 22, 2023 – The Biden-Harris Administration today announced that agricultural employers can begin to apply for a pilot program designed to improve the resiliency of the food and agricultural supply chain by addressing workforce challenges farmers and ranchers face. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), in coordination with other federal agencies, is announcing up to $65 million in grants available for the Farm Labor Stabilization and Protection Pilot Program (FLSP Program).USDA Provides $5 Million in Second Round of Payments to Help Organic Dairy Producers Cover Increased Costs
Thu Sep 21, 2023 12:00 AMDES MOINES, Iowa, Sept. 21, 2023 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is announcing a second round of payments for dairy producers through the Organic Dairy Marketing Assistance Program (ODMAP), providing an additional $5 million to help dairy producers mitigate market volatility, higher input and transportation costs, and unstable feed supply and prices that have created unique hardships in the organic dairy industry. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) has already paid out $15 million in the first round of payments for eligible producers, bringing total ODMAP payments to $20 million.USDA Designates Five Iowa Counties as Disaster Areas Due to Drought
Mon Sep 18, 2023 04:00 PMA Secretarial Disaster Designation has been issued for one (1) county in Iowa as primary disaster area for drought. Additionally, four (4) Iowa counties are contiguous to the disaster area. This determination will allow the Farm Service Agency’s Emergency Loans to be made available to eligible family farmers with qualifying production and physical losses in the primary and the contiguous counties to the declared disaster area.USDA Designates Kossuth and Winnebago Counties as Disaster Areas Due to Drought
Mon Sep 18, 2023 04:00 PMA Secretarial Disaster Designation has been issued for three (3) counties in Minnesota as primary disaster areas for drought. Additionally, two (2) Iowa counties are contiguous to the disaster area. This determination will allow the Farm Service Agency’s Emergency Loans to be made available to eligible family farmers with qualifying production and physical losses in the primary and the contiguous counties to the declared disaster area.Presidential Major Disaster Declaration Issued for Lee County, Iowa
Fri Sep 15, 2023 12:00 AMA Presidential Major Disaster Declaration has been issued naming nineteen (19) primary disaster counties in Illinois. Additionally, Lee County, Iowa has been named as contiguous to the disaster area. This determination will allow the Farm Service Agency’s Emergency Loans to be made available to eligible family farmers with qualifying production and physical losses in the primary and the contiguous counties to the declared disaster area.USDA Designates 21 Counties as Disaster Areas Due to Drought
Mon Sep 11, 2023 04:00 PMA Secretarial Disaster Designation has been issued for five (5) counties in Iowa as primary disaster areas for drought. Additionally, 16 Iowa counties are contiguous to the disaster area. This determination will allow the Farm Service Agency’s Emergency Loans to be made available to eligible family farmers with qualifying production and physical losses in the primary and the contiguous counties to the declared disaster area.USDA Announces Milk Loss Assistance for Dairy Operations Impacted by 2020, 2021 and 2022 Disaster Events
Mon Sep 11, 2023 12:00 AMWASHINGTON, Sept. 11, 2023 –The U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced Milk Loss Program (MLP) assistance for eligible dairy operations for milk that was dumped or removed, without compensation, from the commercial milk market due to qualifying weather events and the consequences of those weather events that inhibited delivery or storage of milk (e.g., power outages, impassable roads, infrastructure losses, etc.) during calendar years 2020, 2021 and 2022. Administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA), signup for MLP begins Sept. 11 and runs through Oct. 16, 2023.
USDA Designates Winnebago & Worth Counties as Natural Disaster Areas Due to Excessive Heat
Fri Sep 8, 2023 04:00 PMAdministrator Zach Ducheneaux is making Farm Service Agency (FSA) emergency physical loss loans available in one (1) Minnesota county due to losses caused by multiple disaster events that occurred August 11, 2023, through August 23, 2023. In addition, two (2) Iowa counties are named as contiguous counties. This notification allows Farm Service Agency Emergency Loans to be made available to eligible family farmers with qualifying production and physical losses in the primary and the contiguous counties to the declared disaster area.USDA Designates 42 Counties as Disaster Areas Due to Drought
Wed Sep 6, 2023 04:00 PMA Secretarial Disaster Designation has been issued for 16 counties in Iowa as primary disaster areas for drought. Additionally, 26 Iowa counties are contiguous to the disaster area. This determination will allow the Farm Service Agency’s Emergency Loans to be made available to eligible family farmers with qualifying production and physical losses in the primary and the contiguous counties to the declared disaster area.USDA Designates Seventeen Iowa Counties as Disaster Areas Due to Drought
Mon Aug 28, 2023 04:00 PMA Secretarial Disaster Designation has been issued for six (6) counties in Iowa as a primary disaster area for drought. Additionally, eleven (11) Iowa counties are contiguous to the disaster area. This determination will allow the Farm Service Agency’s Emergency Loans to be made available to eligible family farmers with qualifying production and physical losses in the primary and the contiguous counties to the declared disaster area.Presidential Major Disaster Declaration Issued Impacting 18 Iowa Counties
Fri Aug 25, 2023 04:00 PMA Presidential Major Disaster Declaration has been issued naming seven (7) counties in Iowa as primary disaster counties. Additionally, eleven (11) Iowa counties have been named as contiguous to the disaster area. This determination will allow the Farm Service Agency’s Emergency Loans to be made available to eligible family farmers with qualifying production and physical losses in the primary and the contiguous counties to the declared disaster area.USDA Updates Livestock Disaster Payment Rate to Assist Producers Hard-Hit by Heat and Humidity
Fri Aug 25, 2023 01:50 PMWASHINGTON, Aug. 25, 2023 – The USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced today it is updating the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) payment rate to support livestock producers in the Midwest who have lost cattle to the extreme heat and humidity experienced this summer. To help indemnify ranchers to reflect a trend towards higher cattle weights in feedlots, the 2023 LIP payment rate for beef calves over 800 pounds will increase from $1244 per head to $1618, an increase of $374.
USDA Designates Multiple Iowa Counties as Disaster Areas Due to Drought
Mon Aug 21, 2023 04:05 PMA Secretarial Disaster Designation has been issued for three (3) counties in Iowa as primary disaster areas for drought. Additionally, fifteen (15) Iowa counties are contiguous to the disaster area. This determination will allow the Farm Service Agency’s Emergency Loans to be made available to eligible family farmers with qualifying production and physical losses in the primary and the contiguous counties to the declared disaster area.USDA Designates Allamakee and Winneshiek Counties as Disaster Areas Due to Drought
Mon Aug 21, 2023 04:00 PMA Secretarial Disaster Designation has been issued for one (1) county in Minnesota as a primary disaster area for drought. Additionally, two (2) Iowa counties are contiguous to the disaster area. This determination will allow the Farm Service Agency’s Emergency Loans to be made available to eligible family farmers with qualifying production and physical losses in the primary and the contiguous counties to the declared disaster area.Des Moines and Louisa Counties Designated by USDA as Disaster Areas Due to Drought
Mon Aug 14, 2023 04:00 PMA Secretarial Disaster Designation has been issued for three (3) counties in Illinois as primary disaster areas for drought. Additionally, two (2) Iowa counties are contiguous to the disaster area. This determination will allow the Farm Service Agency’s Emergency Loans to be made available to eligible family farmers with qualifying production and physical losses in the primary and the contiguous counties to the declared disaster areaUSDA Designates Multiple Iowa Counties as Disaster Areas Due to Drought Conditions
Mon Aug 14, 2023 04:00 PMA Secretarial Disaster Designation has been issued for 10 counties in Iowa as primary disaster areas for drought. Additionally, 25 Iowa counties are contiguous to the disaster area. This determination will allow the Farm Service Agency’s Emergency Loans to be made available to eligible family farmers with qualifying production and physical losses in the primary and the contiguous counties to the declared disaster area.USDA Designates Decatur & Wayne Counties as Disaster Areas Due to Drought
Mon Aug 7, 2023 04:00 PMA Secretarial Disaster Designation has been issued for one (1) county in Missouri as a primary disaster area for drought. Additionally, two (2) Iowa counties are contiguous to the disaster area. This determination will allow the Farm Service Agency’s Emergency Loans to be made available to eligible family farmers with qualifying production and physical losses in the primary and the contiguous counties to the declared disaster area.Winnebago & Worth Counties Designated by USDA as Disaster Areas Due to Drought
Mon Aug 7, 2023 04:00 PMA Secretarial Disaster Designation has been issued for 11 counties in Minnesota as primary disaster areas for drought. Additionally, two Iowa counties are contiguous to the disaster area. This determination will allow the Farm Service Agency’s Emergency Loans to be made available to eligible family farmers with qualifying production and physical losses in the primary and the contiguous counties to the declared disaster area.USDA Designates Multiple Iowa Counties as Natural Disaster Areas
Mon Aug 7, 2023 04:00 PMA Secretarial Disaster Designation has been issued for three counties in Iowa as primary disaster areas for drought. Additionally, 10 Iowa counties are contiguous to the disaster area. This determination will allow the Farm Service Agency’s Emergency Loans to be made available to eligible family farmers with qualifying production and physical losses in the primary and the contiguous counties to the declared disaster area.USDA to Begin Issuing Cost-Share Payments for the Emergency Grain Storage Facility Assistance Program
Mon Aug 7, 2023 03:53 PMWASHINGTON, Aug. 7, 2023 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is beginning to issue cost-share assistance payments through the Emergency Grain Storage Facility Assistance Program (EGSFP) for approved and funded applications that have met the requirements for partial or final payment. FSA first announced $20 million for this program in March to help producers affected by eligible disaster events from Dec. 1, 2021, through Aug. 1, 2022, that damaged or destroyed large commercial grain elevators in eight Midwest states. Due to the high volume of program applications received, FSA has amended the original Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA) to increase the initial funding amount for EGSFP to $80 million in cost-share assistance.
USDA Designates 20 Iowa Counties as Disaster Areas Due to Drought
Mon Jul 31, 2023 04:00 PMA Secretarial Disaster Designation has been issued for four (4) counties in Iowa as primary disaster areas for drought. Additionally, 16 Iowa counties are contiguous to the disaster area. This determination will allow the Farm Service Agency’s Emergency Loans to be made available to eligible family farmers with qualifying production and physical losses in the primary and the contiguous counties to the declared disaster area.USDA Authorizes Emergency Haying or Grazing of Conservation Reserve Program Acres for 46 Iowa Counties
Mon Jul 31, 2023 02:20 PMDES MOINES, Iowa, July 31, 2023 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) State Executive Director Matt Russell, today announced that 46 Iowa Counties are now authorized for emergency haying or grazing use of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres for fiscal year 2023. The 26 counties approved for emergency haying or grazing include: Allamakee, Audubon, Benton, Buena Vista, Carroll, Cedar, Calhoun, Cherokee, Clarke, Clayton, Crawford, Decatur, Des Moines, Fremont, Henry, Humboldt, Ida, Jones, Louisa, Marion, Muscatine, Page, Pocahontas, Sac, Shelby, and Washington. With 20 Iowa Counties restricted under Emergency Haying Criteria Based on Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) authorization: Appanoose, Cass, Davis, Harrison, Jefferson, Keokuk, Lee, Lucas, Lyon, Mahaska, Mills, Monona, Monroe, Montgomery, Plymouth, Pottawattamie, Van Buren, Wapello, Wayne, Woodbury.Four Iowa Counties Impacted by Recent USDA Disaster Designation
Mon Jul 24, 2023 04:00 PMA Secretarial Disaster Designation has been issued for nine (9) counties in Minnesota as primary disaster areas for drought. Additionally, four (4) Iowa counties are contiguous to the disaster area. This determination will allow the Farm Service Agency’s Emergency Loans to be made available to eligible family farmers with qualifying production and physical losses in the primary and the contiguous counties to the declared disaster area.Three Iowa Counties Impacted by Recent USDA Disaster Designation
Mon Jul 17, 2023 04:00 PMA Secretarial Disaster Designation has been issued for 12 counties in Wisconsin as primary disaster areas for drought. Additionally, three (3) Iowa counties are contiguous to the disaster area. This determination will allow the Farm Service Agency’s Emergency Loans to be made available to eligible family farmers with qualifying production and physical losses in the primary and the contiguous counties to the declared disaster area.USDA Designates Eight Iowa Counties as Disaster Areas Due to Drought Conditions
Mon Jul 10, 2023 04:00 PMA Secretarial Disaster Designation has been issued for Lucas County in Iowa as a primary disaster area for drought. Additionally, seven (7) Iowa counties are contiguous to the disaster area. This determination will allow the Farm Service Agency’s Emergency Loans to be made available to eligible family farmers with qualifying production and physical losses in the primary and the contiguous counties to the declared disaster area.Illinois Disaster Designation Impacts Five Iowa Counties
Mon Jul 10, 2023 04:00 PMA Secretarial Disaster Designation has been issued for four (4) counties in Illinois as primary disaster areas due to high winds and tornadoes. Additionally, five (5) Iowa counties are contiguous to the disaster area. This determination will allow the Farm Service Agency’s Emergency Loans to be made available to eligible family farmers with qualifying production and physical losses in the primary and the contiguous counties to the declared disaster area.Financial Assistance Application Process Opens for USDA Farm Loan Borrowers Who Have Faced Discrimination
Fri Jul 7, 2023 02:03 PMWASHINGTON, July 7, 2023 – Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the opening of the financial assistance application process for eligible farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners who experienced discrimination in USDA farm lending programs prior to January 2021. Section 22007 of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) directs USDA to provide this assistance. Since the law’s passage, USDA has worked diligently to design the program in accordance with significant stakeholder input.
USDA Reminds Agricultural Producers of July 14 Deadline to Apply for Pandemic and Natural Disaster Revenue Loss Programs
Thu Jul 6, 2023 02:22 PMAssistance Available to Lee County Farmers Through Recent USDA Disaster Designation
Wed Jul 5, 2023 04:00 PMA Secretarial Disaster Designation has been issued for four (4) counties in Illinois as primary disaster areas for drought. Additionally, Lee County, Iowa is contiguous to the disaster area. This determination will allow the Farm Service Agency’s Emergency Loans to be made available to eligible family farmers with qualifying production and physical losses in the primary and the contiguous counties to the declared disaster area.USDA Designates 13 Iowa Counties as Disaster Areas Due to Drought
Wed Jul 5, 2023 04:00 PMA Secretarial Disaster Designation has been issued for three (3) counties in Iowa as primary disaster areas for drought. Additionally, 10 Iowa counties are contiguous to the disaster area. This determination will allow the Farm Service Agency’s Emergency Loans to be made available to eligible family farmers with qualifying production and physical losses in the primary and the contiguous counties to the declared disaster area.USDA Announces Historic Investment in Wildlife Conservation, Expands Partnership to Include Additional Programs
Tue Jun 27, 2023 01:31 PMBOULDER, Colo., June 27, 2023 – Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is announcing that it will expand its work on wildlife conservation by investing at least $500 million over the next five years and by leveraging all available conservation programs, including the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), through its Working Lands for Wildlife (WLFW) effort. These commitments, which align with President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, will ramp up the conservation assistance for farmers, ranchers, private forest owners and tribes with a focus on working lands in key geographies across the country as well as hiring for key conservation positions. The funding will help deliver a series of cohesive Frameworks for Conservation Action, which establish a common vision across the partnership of public and private interests and goals for delivering conservation resources in a given ecosystem, combining cutting-edge science with local knowledge.Missouri Disaster Designation Impacts Two Iowa Counties
Mon Jun 26, 2023 04:00 PMA Secretarial Disaster Designation has been issued for 15 counties in Missouri as primary disaster areas due to drought. Additionally, two (2) Iowa counties are contiguous to the disaster area. This determination will allow the Farm Service Agency’s Emergency Loans to be made available to eligible family farmers with qualifying production and physical losses in the primary and the contiguous counties to the declared disaster area.USDA Disaster Designation for Drought Announced for 23 Iowa Counties
Mon Jun 26, 2023 04:00 PMA Secretarial Disaster Designation has been issued for eight (8) counties in Iowa as primary disaster areas for drought. Additionally, 15 Iowa counties are contiguous to the disaster area. This determination will allow the Farm Service Agency’s Emergency Loans to be made available to eligible family farmers with qualifying production and physical losses in the primary and the contiguous counties to the declared disaster area.Biden-Harris Administration Announces Intended Investment of Approximately $300 Million in 50 Projects Increasing Land, Capital, and Market Access for Underserved Producers
Thu Jun 22, 2023 05:00 PMWASHINGTON, June 22, 2023 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced its selection of 50 projects for potential award, totaling approximately $300 million. These innovative projects will help improve access to land, capital, and markets for underserved farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners. The Increasing Land, Capital, and Market Access (Increasing Land Access) Program, which is funded by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, works to increase access to farm ownership opportunities, improve results for those with heirs’ property or fractionated land, increase access to markets and capital that affect the ability to access land, and improve land ownership, land succession and agricultural business planning.
Farm Service Agency Now Accepting Nominations for Farmers and Ranchers to Serve on Local County Committees
Thu Jun 15, 2023 04:30 PMWASHINGTON, June 15, 2023 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is now accepting nominations for county committee members for elections that will occur later this year. Additionally, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is unveiling a new GIS tool to make it easier for producers to participate in the nomination and election processes for county committee members, who make important decisions on how federal farm programs are administered locally.USDA Accepts More Than 1 Million Acres in Offers Through Conservation Reserve Program General Signup
Wed Jun 14, 2023 09:38 AMWASHINGTON, June 14, 2023 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced earlier this week that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is accepting more than 1 million acres in this year’s Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) General signup. This is one of several signups that USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is holding for the program. The results for CRP General signup reflect the continued importance of CRP as a tool to help producers invest in the long-term health, sustainability, and profitability of their land and resources. The signup’s results include nearly 18,000 acres in Iowa.
USDA Designates Two Iowa Counties Natural Disaster Areas Due to Drought in South Dakota
Tue Jun 6, 2023 04:00 PMThis Secretarial natural disaster designation allows the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) to extend much-needed emergency credit to producers recovering from natural disasters through emergency loans. Emergency loans can be used to meet various recovery needs including the replacement of essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganization of a farming operation, or to refinance certain debts. FSA will review the loans based on the extent of losses, security available, and repayment ability.Nebraska Disaster Designation Impacts Three Iowa Counties
Mon Jun 5, 2023 04:00 PMA Secretarial Disaster Designation has been issued for three (3) counties in Nebraska as primary disaster areas due to drought. Additionally, three (3) Iowa counties are contiguous to the disaster area. This determination will allow the Farm Service Agency’s Emergency Loans to be made available to eligible family farmers with qualifying production and physical losses in the primary and the contiguous counties to the declared disaster area.Missouri Disaster Designation Impacts Four Iowa Counties
Mon Jun 5, 2023 04:00 PMA Secretarial Disaster Designation has been issued for 10 counties in Missouri as primary disaster areas due to drought. Additionally, four (4) Iowa counties are contiguous to the disaster area. This determination will allow the Farm Service Agency’s Emergency Loans to be made available to eligible family farmers with qualifying production and physical losses in the primary and the contiguous counties to the declared disaster area.USDA Disaster Designation for Drought Issued for Five Iowa Counties
Tue May 30, 2023 04:00 PMA Secretarial Disaster Designation has been issued for one (1) county in Iowa as primary disaster area for drought. Additionally, four (4) Iowa counties are contiguous to the disaster area. This determination will allow the Farm Service Agency’s Emergency Loans to be made available to eligible family farmers with qualifying production and physical losses in the primary and the contiguous counties to the declared disaster area.USDA Extends Application Deadline for Revenue Loss Programs to July 14
Fri May 26, 2023 04:00 PMWASHINGTON, May 26, 2023 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is extending the deadline for the Emergency Relief Program (ERP) Phase Two and Pandemic Assistance Revenue Program (PARP) to July 14, 2023, to give producers more time to apply for assistance. The original deadline was June 2.USDA Offers Assistance to Help Organic Dairy Producers Cover Increased Costs
Mon May 22, 2023 04:05 PMDES MOINES, Iowa, May 22, 2023 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), announces assistance for dairy producers with the new Organic Dairy Marketing Assistance Program (ODMAP). ODMAP is established to help mitigate market volatility, higher input and transportation costs, and unstable feed supply and prices that have created unique hardships in the organic dairy industry. Specifically, under the ODMAP, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is making $104 million available to organic dairy operations to assist with projected marketing costs in 2023, calculated using their marketing costs in 2022.
USDA Previews Emergency Relief Assistance for Agricultural Producers Who Incurred Losses Due to 2022 Natural Disaster Events
Fri May 19, 2023 12:00 PMWASHINGTON, May 19, 2023 — Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced plans to roll out $3.7 billion in Emergency Relief Program (ERP) and Emergency Livestock Relief Program (ELRP) assistance to crop and livestock producers who sustained losses due to a qualifying natural disaster event in calendar year 2022. USDA is sharing early information to allow producers time to gather documents in advance of program delivery. Through distribution of remaining funds, USDA is also concluding the 2021 ELRP program by sending payments in the amount of 20% of the initial ELRP payment to all existing recipients.USDA Offers Livestock Disaster Program Flexibilities; Responds to Needs Expressed by Producers Hard-Hit by Natural Disasters
Wed May 17, 2023 03:20 PMDES MOINES, Iowa, May 17, 2023 – USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) has provided additional flexibilities and further enhanced disaster recovery assistance provided by the Emergency Assistance for Livestock Honeybees, and Farm-raised Fish Program (ELAP), Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) and Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) in response to needs expressed by livestock producers across the U.S. who have experienced significant feed, forage and animal losses from natural disasters. These livestock disaster program policy enhancements include an extended June 2, 2023, deadline to submit notices of loss and applications for payment for 2022 losses. The deadline extension and program flexibilities are available to eligible producers nationwide who incurred losses from a qualifying natural disaster event.
USDA Accepting Applications to Help Cover Costs of Organic Producers
Wed May 17, 2023 10:57 AMDES MOINES, Iowa, May 17, 2023 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will cover up to 75% of the costs associated with organic certification, up to $750 per category, through the Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP). Iowa Farm Service Agency (FSA) encourages organic agricultural producers and handlers to apply for OCCSP by Oct. 31, 2023, for expenses incurred from Oct. 1, 2022, through Sept. 30, 2023.
USDA Disaster Designation Issued to Assist Producers Recovering from Recent Severe Weather
Tue May 9, 2023 04:00 PMAdministrator Zach Ducheneaux is making Farm Service Agency (FSA) emergency physical loss loans available in 29 Illinois counties due to physical damage and losses caused by tornadoes, high winds, lightning, and hail that occurred March 31, 2023, through April 16, 2023. In addition, 72 counties in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, and Wisconsin are named as contiguous counties. This notification allows Farm Service Agency Emergency Loans to be made available to eligible family farmers with qualifying production and physical losses in the primary and the contiguous counties to the declared disaster area.USDA's CLEAR30 Offers Producers with Expiring Voluntary Conservation Contracts Longer Term Options
Wed Apr 26, 2023 03:33 PMDES MOINES, Iowa, April 26, 2023 – Agricultural producers and landowners with certain expiring Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) contracts can receive additional rental incentives and extend that land’s role in conservation for another 30 years. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has opened the signup period for its Clean Lakes, Estuaries, And Rivers enrollment (CLEAR30) now through July 31, 2023. CLEAR30 is a part of the CLEAR initiative, which prioritizes water quality practices as a part of Continuous CRP enrollment, and is one of several CRP enrollment opportunities. CLEAR30 allows producers and landowners enrolling certain water quality practices to enroll in 30-year contracts, extending the lifespan and strengthening the benefits of important water quality practices on their land. Like other CRP enrollments, CLEAR30 is a voluntary, incentive-based conservation opportunity offered by USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA).
USDA Announces Grassland Conservation Reserve Program Signup for 2023
Mon Apr 17, 2023 03:21 PMDES MOINES, Iowa, April 17, 2023 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that agricultural producers and private landowners can begin signing up for the Grassland Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) starting today and running through May 26, 2023. Among CRP enrollment opportunities, Grassland CRP is a unique working lands program, allowing producers and landowners to continue grazing and haying practices while conserving grasslands and promoting plant and animal biodiversity as well as healthier soil.
Three Iowa Counties Impacted by Recent USDA Disaster Designation for Drought
Sat Apr 15, 2023 04:00 PMA Secretarial Disaster Designation has been issued for one (1) county in South Dakota as a primary disaster area for drought. Additionally, seven (7) counties across South Dakota, Nebraska, and Iowa are contiguous to the disaster area. This determination will allow the Farm Service Agency’s Emergency Loans to be made available to eligible family farmers with qualifying production and physical losses in the primary and the contiguous counties to the declared disaster area.USDA Offers Disaster Assistance to Farmers in Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa and Wisconsin Impacted by Recent Storms and Tornadoes
Thu Apr 13, 2023 12:00 AMDES MOINES, Iowa, April 13, 2023 – Agricultural operations in Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa and Wisconsin have been significantly impacted by recent tornadoes and severe storms that caused widespread and extensive destruction across those states. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has technical and financial assistance available to help farmers and livestock producers recover in the wake of these disasters. Impacted producers should contact their local USDA Service Center to report losses and learn more about programs that may be available to assist in their recovery from crop, land, infrastructure and livestock losses and damages.
Nebraska USDA Disaster Designation Impacts Four Iowa Counties
Fri Mar 31, 2023 04:00 PMA Secretarial Disaster Designation has been issued for 55 counties in Nebraska as primary disaster areas for drought. Additionally, four (4) Iowa counties are contiguous to the disaster area. This determination will allow the Farm Service Agency’s Emergency Loans to be made available to eligible family farmers with qualifying production and physical losses in the primary and the contiguous counties to the declared disaster area.USDA Designates Nine Iowa Counties as Disaster Areas Due to Drought
Fri Mar 31, 2023 04:00 PMA Secretarial Disaster Designation has been issued for three (3) counties in Iowa as primary disaster areas for drought. Additionally, six (6) Iowa counties are contiguous to the disaster area. This determination will allow the Farm Service Agency’s Emergency Loans to be made available to eligible family farmers with qualifying production and physical losses in the primary and the contiguous counties to the declared disaster area.Urban Producers, Public Invited to Attend April Meeting of Federal Advisory Committee for Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production
Thu Mar 30, 2023 12:00 AMWASHINGTON, March 30, 2023 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) encourages urban producers, innovative producers and other stakeholders to submit comments for and virtually attend the fifth public meeting of the Federal Advisory Committee for Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (Committee) on April 18, 2023.
USDA Announces Additional Assistance for Distressed Farmers Facing Financial Risk
Mon Mar 27, 2023 04:00 PMWASHINGTON, March 27, 2023 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced that beginning in April it will provide approximately $123 million in additional, automatic financial assistance for qualifying farm loan program borrowers who are facing financial risk, as as part of the $3.1 billion to help distressed farm loan borrowers that was provided through Section 22006 of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The announcement builds on financial assistance offered to borrowers through the same program in October 2022.
Two Iowa Counties Impacted by Missouri USDA Disaster Designation for Drought
Fri Mar 17, 2023 04:00 PMA Secretarial Disaster Designation has been issued for seven (7) counties in Missouri as primary disaster areas for drought. Additionally, two (2) Iowa counties are contiguous to the disaster area. This determination will allow the Farm Service Agency’s Emergency Loans to be made available to eligible family farmers with qualifying production and physical losses in the primary and the contiguous counties to the declared disaster area.USDA Announces Sign-up for Cost-Share Assistance for On-Farm Grain Storage in Areas with Limited Commercial Capacity Due to Severe Storms
Thu Mar 9, 2023 06:00 PMWASHINGTON, March 9, 2023 — Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that producers in counties affected by eligible disaster events in Kentucky, Minnesota, South Dakota, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, North Dakota, and Tennessee can apply for cost-share assistance through the Emergency Grain Storage Facility Assistance Program (EGSFP). The new program provides cost-share assistance for the construction of new grain storage capacity and drying and handling needs, in order to support the orderly marketing of commodities. An initial allocation of $20 million in cost-share assistance is available to agricultural producers in affected counties impacted by the damage to or destruction of large commercial grain elevators as a result of natural disasters from Dec. 1, 2021, to Aug. 1, 2022. The application period opens later this month and closes Dec. 29, 2023.
Agricultural Producers Have Until March 15 to Enroll in USDA’s Key Commodity Safety Net Programs
Fri Mar 3, 2023 11:15 AMDES MOINES, Iowa, March 3, 2023 – Agricultural producers who have not yet enrolled in the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) or Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs for the 2023 crop year have until March 15, 2023, to elect and enroll a contract. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) offers these two safety net programs to provide vital income support to farmers experiencing substantial declines in crop prices or revenues.
USDA Announces Conservation Reserve Program Signup for 2023
Thu Feb 16, 2023 12:00 AMDES MOINES, Iowa, Feb. 16, 2023 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that agricultural producers and private landowners can begin applying for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) General signup starting February 27 through April 7, 2023. CRP is a cornerstone voluntary conservation program offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and a key tool in the Biden-Harris administration’s effort to address climate change and help agricultural communities invest in the long-term well-being of their land and natural resources.
USDA Develops Simplified Direct Loan Application to Improve Customer Service
Tue Feb 7, 2023 01:48 PMWASHINGTON, Feb. 7, 2023 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has developed a simplified direct loan application to provide improved customer experience for producers applying for loans from the Farm Service Agency (FSA). The simplified direct loan application enables producers to complete a more streamlined application, reduced from 29 to 13 pages. Producers will also have the option to complete an electronic fillable form or prepare a traditional, paper application for submission to their local FSA farm loan office. The paper and electronic versions of the form will be available starting March 1, 2023.
USDA Invests $9.4 Million in Compost and Food Waste Reduction Projects
Thu Feb 2, 2023 04:00 PMWASHINGTON, Feb. 2, 2023 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing more than $9.4 million in 45 cooperative agreements that support innovative, scalable waste management plans to reduce and divert food waste from landfills. The Compost and Food Waste Reduction (CFWR) cooperative agreements, which are funded by the American Rescue Plan Act, are part of USDA’s broad support for urban agriculture through its Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (OUAIP). The projects will be implemented between 2023 and 2025.
USDA Announces Grant for Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production
Thu Jan 26, 2023 02:43 PMWASHINGTON, Jan. 26, 2023 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (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 will accept applications on Grants.gov until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on March 27, 2023.
USDA Announces Additional Assistance for Dairy Farmers
Mon Jan 23, 2023 02:44 PMWASHINGTON, January 23, 2023 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced the details of additional assistance for dairy producers, including a second round of payments through the Pandemic Market Volatility Assistance Program (PMVAP) and a new Organic Dairy Marketing Assistance Program (ODMAP). The update to PMVAP and the new ODMAP will enable USDA to better support small- and medium-sized dairy operations who weathered the pandemic and now face other challenges.
USDA Announces Signup for 2023 Assistance for On-Farm Food Safety Expenses for Specialty Crop Growers
Fri Jan 20, 2023 02:26 PMWASHINGTON, Jan. 20, 2023— The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reminds specialty crop producers of available assistance to help cover certain costs of complying with regulatory and market-driven food safety certification requirements. Applications for the Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops (FSCSC) program for eligible 2022 costs are due by Jan. 31, 2023. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) will accept applications for 2023 costs from Feb. 1, 2023, to Jan. 31, 2024.
USDA Expands Eligibility, Enhances Benefits for Key Disaster Programs
Thu Jan 12, 2023 04:01 PMWASHINGTON, Jan. 10, 2023 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) made updates to several conservation, livestock and crop disaster assistance programs to give more farmers, ranchers, and tribes the opportunity to apply for and access programs that support recovery following natural disasters. Specifically, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) expanded eligibility and enhanced available benefits for a suite of its programs. These updates will provide critical assistance to producers who need to rebuild and recover after suffering catastrophic losses of production and infrastructure due to natural disasters.
USDA Reminds Producers of Continuous Certification Option for Perennial Forage
Wed Jan 11, 2023 02:29 PMWASHINGTON, Jan. 11, 2023 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reminds agricultural producers with perennial forage crops of an option to report their acreage once, without having to report that acreage in subsequent years, as long as there are no applicable changes on the farm. Interested producers can select the continuous certification option after USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) certifies their acreage report.
USDA Announces Major Program Improvements, Progress, and Investments to Benefit American Farmers, Ranchers, and Producers
Mon Jan 9, 2023 12:00 AMSAN JUAN, P.R., January 9, 2023 — Today, at the American Farm Bureau Federation annual convention, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced several major developments at the U.S. Department of Agriculture that will benefit farmers, ranchers and producers across the nation.
FSA to Implement Pilot Hiring Program in Iowa
Mon Dec 12, 2022 08:32 AMDES MOINES, Iowa – December 12, 2022 – Iowa Farm Service Agency (FSA) is offering a new approach to recruiting agricultural leaders who want to become County Executive Directors (CED). Iowa FSA, with support from the Biden-Harris Administration, will open job announcements later this month to the County Office Executive Director Training (CEDT) Pilot Program. The goal of the pilot is to incentivize more candidates to compete for positions in the training program by reducing the relocation distance someone might have to accept compared to if they graduated from the traditional CEDT program.
2023 Dairy Margin Coverage Deadline Extended – Jan. 31, 2023, Last Day to Enroll
Mon Dec 12, 2022 08:30 AMUSDA Designates Webster County, Iowa, as Primary Natural Disaster Area
Tue Nov 29, 2022 11:32 AMThis Secretarial natural disaster designation allows the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) to extend much-needed emergency credit to producers recovering from natural disasters through emergency loans. Emergency loans can be used to meet various recovery needs including the replacement of essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganization of a farming operation or the refinance of certain debts. FSA will review the loans based on the extent of losses, security available and repayment ability.
USDA Previews Crop and Revenue Loss Assistance for Agricultural Producers
Tue Nov 15, 2022 01:23 PMWASHINGTON, Nov. 15, 2022 — Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced plans for additional emergency relief and pandemic assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). USDA is preparing to roll out the Emergency Relief Program (ERP) Phase Two as well as the new Pandemic Assistance Revenue Program (PARP), which are two programs to help offset crop and revenue losses for producers. USDA is sharing early information to help producers gather documents and train front-line staff on the new approach.
Farm Service Agency County Committee Elections Open This Week
Wed Nov 9, 2022 04:00 PMDES MOINES, Iowa, Nov. 9, 2022 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) began mailing ballots this week for the Farm Service Agency (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 (LAA) for these committee members who make important decisions about how federal farm programs are administered locally. Producers and landowners must return ballots to their local FSA county office or have their ballots be postmarked by Dec. 5, 2022, in order for those ballots to be counted.
USDA Designates Four Nebraska Counties as Primary Natural Disaster Areas
Mon Nov 7, 2022 04:00 PMThis Secretarial natural disaster designation allows the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) to extend much-needed emergency credit to producers recovering from natural disasters through emergency loans. Emergency loans can be used to meet various recovery needs including the replacement of essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganization of a farming operation or the refinance of certain debts. FSA will review the loans based on the extent of losses, security available and repayment ability.
Three Iowa Counties Designated As USDA Primary Natural Disaster Areas
Mon Nov 7, 2022 03:55 PMThis Secretarial natural disaster designation allows the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) to extend much-needed emergency credit to producers recovering from natural disasters through emergency loans. Emergency loans can be used to meet various recovery needs including the replacement of essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganization of a farming operation or the refinance of certain debts. FSA will review the loans based on the extent of losses, security available and repayment ability.
USDA Designates Washington County, Nebraska, as Primary Natural Disaster Area
Mon Nov 7, 2022 03:36 PMThis Secretarial natural disaster designation allows the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) to extend much-needed emergency credit to producers recovering from natural disasters through emergency loans. Emergency loans can be used to meet various recovery needs including the replacement of essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganization of a farming operation or the refinance of certain debts. FSA will review the loans based on the extent of losses, security available and repayment ability.
USDA Designates Ten Iowa Counties as Primary Natural Disaster Areas
Mon Nov 7, 2022 12:00 AMThis Secretarial natural disaster designation allows the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) to extend much-needed emergency credit to producers recovering from natural disasters through emergency loans. Emergency loans can be used to meet various recovery needs including the replacement of essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganization of a farming operation or the refinance of certain debts. FSA will review the loans based on the extent of losses, security available and repayment ability.
Farmers Can Now Make 2023 Crop Year Elections, Enroll in Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage Programs
Wed Oct 19, 2022 03:02 PMWASHINGTON, Oct. 19, 2022 – Agricultural producers can now change election and enroll in the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage programs for the 2023 crop year, two key safety net programs offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Signup began Monday, and producers have until March 15, 2023, to enroll in these two programs. Additionally, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) has started issuing payments totaling more than $255 million to producers with 2021 crops that have triggered payments through ARC or PLC.
Dairy Producers Can Now Enroll for 2023 Signup for Dairy Margin Coverage
Tue Oct 18, 2022 09:11 AMWASHINGTON, Oct. 18, 2022 – Dairy producers can now enroll for 2023 coverage through the Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) Program, an important safety net program from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that helps producers manage changes in milk and feed prices. Last year, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) took steps to improve coverage, especially for small- and mid-sized dairies, including offering a new Supplemental DMC program and updating its feed cost formula to better address retroactive, current and future feed costs. These changes continue to support producers through this year’s signup, which begins today and ends Dec. 9, 2022.
USDA Provides Payments of Nearly $800 Million in Assistance to Help Keep Farmers Farming
Tue Oct 18, 2022 12:00 AMWASHINGTON, October 18, 2022 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced that distressed borrowers with qualifying USDA farm loans have already received nearly $800 million in assistance, as part of the $3.1 billion in assistance for distressed farm loan borrowers provided through Section 22006 of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The IRA directed USDA to expedite assistance to distressed borrowers of direct or guaranteed loans administered by USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) whose operations face financial risk.
USDA Urges Producers to Submit Applications for 2022 Grazing Loss Assistance
Thu Oct 13, 2022 12:53 PMDES MOINES, Iowa, Oct. 13, 2022 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reminds ranchers and livestock producers that they may be eligible for financial assistance through the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) 2022 grazing losses due to a qualifying drought. The deadline to apply for 2022 LFP assistance is Jan. 30, 2023.