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Welcome to the USDA Ohio Farm Service Agency Website

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) serves America’s farmers, growers and producers through a network of over 2,100 offices in nearly every rural county in the United States, providing localized service to potential and current farmers who, in turn, provide our nation and the world with safe, affordable and reliable food, fuel and fiber.

To make this possible, FSA works to effectively implement farm legislation, providing payments and services that farmers and producers need by administering credit and loan programs while managing conservation, commodity, farm marketing programs and providing risk management assistance and recovery support in times of economic distress or disaster. FSA’s administers disaster assistance programs that provides financial support to crop and livestock producers affected by drought, flood, and other natural disasters. FSA also provides support to assist farmers in managing financial risks associated with commodity price and revenue fluctuations through commodity programs. FSA’s conservation programs assist farmers and landowners in applying conservation measures to enhance and maintain the quality of soil, water, and related natural resources and wildlife.

Contact your local USDA FSA County office to learn more about our programs, loans and services our agency provides.

Learn more about FSA with a quick video introduction.

The U.S. Drought Monitor & Ohio FSA Secretarial Disaster Designations

The U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) is a map released every Thursday, showing parts of the U.S. that are in drought. The map uses five classifications: abnormally dry (D0), showing areas that may be going into or are coming out of drought, and four levels of drought: moderate (D1), severe (D2), extreme (D3) and exceptional (D4). It is produced jointly by the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the USDA. The USDA uses the USDM map as a trigger for programs that help agricultural producers recover from drought and other natural disasters.

The USDA Ohio FSA has issued several drought related natural disaster designations. As of October 8, 2024, there are 44 Ohio counties declared primary disaster counties, with additional contiguous counties. View Ohio FSA’s Secretarial disaster designations on Aug. 30, Sept. 3, Sept. 18, Sept. 23, Oct. 2, and a second Oct. 2, Oct. 8 and a second Oct. 8 Secretarial disaster designation for additional details on each.

FSA Has Disaster Assistance Programs for Farmers Impacted by this Drought

Livestock producers who suffered grazing losses for covered livestock due to drought on privately owned or cash leased land may be eligible for the 2024 Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP). To participate in LFP producers must own, cash or share lease, or contract grow eligible livestock, provide pasture or grazing land to eligible livestock on the beginning date of the qualifying drought, certify that they suffered a grazing loss due to drought, and submit an acreage report to the Farm Service Agency (FSA) for all grazing land for which a grazing loss is being claimed. FSA maintains a list of counties eligible for LFP and makes updates each Thursday.

The Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP) provides eligible producers with compensation for above normal costs of hauling water and feed to livestock as well as transporting livestock to forage or other grazing acres. For ELAP, producers are required to complete a notice of loss and a payment application to their local FSA office no later than the annual program application deadline, Jan. 30, 2025, for 2024 calendar year losses. ELAP also assists commercial apiarists who experience a loss of feed due to drought conditions that may need to purchase short-term feed to sustain the honeybees until additional natural feedstock becomes available.

Additionally, eligible orchardists and nursery tree growers may be eligible for cost-share assistance through the Tree Assistance Program (TAP) to replant or rehabilitate eligible trees, bushes or vines. TAP complements the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) or crop insurance coverage, which covers the crop but not the plants or trees in all cases. For TAP, a program application must be filed within 90 days of the disaster event or the date when the loss of the trees, bushes or vines is apparent. 

FSA also offers a variety of direct and guaranteed farm loans, including operating and emergency farm loans, to producers unable to secure commercial financing. Producers in counties with a primary or contiguous disaster designation may be eligible for low interest emergency loans to help them recover from production and physical losses. Loans can help producers replace essential property, purchase inputs like livestock, equipment, feed and seed, cover family living expenses or refinance farm-related debts and other needs. Additionally, FSA offers several loan servicing options available for borrowers who are unable to make scheduled payments on their farm loan programs debt to the agency because of reasons beyond their control.

Producers who have risk protection through Federal Crop Insurance or FSA’s NAP should report crop damage to their crop insurance agent or FSA office. If they have crop insurance, producers should provide a notice of loss to their agent within 72 hours of initial discovery of damage and follow up in writing within 15 days.

For NAP covered crops, a Notice of Loss (CCC-576) must be filed within 15 days of the loss becoming apparent, except for hand-harvested crops, which should be reported within 72 hours.  

FSA’s Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) can assist landowners with financial and technical assistance to implement emergency water conservation measures. Emergency haying and grazing of CRP acres may be authorized to provide relief to livestock producers in areas affected by a severe drought. Requests for emergency haying and grazing must be approved by FSA before the activity commences.

FSA has developed an on-line disaster assistance discover tool which allows producers to learn the USDA assistance programs which might fit their operation due to this year’s drought. This easy-to-use tool can be accessed at: https://www.farmers.gov/protection-recovery/disaster-tool

USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) can help farmers make their operation more resilient in the face of drought in future years. Through conservation planning and practices that will improve soil health and water conservation, farmers can reduce future crop loss due to drought and enhance resiliency to changing climatic conditions. Financial help for implementing conservation practices may be available through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program.

For those agricultural producers that have not worked with the USDA FSA office before, make an appointment as the initial meeting with FSA and understand that this will take longer than a typical appointment with FSA. That’s because FSA will need to establish a customer record and a farm record. FSA must also determine program eligibility.

Producers need to evaluate the impact on their operation and contact their local FSA County office to schedule an appointment to timely report all crop, livestock and farm infrastructure damages and losses. To expedite FSA disaster assistance, producers will likely need to provide documents, such as farm records, herd inventory, receipts and pictures of damages or losses. For assistance with a crop insurance claim, producers and landowners should contact their crop insurance agent.

Subscribe to our Updates

Would you like monthly Ohio FSA News delivered to your email or local time-sensitive Text Alerts instantly on your mobile device?

FSA provides electronic news on programs direct to your email inbox. It can help you remember important program announcements, deadlines and requirements so you can effectively utilize FSA programs in your farm operation. In addition to the newsletter, you also can sign up to receive information through our Farmers.gov text messaging service from your County FSA office. Our offices will only issue text messages to remind subscribers of timely, important program deadlines or other information.

Visit farmers.gov/subscribe to sign-up and receive email and text message alerts from your USDA FSA County office.

Miami Rivers CREP Proposal

Please be aware that the Miami Rivers CREP is currently not authorized and is not available for sign-up.

This information has been prepared for public review to gather feedback on what is proposed for the Miami Rivers CREP. We recommend viewing this video and then reviewing the enrollment scenarios presented in the pdf document. If you are interested in providing feedback on the practices proposed in the Miami Rivers CREP, please contact OH-FSA-Webmaster@usda.gov

Miami Rivers CREP Potential Enrollment Scenarios (pdf) - Aug. 2024
Miami Rivers CREP Draft Factsheet (pdf) - Aug. 2024

Watch a 15-minute introductory video presentation about the Miami Rivers CREP.

USDA Now Accepting Applications for Available Funds to Help Cover Organic Certification Costs

Organic Producers and Handlers are Encouraged to apply for the Organic Certification Cost Share Program that can help cover up to 75% or organic certification costs

Through the Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP), FSA will cover up to 75% of organic certification costs at a maximum of $750 per certification category. FSA is now accepting applications, and organic producers and handlers should apply for OCCSP by the Oct. 31, 2024, deadline for eligible expenses incurred from Oct. 1, 2023, to Sept. 30, 2024. FSA will issue payments as applications are received and approved.

OCCSP provides cost-share assistance to producers and handlers of organic agricultural commodities for expenses incurred obtaining or maintaining organic certification under USDA’s National Organic Program. Eligible OCCSP applicants include any certified organic producers or handlers who have paid organic certification fees to a USDA-accredited certifying agent.

Cost share assistance covers expenses including application fees, inspection costs, fees related to equivalency agreement and arrangement requirements, inspector travel expenses, user fees, sales assessments and postage. OCCSP pays a maximum of $750 per certification category for crops, wild crops, livestock, processing/handling, and state organic program fees (California only).

How to Apply

To apply, producers and handlers should contact FSA at their County FSA office and be prepared to provide documentation of organic certification and eligible expenses. OCCSP applications can also be submitted through participating state departments of agriculture. For more information, visit the OCCSP webpage.

Resources Available for Producers Impacted by Recent Tornadoes

Ohio FSA reminds agricultural producers who suffered impacts due to recent tornadoes and related extreme weather of programs that may be available for assistance, such as the Livestock Indemnity Program, the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program, the Emergency Conservation Program and the Tree Assistance Program.

Some counties in Ohio have been impacted by the recent storms and tornadoes that occurred in March through May of 2024. Below is a current list of each natural disaster declaration.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) designated 28 Ohio counties as Natural Disaster Areas due to tornadoes that occurred on March 14, 2024.
Five Indiana counties were declared a Natural Disaster area caused by a tornado, high winds, hail and excessive rain that occurred on March 14, 2024, as Darke county is also eligible as a contiguous county.
Thirty-seven Kentucky counties were declared a Natural Disaster area caused by a tornado and high winds that occurred on April 2, 2024, as Brown and Clermont counties are eligible as contiguous counties.
Ohio agricultural producers in Ten Primary Counties who lost property due to a tornado that occurred on March 14, 2024, are eligible for physical loss loans from the USDA FSA. Additional Ohio counties are eligible as contiguous counties.
Ohio agricultural producers in Four Primary counties who lost property due to a tornado, flash flood and excessive rain that occurred on April 2, 2024, are eligible for physical loss loans from the USDA FSA. Additional Ohio counties are eligible as contiguous counties.
Ohio agricultural producers in Five Primary counties who lost property due to a tornado that occurred on May 7, 2024, are eligible for physical loss loans from the USDA FSA. Additional Ohio counties are eligible as contiguous counties.

The FSA administers FSA Disaster Programs to help producers recover from eligible losses from natural disasters including droughts, tornadoes, flooding and more. FSA’s Emergency Loan Program provides loans to help producers recover from production and physical losses due to drought, flooding, other natural disasters, or quarantine.

We encourage you to contact your County FSA office to discuss program and loan options and what is needed for eligibility and to apply.

CRP Continuous Enrollment Signup Continues

CRP is a land conservation program administered by FSA. In exchange for a yearly rental payment, farmers enrolled in the program agree to remove environmentally sensitive land from agricultural production and plant species that will improve environmental health and quality. Contracts for land enrolled in CRP are 10-15 years in length. The long-term goal of the program is to re-establish valuable land cover to help improve water quality, prevent soil erosion, and reduce loss of wildlife habitat. Under continuous CRP signup, environmentally sensitive land devoted to certain conservation practices can be enrolled in CRP at any time. Offers are automatically accepted provided the land and producer meet certain eligibility requirements and the enrollment levels do not exceed the statutory cap. Unlike CRP enrollments under general CRP signups or CRP Grasslands, offers for continuous enrollment are not subject to competitive bidding during specific periods. To find your FSA office contact information, visit USDA FSA County office.

Sign-up Continues for the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program

The Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) is a part of the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). The CRP is a voluntary program that contracts with agricultural producers so that environmentally sensitive agricultural land is not farmed, but instead devoted to conservation benefits. CRP participants establish long-term, resource-conserving plant species, such as approved grasses or trees (known as “covers”) to control soil erosion, improve water quality and develop wildlife habitat.

By enrolling in CREP, farmers and landowners are re-establishing valuable land cover to help improve water quality, prevent soil erosion, reduce loss of wildlife habitat, and address other objectives identified in the CREP agreement. While enrolled in CREP, farmers and landowners receive an annual rental payment for the contract period and may be eligible for additional incentives. FSA also provides cost share assistance to help offset the costs associated with installing the conservation practices.

Interested in learning more about Ohio's 2 CREPs, check out the Lake Erie CREP fact sheet and the Scioto River Watershed CREP fact sheet.

Producers interested in enrolling in an active CREP should contact their USDA FSA County office. Offers are accepted on a continuous basis. Your FSA County office will determine if basic land and producer eligibility requirements for CRP, plus the additional requirements specified in the CREP agreement, are met.

FSA Offers an Opportunity to Increase Upland Bird, Pollinator and Monarch through the State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) Initiative

Landowners and operators in designated counties throughout Ohio will have the opportunity to offer cropland for enrollment in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Pollinator and Monarch practice or the Upland Bird Practice entitled State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE).

The Ohio Pollinator and Monarch SAFE project was designed in collaboration with pollinator experts and other conservation partners to help enhance and restore habitat for ecologically and economically significant pollinator species. The goal of this project is to increase the amount of appropriate habitat for the monarch butterfly and other pollinators in Ohio.

The Ohio Upland Bird SAFE utilizes a wildlife management practice specifically developed by conservation organizations and agencies located within Ohio to establish and restore habitat for ring-necked pheasant, bobwhite quail, and other upland birds on eligible cropland. The program specifically targets declining quail and pheasant populations in areas of greatest impact.

For more information on Ohio's Pollinator and Monarch SAFE project, or Ohio's Upland Bird SAFE project visit your local FSA county office.

Are you interested in FSA's Loan program and have questions?

Farming is a business, and just like other business owners, farmers need access to financial resources (i.e., capital) to grow and build their enterprises. FSA Direct Farm Operating Loans support established, underserved, and beginning farmers by providing short-term financing to cover annual operating expenses. FSA Guaranteed Farm Operating Loans help farmers obtain more affordable financing from a bank or other lending institution by providing the commercial lender a government guarantee. FSA Microloans are tailored to the smaller-scale operations of beginning farmers and farmers serving local and regional food markets – including urban and small-scale diversified farmers.

FSA offers loans to help farmers get the financing they need to start, expand or maintain a family farm. FSA offers targeted farm ownership and farm operating loans to assist underserved applicants as well as beginning farmers. USDA defines underserved applicants as a group whose members have been subjected to racial, ethnic, or gender prejudice because of their identity as members of the group without regard to their individual qualities. For farm loan program purposes, targeted underserved groups are women, African Americans, American Indians and Alaskan Natives, Hispanics and Asians and Pacific Islanders.

Check out FSA's Guide to Farm Loans. This guidebook simplifies information on the types of farm loans available; how to apply for a guaranteed loan, direct loan, or land contract guarantee; what you can expect once you submit your application; and most importantly, your rights and responsibilities as an FSA customer.

Visit our Farm Loan Discovery Tool to find the loan that’s right for you. FSA launched a new online tool to help farmers and ranchers better navigate the farm loan application process. This uniform application process will help to ensure all farm loan applicants receive equal support and have a consistent customer experience with USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) regardless of their individual circumstances. Farmers can also access the Loan Assistance Tool by visiting farmers.gov/farm-loan-assistance-tool and clicking the ‘Get Started’ button. From here they can follow the prompts to complete the Eligibility Self-Assessment and start the farm loan journey.

Visit our Farm Loan page, to learn more about our types of loans.

Farm Loan Current Interest Rates

FSA Offers New Loans for Portable Farm Storage and Handling Equipment. Can Help Producers Get Products to Market Quickly

FSA provides a new financing option to help farmers purchase portable storage and handling equipment. The loans, which now include a smaller microloan option with lower down payments, are designed to help producers, including new, small and mid-sized producers, grow their businesses and markets. For more information, check out FSA's Farm Storage Facility Loan Program.

Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) Current Interest Rates

Are you interested in getting started into farming and need assistance that connects farm entrepreneurs with programs, services and resources available

USDA recently published a new multi-agency guide for those that are new to farming, or perhaps just new to working with USDA. This guide can help you get started with USDA, from farm loans to crop insurance, and conservation programs to disaster assistance. If you're a farmer and are minority, woman, veteran, beginning, or limited resource producer, you can use the Get Started! A Guide to USDA Resources for Historically Underserved Farmers and Ranchers to learn about resources and programs offered through the Farm Service Agency (FSA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and Risk Management Agency (RMA).

For those of you who are new to farming, or just new to working with FSA, your USDA FSA County office can help you establish your farm by registering for a farm number, which is required for USDA programs and assistance.

Check out USDA's New and Beginning Farmers Website. The site features advice and guidance on everything a new farm business owner needs to know, from writing a business plan, to obtaining a loan to grow their business, to filing taxes as a new small business owner, starting or expanding an operation, developing new markets, supporting more effective farming and conservation practices, and having access to relevant training and education opportunities. By answering a series of questions about their operation, farmers can use the site’s Discovery Tool to build a personalized set of recommendations of USDA programs and services that may meet their needs. To learn more about USDA's New and Beginning Farmers website, visit www.usda.gov/newfarmers.

Important Dates to Remember

October 14 ----- Columbus Day Holiday. USDA Service Center is Closed.
October 15 ---- Final Date to Submit Required Producer Eligibility Forms for 2022 Emergency Relief Program Track 1 and Track 2 Losses.
October 31 ----- Final Date to Apply for Reimbursement through the Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP) for expenses incurred from 10-01-2023 through 09-30-2024.
November 4 ------ County committee ballots mailed to voters.
November 11 ---- Veterans Day Holiday. USDA Service Center is Closed.
November 20 ---- Last day to apply for coverage for asparagus, blueberries, caneberries, cherries, chestnuts, forage for hay and pasture, grapes, nectarines, peaches, pears, plums, strawberries, honey, hops and maple syrup.
November 28 --- Thanksgiving Day Holiday. USDA Service Center is Closed.
December 2 ----- Last day to return voted Ballots in county committee election.

Ongoing Reminders:

Reports of Failed Acreage must be filed with the County Office before disposition of the crop.

Offers for Continuous CRP enrollment are still being accepted (including Scioto and Lake Erie CREP).
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 and producers of hand-harvested crops and certain perishable crops must notify FSA within 72 hours of when a loss becomes apparent.
Contact FSA right away for notice of loss deadlines and disaster program requirements.

For more information, contact your local USDA FSA County office.

Ohio Farm Service Agency State Committee

Members of the FSA state committee were appointed by Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack in 2022 and are responsible for the oversight of farm programs and county committee operations, resolving program delivery appeals from the agriculture community, maintaining cooperative relations with industry stakeholders, keeping producers informed about FSA programs and operating in a manner consistent with USDA equal opportunity and civil rights policies. The individuals appointed to serve on this committee for Ohio are:

- - Committee Chair Theodore Finnarn - Greenville
  - Fred Deel - Vinton
  - Tracy Hundley - Geneva
  - Thomas Jackson, Jr. - Toledo
  - Mark Mechling – Duncan Falls