WASHINGTON, June 1, 2018 – As part of a 33-year effort to protect sensitive lands and improve water quality and wildlife habitat on private lands, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will resume accepting applications for the voluntary Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). Eligible farmers, ranchers, and private landowners can sign up at their local Farm Service Agency (FSA) office between June 4 and Aug. 17, 2018.

WASHINGTON, May 29, 2018 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated 21 counties in North Dakota as primary natural disaster areas due to losses and damages caused by drought that began June 20, 2017, and continues now. Agricultural producers in designated counties are eligible for emergency loans and other disaster assistance from USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA). Those counties are:

CANADIAN, Texas, April 24, 2018 – Starting today, agricultural producers who have lost livestock to disease, resulting from a weather disaster, have an additional way to become eligible for a key U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) disaster assistance program. USDA Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation Bill Northey announced an administrative clarification nationwide to the Livestock Indemnity Program. In the event of disease, this change by USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) authorizes local FSA county committees to accept veterinarian certifications that livestock deaths were directly related to adverse weather and unpreventable through good animal husbandry and management. The committees may then use this certification to allow eligibility for producers on a case-by-case basis for LIP.

WASHINGTON, April 9, 2018 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will issue $34 million to help agricultural producers recover from 2017 natural disasters through the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-raised Fish Program (ELAP), which covers losses not covered by certain other USDA disaster assistance programs. These payments are being made available today, and they are part of a broader USDA effort to help producers recover from hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria, wildfires and drought. A large portion of this assistance will be made available in federally designated disaster areas.

Washington, D.C., February 27, 2018) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today applauded the Senate’s long-awaited confirmation of Bill Northey to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Northey will serve as Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Service (FFAS)*.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 21, 2017 – Through the work of dedicated staff in over 2,100 county and state offices, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) provides vital farm safety-net assistance to agricultural producers across America.

HURON, SD October 24, 2017 – South Dakota Farm Service Agency (FSA) Acting State Executive Director Jamie White today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will begin mailing ballots to eligible farmers and ranchers for the 2017 FSA County Committee elections on Monday, Nov. 6, 2017. Producers must return ballots to their local FSA offices by Dec. 4, 2017, to ensure that their vote is counted.

(HURON, SD), October 19, 2017 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) South Dakota Farm Service Agency (FSA) Executive Director Jamie White reminds producers that FSA offers specially targeted farm ownership and farm operating loans to underserved applicants as well as beginning farmers and ranchers.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 18, 2017 — In response to a request from Jamie White, Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) acting State Executive Director in South Dakota, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated Douglas and Todd counties in South Dakota as primary natural disaster areas due to losses and damages caused by a recent drought.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 31, 2017 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) today announced that starting Sept. 1, 2017, dairy producers can enroll for 2018 coverage in the Margin Protection Program (MPP-Dairy).  Secretary Sonny Perdue has utilized additional flexibility this year by providing dairy producers the option of opting out of the program for 2018.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 17, 2017 — In response to a request from Jamie White, Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) acting State Executive Director in South Dakota, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated Aurora, Charles Mix and Gregory counties in South Dakota as primary natural disaster areas due to losses and damages caused by a recent drought.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 9, 2017 — In response to a request from Jamie White, Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) acting State Executive Director in South Dakota, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated 15 counties in South Dakota as primary natural disaster areas due to losses and damages caused by multiple disaster conditions.

WASHINGTON - July 20, 2017 – Today, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is authorizing the use of additional Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) lands for emergency grazing and haying in and around portions of Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota affected by severe drought. USDA is adding the ability for farmers and ranchers in these areas to hay and graze CRP wetland and buffer practices.

HURON, SOUTH DAKOTA, July 17, 2017 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) Acting Executive Director for South Dakota, Jamie White, today reminded farmers and ranchers that they have until Aug. 1, 2017, to nominate eligible candidates to serve on local FSA county committees.

WASHINGTON, July 12, 2017 — In response to a request from Jamie White, Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) acting State Executive Director in South Dakota, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated Corson and Perkins counties in South Dakota as primary natural disaster areas due to losses and damages caused by a recent drought.

WASHINGTON, June 30, 2017 — In response to a request from Jamie White, Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) acting State Executive Director in South Dakota, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated Campbell, Dewey, Edmunds, McPherson, Potter and Walworth counties in South Dakota as primary natural disaster areas due to losses and damages caused by a recent drought.

Huron, SD), June 26, 2017 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) Acting State Executive Director Jamie White today announced that ranchers and livestock producers may be eligible for assistance from the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) for grazing losses incurred in 2017.

DES MOINES, Iowa, Dec. 29, 2016 – Agriculture Deputy Under Secretary Lanon Baccam today announced that beginning Jan. 9, 2017, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will offer an early termination opportunity for certain Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) contracts, making it easier to transfer property to the next generation of farmers and ranchers, including family members. The land that is eligible for the early termination is among the least environmentally sensitive land enrolled in CRP.

(Huron, South Dakota), Dec. 21, 2016 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) State Executive Director Craig Schaunaman today announced that up to 40,000 acres can be enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) in South Dakota for [critical wildlife and water quality efforts] in addition to the 96,000 acres of CRP Grasslands announced earlier in the month.

HARRISBURG, Pa., Nov. 4, 2016 – Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services Deputy Under Secretary Alexis Taylor today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will offer a new Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Grasslands practice specifically tailored for small-scale livestock grazing operations. Small livestock operations with 100 or fewer head of grazing dairy cows (or the equivalent) can submit applications to enroll up to 200 acres of grasslands per farm. USDA’s goal is to enroll up to 200,000 acres.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 28, 2016 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Val Dolcini today announced that producers on farms with base acres under the safety net programs established by the 2014 Farm Bill, known as the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) or Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs, can begin visiting FSA county offices starting Nov. 1, 2016, to sign contracts and enroll for the 2017 crop year. The enrollment period will continue until Aug. 1, 2017.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 4, 2016 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that beginning today, many of the 1.7 million farms that enrolled in either the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) or Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs will receive safety-net payments due to market downturns during the 2015 crop year.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 4, 2016 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced approximately $11.2 million in financial assistance to American dairy producers enrolled in the 2016 Margin Protection Program for Dairy (MPP-Dairy). The payment rate for May/June 2016 will be the largest since the program began in 2014. The narrowing margin between milk prices and the cost of feed triggered the payments, as provided for by the 2014 Farm Bill.

(HURON, SOUTH DAKOTA,) July 25, 2016 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) South Dakota Farm Service Agency (FSA) Executive Director, SED Craig Schaunaman, today reminded farmers, ranchers and other agricultural producers that they have until Aug. 1, 2016, to nominate eligible candidates to serve on local FSA county committees.

WASHINGTON, July 11, 2016 Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today signed a proclamation declaring Aug. 7-13, 2016, as National Farmers Market Week. This year marks the 17th annual National Farmers Market Week to honor and celebrate the important role that farmers markets play in local economies.

WASHINGTON, June 30, 2016 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated Weston County in Wyoming as a primary natural disaster area due to damages and losses caused by drought that occurred from Jan. 1, 2016, and continues.

WASHINGTON, May 31, 2016 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced that farmers and ranchers filing crop acreage reports with the Farm Service Agency (FSA) and participating insurance providers approved by the Risk Management Agency (RMA) now can provide the common information from their acreage reports at one office and the information will be electronically shared with the other location.

WASHINGTON, April 12, 2016 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that dairy farms participating in the Margin Protection Program (MPP) can now update their production history when an eligible family member joins the operation. The voluntary program, established by the 2014 Farm Bill, protects participating dairy producers when the margin – the difference between the price of milk and feed costs – falls below levels of protection selected by the applicant.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 11, 2016 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is reminding farmers and ranchers that the competitive sign-up deadline for its most popular voluntary conservation program, the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), is Feb. 26, 2016. This will be one of the most competitive general sign-up periods in history, in part due a statutory limit on the number of acres that can be enrolled in the program. The most competitive applications will be those that combine multiple conservation benefits, such as water quality and wildlife habitat.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 15, 2015 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today finalized a rule to ensure that farm safety-net payments are issued only to active managers of farms that operate as joint ventures or general partnerships, consistent with the direction and authority provide by Congress in the 2014 Farm Bill. The action, which exempts family farm operations, closes a loophole where individuals who were not actively part of farm management still received payments.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 1, 2015 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced that it is expanding the availability of farm loans for Indian tribes and members to purchase tribal farmland that has multiple owners. The improved lending opportunities are possible due to new authority granted by the 2014 Farm Bill, which allows USDA to provide revolving loan funds to qualified intermediary lenders that can relend the funds to qualified tribes and individuals. The program becomes available today, Dec.1, 2015.

Huron, South Dakota, November 10, 2015 – USDA South Dakota Farm Service Agency (FSA) Executive Director, Craig Schaunaman announced that approximately 98 percent of South Dakota’s farms who enrolled in the new safety-net program established by the 2014 Farm Bill have begun receiving financial assistance for the 2014 crop year. The programs, known as Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC), are designed to protect against unexpected drops in prices or revenue due to market or production downturns.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 5, 2015 – Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Val Dolcini today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will begin mailing ballots to eligible farmers and ranchers across the country for the 2015 FSA County Committee elections on Monday, Nov. 9, 2015. Producers must return ballots to their local FSA offices by Dec. 7, 2015, to ensure that their vote is counted.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 26, 2015 — The U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced that beginning today, nearly one half of the 1.7 million farms that signed up for either the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) or Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs will receive safety-net payments for the 2014 crop year.

(Huron, SD), September 8, 2015 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) South Dakota Farm Service Agency (FSA) Executive Director, SED Craig Schaunaman reminds producers that USDA offers interim financing at harvest time to help producers meet cash flow needs without having to sell commodities when market prices are at harvest-time lows. The programs, known as Marketing Assistance Loans (MALs) and Loan Deficiency Payments (LDPs), were authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill for the 2014-2018 crop years.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 20, 2015 – Farm Service Agency Administrator Val Dolcini today encouraged producers to examine the available U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) crop risk protection options, including federal crop insurance and Non-insured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) coverage, before the sales deadline for fall crops.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 17, 2015 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Val Dolcini today announced that the Farm Storage Facility Loan (FSFL) program, which provides low-interest financing to producers to build or upgrade storage facilities, will now include dairy, flowers and meats as eligible commodities.

(Huron, South Dakota) July 20, 2015 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) South Dakota Farm Service Agency (FSA) Executive Director Craig Schaunaman today announced that an additional 8,000 acres of agricultural land in South Dakota is eligible for funding for wildlife habitat restoration.

WASHINGTON, July 15, 2015 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that beginning Sept. 1, farmers and ranchers can apply for financial assistance to help conserve working grasslands, rangeland and pastureland while maintaining the areas as livestock grazing lands.

(Huron, SD), July 6, 2015 - U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) State Executive Director SED Craig Schaunaman reminds agricultural producers that FSA provides a receipt to customers who request or receive assistance or information on FSA programs.

WASHINGTON, June 15, 2015 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that eligible producers may now formally enroll in the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs for 2014 and 2015. The enrollment period begins June 17, 2015, and will end Sept. 30, 2015.

WASHINGTON, June 1, 2015 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced that incentives will resume this summer for farmers, ranchers and forest landowners interested in growing and harvesting biomass for renewable energy. The support comes through the Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP), which was reauthorized by the 2014 Farm Bill. BCAP provides financial assistance to establish and maintain new crops of energy biomass, or who harvest and deliver forest or agricultural residues to a qualifying energy facility.

(Huron, SD) - May 28, 2015 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) State Executive Director, Craig Schaunaman, today announced that producers who apply for FSA farm loans also will be offered the opportunity to enroll in new disaster loss protections created by the 2014 Farm Bill. The new coverage, available from the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP), is available to FSA loan applicants who grow non-insurable crops, so this is especially important to fruit and vegetable producers and other specialty crop growers.

(Huron, SD) May 21, 2015 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) State Farm Service Agency (FSA) Executive Director, Craig Schaunaman, today announced that farmers and ranchers still have time to apply for low interest loans available through the FSA direct farm ownership program. Applications must be approved by Sept. 30, 2015, to take advantage of the funding available.

WASHINGTON, April 6, 2015 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency today announced that nearly 2,700 applicants will begin receiving disaster assistance through the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP) for losses experienced from Oct. 1, 2013, through Sept. 30, 2014.

WASHINGTON, March 24, 2015 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced a proposed rule to limit farm payments to non-farmers, consistent with requirements Congress mandated in the 2014 Farm Bill. The proposed rule limits farm payments to individuals who may be designated as farm managers but are not actively engaged in farm management. In the Farm Bill, Congress gave USDA the authority to address this loophole for joint ventures and general partnerships, while exempting family farm operations from being impacted by the new rule USDA ultimately implements.

WASHINGTON, Jan 26, 2015 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Val Dolcini today announced that the Conservation Reserve Program now will encourage more bird habitats to be established in irrigated farmland regions.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 12, 2015 — U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that more than 23,000 of the nation's dairy operations – over half of all dairy farms in America – have enrolled in the new safety-net program created by the 2014 Farm Bill, known as the Margin Protection Program. The voluntary program provides financial assistance to participating farmers when the margin – the difference between the price of milk and feed costs – falls below the coverage level selected by the farmer.