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USDA Designates Five Texas Counties as Primary Natural Disaster Areas

This 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.

USDA Accepts 2 Million Acres in Offers Through Conservation Reserve Program General Signup

MINNESOTA, May 3, 2022 Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is accepting more than 2 million acres in offers from agricultural producers and landowners through the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) General signup, which included nearly 31,000 acres in Minnesota. This is the first of the program’s multiple signups occurring in 2022.

Availability of Low-Interest Physical Loss Loans for Producers Affected by Natural Disasters

Physical loss loans can help producers repair or replace damaged or destroyed physical property essential to the success of the agricultural operation, including livestock losses. Examples of property commonly affected include essential farm buildings, fixtures to real estate, equipment, livestock, perennial crops, fruit and nut bearing trees and harvested or stored crops and hay.

State: Texas

Triggering Disaster Event: Winter storm that occurred Feb. 2, 2022, through Feb. 28, 2022.

USDA Announces Loan Maturity for Marketing Assistance Loans Now Extended to 12 Months

Provides Producers with Marketing Flexibilities Amid COVID-19 Uncertainties

WASHINGTON, April 9, 2020 – Agricultural producers now have more time to repay Marketing Assistance Loans (MAL) as part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s implementation of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act of 2020. The loans now mature at 12 months rather than nine, and this flexibility is available for most commodities.