USDA Disaster Designation for Drought Announced for 23 Iowa Counties

A 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.

Secretarial Declaration Number: S5436
Emergency Loan Application Deadline: February 26, 2024

USDA Accepting Applications to Help Cover Costs for Organic Certification

Contact:
FPAC.BC.Press@usda.gov

WASHINGTON, August 10, 2020 – USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced that organic producers and handlers can apply for federal funds to assist with the cost of receiving and maintaining organic certification through the Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP). Applications for eligible certification expenses paid between Oct. 1, 2019, and Sept. 30, 2020, are due Oct. 31, 2020.

USDA Updates Farm Loan Programs to Increase Equity

WASHINGTON, March 8, 2022 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is updating its farm loan programs to better support current borrowers, including historically underserved producers. These improvements are part of USDA’s commitment to increase equity in all programs, including farm loans that provide important access to capital for covering operating expenses and purchasing land and equipment.   

Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage Programs Receive 2018 Farm Bill One Year Extension, Farmers Can Now Enroll for the 2024 Crop Year

WASHINGTON, 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 Updates Eligibility for Spot Market Hog Pandemic Program

WASHINGTON, March 17, 2022— The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has clarified the definition of a spot market sale and hog eligibility under the Spot Market Hog Pandemic Program (SMHPP), which assists producers who sold hogs through a spot market sale from April 16, 2020, through Sept. 1, 2020. Hog producers will also now be required to submit documentation to support information provided on their SMHPP application.

USDA Reopens Signup for Continuous Conservation Reserve Program

PHOENIX, ARIZONA, Jan. 12, 2024 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is now accepting applications for the Continuous Conservation Reserve Program (Continuous CRP) signup. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) encourages agricultural producers and landowners in Arizona who are interested in conservation opportunities for their land in exchange for yearly rental payments to consider the enrollment options available through Continuous CRP, which also includes the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) offered by FSA partners.

Discrimination Financial Assistance Program Applications To Be Accepted Through Jan. 17, 2024

WASHINGTON, Jan. 14, 2024 – Due to a number of circumstances on Saturday, January 13, 2024, including severe winter weather in the Midwest that may have prevented some applicants from reaching local program offices as well as a brief outage of the e-filing platform in the evening, the Discrimination Financial Assistance Program will accept applications through Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024.