The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced it is accepting Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) renewal applications through March 31 for contracts set to end this year. Participants with existing CSP contracts that close on December 31, 2021, can benefit from recent program changes by renewing their contracts for an additional five years if they agree to adopt additional conservation …
New Florida Farmer Pleased with NRCS Program
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Florida wants to remind landowners applications for the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) for the fiscal year 2021 will be accepted through March 26. Samantha Longster with S&S Micro Farm LLC located in Bartow, Florida is a new and beginning farmer who with her husband, started farming blueberries last year. They just entered into CSP to plant cover crops …
Information on USDA’s Climate-Smart Agriculture and Forestry Strategy Requested
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) published a Federal Register Notice requesting public input on a climate-smart agriculture and forestry strategy. The Notice represents an important step toward implementing President Biden’s Executive Order on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad. The Order, signed January 27, states that, “America’s farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners have an important role to …
Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack on Passage of the American Rescue Plan Act
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack made the following statement today on the passage of the American Rescue Plan Act by the U.S. Congress. The bill now goes to President Biden for his signature. For a detailed review, see the USDA fact sheet (see below). “President Biden wasted no time fulfilling his pledge to the American people to bring substantial financial relief within …
Agriculture Included in New COVID-19 Relief Package
The $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package, known as “The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021” is now official as President Biden signed the bill late last week. We’ve all heard how the package will include $1,400 stimulus checks for qualifying individuals, extends unemployment benefits, and more. But it also increases assistance through USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). And according …
QLA Deadline Extended: GCC Encourages Participation in Program
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s decision to extend the deadline for the Quality Loss Adjustment (QLA) program provides Georgia cotton producers another month to apply. Taylor Sills, executive director of the Georgia Cotton Commission (GCC), encourages farmers to take advantage of this opportunity since the deadline is now April 9. “Last week the United States Department of Agriculture announced that …
USDA Seeks Public Comment on Revised Conservation Practice Standards
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is seeking public comment on proposed revisions to 23 national conservation practice standards through a posting in the Federal Register. The proposed revisions were published March 9 and comments are due April 8. Proposed revisions to the national conservation practice standards include: Stream Crossing– modification to allow vented fords as an …
USDA Delays Signup for CRP Grasslands
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced they are postponing the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Grasslands signup. While the original date to start this signup was mid-March, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) will announce new signup dates in the coming weeks. The Biden Administration is currently evaluating the program and looking at ways to increase enrollment. CRP Grasslands was …
Enrollment for ARC and PLC Programs Ends Monday
Agricultural producers who have not yet enrolled in the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) or Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs for 2021 must do so by March 15. Producers who have not yet signed a 2021 enrollment contract or who want to make an election change need to contact their local USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) office to make an appointment. …
Signup for Funding to Remove Cogongrass Infestations in Florida Announced
(NRCS/FL) — Florida forest landowners in parts of Okaloosa and Santa Rosa counties can apply for financial assistance to manage invasive Cogongrass until March 26 from USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The U.S. Department of Agriculture is investing $60,000 this fiscal year to remove the highly invasive Cogongrass in Florida. One of the world’s top-ten worst weeds, Cogongrass is threatening longleaf …