signup

Signup Continues for 2022 Dairy Margin Coverage Program

Dan Dairy, USDA-FSA

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) wants to remind producers that signup for the Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program continues until Feb. 18, 2022. DMC enables producers to get coverage through this important safety-net program for another year as well as get additional assistance through the new Supplemental DMC. Supplemental DMC will provide $580 million to better help small- and …

conservation

USDA Expands Partnerships for Conservation Through CREP

Dan Conservation, USDA-FSA

(WASHINGTON, Dec. 20, 2021)?— The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is leveraging its authorities under the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) to bring in new types of partners and ultimately expand opportunities in voluntary conservation for the country’s agricultural producers and private landowners. USDA has updated CREP’s rule regarding matching fund requirements and invested in additional staff to work directly with partners for streamlined, partner-driven conservation …

legislation

Seven Alabama Counties as Primary Natural Disaster Areas by USDA

Dan Alabama, USDA-FSA

(WASHINGTON/USDA-FSA/Dec 14, 2021) — 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 …

cobank

USDA Opens 2022 Sign-up for Dairy Margin Coverage

Dan Dairy, Economy, USDA-FSA

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has opened sign-up for the Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program and notes they’ve expanded the program to allow dairy producers to better protect their operations by enrolling supplemental production. Supplemental DMC will help small and mid-sized dairy operations that have increased production over the years but were not able to enroll the additional production. …

georgia counties

FSA County Committee Elections Continue

Dan USDA-FSA

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) wants to remind agricultural producers and private landowners the Farm Service Agency (FSA) County Committee Elections continue. But the deadline to return ballots to your local FSA county office, or for them to be postmarked, is December 6, 2021. Elections are occurring in certain local areas for committee members who make important decisions about how federal …

Pandemic Assistance

Pandemic Assistance Heading to Poultry, Livestock Contract Producers

Dan Cattle, Coronavirus, Poultry, USDA-FSA

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced Thursday they are starting to issue some $270 million in payments to contract producers of eligible livestock and poultry who applied for Pandemic Assistance. Earlier this year, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) identified gaps in assistance including in the initial proposal to assist contract growers. “We listened to feedback from producers and stakeholders about impacts …

Farm Bill listening session

USDA Provides $1.8 Billion to Offset Market Fluctuations

Dan Economy, USDA-FSA

Farmers Can Now Make Elections, Enroll in Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage Programs (WASHINGTON, Nov. 1, 2021) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is in the process of issuing $1.8 billion in payments to agricultural producers who enrolled in the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs for the 2020 crop year.  These payments provide critical support …

Crop damage

Four Georgia Counties Designated as Primary Natural Disaster Areas

Dan Georgia, USDA-FSA, Weather

(USDA/FSA/October 27, 2021) — 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 …

georgia counties

Vaccine Requirement Won’t Close FSA Offices

Dan Coronavirus, General, USDA-FSA

The Biden Administration’s requirement that all federal employees, including the employees of the Farm Service Agency, be vaccinated against COVID-19 will not cause FSA offices to close or farmers to receive a less-than-usual level of service. The Hagstrom Report says Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack made that statement last week during a House Agriculture Committee hearing. Representative Vicki Hartzler of Missouri …