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You will notice a change to our USDA Service Center Bulletins beginning with this edition.
Going forward, we hope you'll enjoy receiving local announcements, news, and deadlines from all USDA agencies and our partners located in the Somerset USDA Service Center.
Previously, these bulletins featured news from Farm Service Agency, only.
You should expect to receive news in these local bulletins from all the agencies listed below, as well as occasional updates from other USDA Agencies such as National Ag Statistics Service (NASS) and Risk Management Agency (RMA).
Somerset USDA Service Center
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Farm Service Agency (FSA) - Farm Programs
(606) 678-4842 Ext. 2
- Serving Pulaski and McCreary Co.
- Acreage Reporting, Farm Records, Payment Eligibility, Price Support Programs, Disaster Programs, Conservation Programs (ECP, CRP)
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Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) & Conservation District
(606) 678-4842 Ext. 3
- Serving Pulaski and McCreary Co.
- Conservation Programs, Conservation Planning, and Technical Assistance
- Conservation Districts offer services that may include (varies by county): State Cost Share, CAIP, conservation equipment, and more.
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Farm Service Agency (FSA) - Farm Loan Programs
(606) 678-4842 Ext. 6
- Pulaski Co. office covers Pulaski, Bell, Clay, Harlan, Jackson, Knox, Laurel, and Rockcastle Counties.
- McCreary Co. Farm Loan Program services are delivered from the Wayne County FSA Office, Phone: (606) 348-9383.
- Direct and Guaranteed Loan Programs for farm operating and ownership.
Please direct any feedback or inquiries about these news bulletins or services offered by our agencies to one or more of the managers, as listed at the bottom of these Bulletins for your convenience.
Somerset USDA Service Center wishes you a safe and prosperous #Plant2021 season.
Flooding on February 28 and March 1, 2021, caused severe damage in areas of Pulaski and McCreary County. Farms in Pulaski and McCreary Co., Kentucky suffering severe damage from the flood event may be eligible for assistance under the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) administered by the Pulaski/McCreary Farm Service Agency (FSA) County Office if the damage:
- will be so costly to rehabilitate that Federal assistance is or will be needed to return the land to productive agricultural use
- is unusual and is not the type that would recur frequently in the same area
- affects the productive capacity of the farmland
- will impair or endanger the land.
A producer qualifying for ECP assistance may receive cost-share levels not to exceed 75 percent of the eligible cost of restoration measures. No producer is eligible for more than $500,000 cost sharing per natural disaster occurrence. The following types of measures may be eligible:
- removing debris from farmland
- grading, shaping, or releveling severely damaged farmland
- restoring permanent fences
- restoring conservation structures and other similar installations.
Producers who have suffered a loss from a natural disaster may contact the local FSA County Office and request assistance from May 10, 2021 through June 23, 2021.
To be eligible for assistance, practices must not be started until all of the following are met:
- an application for cost-share assistance has been filed
- the local FSA County Committee (COC) or its representative has conducted an onsite inspection of the damaged area
- the Agency responsible for technical assistance, such as the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), has made a needs determination, which may include cubic yards of earthmoving, etc., required for rehabilitation.
For more information about ECP, contact the FSA at Somerset USDA Service Center, 45 Eagle Creek Drive, Somerset, KY, phone: (606) 678-4842, Ext. 2, or visit fsa.usda.gov.
Somerset USDA Service Center is open to limited visitors by appointment only. To make an in-person or phone appointment, call (606) 678-4842, Ext. 2.
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FSA offers direct farm ownership and direct farm operating loans to producers who want to establish, maintain, or strengthen their farm or ranch. Direct loans are processed, approved and serviced by FSA loan officers.
Direct farm operating loans can be used to purchase livestock and feed, farm equipment, fuel, farm chemicals, insurance, and other costs including family living expenses. Operating loans can also be used to finance minor improvements or repairs to buildings and to refinance some farm-related debts, excluding real estate.
Direct farm ownership loans can be used to purchase farmland, enlarge an existing farm, construct and repair buildings, and to make farm improvements.
The maximum loan amount for direct farm ownership loans is $600,000 and the maximum loan amount for direct operating loans is $400,000 and a down payment is not required. Repayment terms vary depending on the type of loan, collateral and the producer's ability to repay the loan. Operating loans are normally repaid within seven years and farm ownership loans are not to exceed 40 years.
Please contact your local FSA office for more information or to apply for a direct farm ownership or operating loan.
The Farm Service Agency (FSA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Risk Management Agency (RMA) worked together to develop consistent, simple and a flexible policy for cover crop practices.
Cover crops, such as grasses, legumes and forbs, can be planted: with no subsequent crop planted, before a subsequent crop, after prevented planting acreage, after a planted crop, or into a standing crop.
Termination:
The cover crop termination guidelines provide the timeline for terminating cover crops, are based on zones and apply to non-irrigated cropland. To view the zones and additional guidelines visit nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/landuse/crops/ and click “Cover Crop Termination Guidelines.”
The cover crop may be terminated by natural causes, such as frost, or intentionally terminated through chemical application, crimping, rolling, tillage or cutting. A cover crop managed and terminated according to NRCS Cover Crop Termination Guidelines is not considered a crop for crop insurance purposes.
Reporting:
The intended use of cover only will be used to report cover crops. This includes crops
that were terminated by tillage and reported with an intended use code of green manure. An FSA policy change will allow cover crops to be hayed and grazed. Program eligibility for the cover crop that is being hayed or grazed will be determined by each specific program.
If the crop reported as cover only is harvested for any use other than forage or grazing and is not terminated properly, then that crop will no longer be considered a cover crop.
Crops reported with an intended use of cover only will not count toward the total cropland on the farm. In these situations, a subsequent crop will be reported to account for all cropland on the farm.
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The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires Federal agencies to consider all potential environmental impacts for federally funded projects before the project is approved.
For all Farm Service Agency (FSA) programs, an environmental review must be completed before actions are approved, such as site preparation or ground disturbance. These programs include, but are not limited to, the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP), Farm Storage Facility Loan (FSFL) program and farm loans. If project implementation begins before FSA has completed an environmental review, the request will be denied. Although there are exceptions regarding the Stafford Act and emergencies, it’s important to wait until you receive written approval of your project proposal before starting any actions.
Applications cannot be approved until FSA has copies of all permits and plans. Contact your local FSA office early in your planning process to determine what level of environmental review is required for your program application so that it can be completed timely.
You may have received a Cash Rents and Leases survey from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). This survey provides the basis for estimates of the current year’s cash rents paid for irrigated cropland, non-irrigated cropland, and permanent pasture. Please complete your Cash Rents and Leases survey by June 21. This survey can be completed and returned by mail, over the phone, or at agcounts.usda.gov.
Information from this survey is used in the Farm Service Agency (FSA) Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) as an alternative soil rental rate prior to finalizing new rates each year. Survey responses from as many localities as possible help calculate more accurate rental rates. Completion of the survey ensures cash rental rates accurately represent your locality. Survey results will also give you a useful tool in negotiating your rental agreements, and financial planning for your agricultural operation.
In accordance with federal law, survey responses are kept confidential. Survey results will be available in aggregate form only to ensure that no individual producer or operation can be identified. NASS will publish the survey results on August 27 at quickstats.nass.usda.gov/.
If you have any questions about this survey, please call 888-424-7828, or visit: https://www.nass.usda.gov/Surveys/Guide_to_NASS_Surveys/Cash_Rents_by_County/index.php.
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