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After nine months of Acting as State Executive Director for New Mexico, I’m happy to announce that earlier this month the Biden-Harris Administration appointed Jonas Moya as the State Executive Director for the New Mexico USDA Farm Service Agency. “Mr. Moya is a fourth-generation agriculturist with deep roots in New Mexico’s diverse agriculture industry. Mr. Moya brings a deep understanding of research, public policy, producer practices, and emerging agricultural trends to the New Mexico Farm Service Agency.” For his entire Biography please visit our internet page: Jonas Moya, State Executive Director (usda.gov). Mr. Moya welcomes individuals to reach out to him if you have questions or comments regarding the New Mexico Farm Service Agency. Thank you, Brenda Archuleta, Executive Officer
Jonas Moya, State Executive Director, would like to inform/remind producers of the following:
County Office Operations
Most NM Service Centers are currently operating at up to 75% office staffing and may accept visitors by appointment only. To make an appointment contact your local service center.
To learn about alternative methods of conducting business with FSA and Service Center status visit Farmers.gov.
Office Closures
Nov 11 Veteran’s Day
Nov 25 Thanksgiving
Dec 24 Christmas Day
Program Deadlines
Nov 1 Organic Crop Cost Share Program (OCCSP)
Nov 15 Acreage Reporting for Apiculture
Nov 20 NAP Application for Coverage - Apples, Apricots, Cherries,
Cranberries, Grapes, Nectarines, Peaches, Pears, Pistachios, and
Plums
Dec 1 NAP Application for Coverage - Grass, Honey and Lettuce
Dec 15 Acreage Reporting for Fall-Seeded Small Grains
Note: For Acreage Reporting, if a crop has NAP coverage, then the Acreage Reporting Date is the earlier of:
- The FSA established acreage reporting date; or
- 15 calendar days before harvest or the onset of harvest, whichever comes first.
Note that this list may not include every deadline. Check with your local USDA Service Center to learn about all available programs, and programs that have local or state deadlines.
Happy New Year (Crop Year)
We have entered the 2022 year, crop year that is. October 1 marks the beginning of the new crop year. To reflect on the 2021 Crop Year, New Mexico Farm Service Agency delivered nearly $507,610,774 in federal program payments and loans to New Mexico farmers and ranchers during fiscal/crop year 2021. New Mexico agriculture benefited greatly from the tireless efforts of our dedicated FSA employees and the locally elected County Committees. None of this would have been possible without their dedication.
New Mexico FSA delivered key farm programs and issued:
- $156,717,535 to New Mexico producers through programs including Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC)and the Dairy Margin Coverage programs. This amount also includes the ad-hoc Coronavirus Food Assistance (CFAP) Programs.
- $2,188,188 in commodity and price support program payments including Marketing Assistance Loans, Loan Deficiency Payments and Farm Storage Facility Loans.
- $13,9062,725 toward conserving and improving soil, water, and wildlife resources in New Mexico during Fiscal Year 2021. This includes Grassland Reserve Program (GRP) annual payments as well as Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) annual and cost share payments.
- $83,341,066 in disaster assistance to New Mexico farmers, livestock producers and foresters.
Further, the New Mexico FSA loaned $251,408,886 through farm loan programs (Direct Loan Portfolio - $140,760,845 & Guaranteed Loan Portfolio = $110,648,041). (FLP data through August 31).
Reminders
Every new year, is a good time to verify records; ensure information is properly updated. The same is true for FSA farm and customer records. Be sure to visit your local FSA office to review your records. Updated customer and farm records will help ensure accuracy of program applications, acreage reports, and ultimately program payments.
Farmers.gov
If you haven’t already, be sure to visit Farmers.gov to create an account. Farmers.gov is a secure online customer portal and employee portal designed to improve program delivery efficiency and effectiveness. The website contains program information including but not limited to active farm programs, program deadlines, recent news, and several tools to assist customers obtain information at the click of a mouse or tap of a screen.
USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced that organic producers and handlers can apply for USDA 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, 2020, and Sept. 30, 2021, are due Nov. 1, 2021.
OCCSP provides cost-share assistance to producers and handlers of agricultural products for the costs of obtaining or maintaining organic certification under the USDA’s National Organic Program. Eligible producers include any certified producers or handlers who have paid organic certification fees to a USDA-accredited certifying agent. Producers can be reimbursed for expenses including application fees, inspection costs, fees related to equivalency agreement and arrangement requirements, travel expenses for inspectors, user fees, sales assessments and postage.
For 2021, OCCSP will reimburse 50 percent of a certified operation’s allowable certification costs, up to a maximum of $500 for each of the following categories or “scopes:”
- crops
- wild crops
- livestock
- processing/handling
- State organic program fees.
Organic farmers and ranchers may apply through an FSA county office or a participating state agency.
More Information
To learn more about organic certification cost share, please visit the OCCSP webpage, visit usda.gov/organic, or contact your local USDA Service Center.
Intermediary lenders can now apply for loans through the new Heirs’ Property Relending Program (HPRP). The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is accepting applications today through October 29, 2021, and cooperatives, credit unions and nonprofit organizations are encouraged to apply for these competitive loans, which ultimately will help agricultural producers and landowners resolve heirs’ land ownership and succession issues.
Through HPRP, FSA loans up to $5 million at a 1% interest rate to eligible lenders. Then, those eligible lenders will reloan funds to heirs to help resolve title issues by financing the purchase or consolidation of property interests and financing costs associated with a succession plan.
How to Apply
Intermediary lenders should apply by the October 29, 2021 deadline using the HPRP application form (FSA-2637), which can be submitted to FSA by mail:
FSA Deputy Administrator for Farm Loan Programs
Loan Making Division
STOP 0522
1400 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, DC 20250
Additionally, FSA will host a webinar on September 15 at 2 p.m. ET for interested lenders, who can register or learn more on the FSA Outreach and Education webpage.
Eligible Lenders
Intermediary lenders must:
- be certified as a community development financial institution, and
- have experience and capability in making and servicing agricultural and commercial loans that are similar in nature.
If applications exceed the amount of available funds, FSA will prioritize applicants that both:
- have at least 10 years or more of experience with socially disadvantaged farmers; and
- are located in states that have adopted a statute consisting of enactment or adoption of the Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act (UPHPA). A list of these states is available at gov/heirs/relending.
More Information
Frequently asked questions (including those in Spanish, Thai and Chinese), the August 3, 2021 overview webinar, and other resources can be found on farmers.gov/heirs/relending.
After the loans are announced, USDA will distribute information for heirs on how to apply. Information for heirs is also on farmers.gov/heirs/relending.
USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) will broaden the use of the Disaster Set-Aside (DSA) loan provision, normally used in the wake of natural disasters, to allow farmers with USDA farm loans who are affected by COVID-19, and are determined eligible, to have their next payment set aside. In some cases, FSA may also set aside a second payment for farmers who have already had one payment set aside because of a prior designated disaster.
FSA direct loan borrowers will receive a letter with the details of the expanded Disaster Set-Aside authorities, which includes the possible set-aside of annual operating loans, as well as explanations of the additional loan servicing options that are available. To discuss or request a loan payment Set-Aside, borrowers should call or email the farm loan staff at their local FSA county office.
The set-aside payment’s due date is moved to the final maturity date of the loan or extended up to twelve months in the case of an annual operating loan. Any principal set-aside will continue to accrue interest until it is repaid. This aims to improve the borrower’s cashflow in the current production cycle.
FSA previously announced it was relaxing the loan-making process and adding flexibilities for servicing direct and guaranteed loans to provide credit to producers in need. Direct loan applicants and borrowers are encouraged to contact their local FSA county office to discuss loan making and servicing flexibilities and other needs or concerns. Customers participating in FSA’s guaranteed loan programs are encouraged to contact their lender. Information on these flexibilities, and office contact information, can be found on farmers.gov/coronavirus.
FSA will be accepting most forms and applications by facsimile or electronic signature. Some services are also available online to customers with an eAuth account, which provides access to the farmers.gov portal where producers can view USDA farm loan information and certain program applications and payments. Customers can track payments, report completed practices, request conservation assistance and electronically sign documents. Customers who do not already have an eAuth account can enroll at farmers.gov/sign-in.
In response to the severe drought conditions in the West and Great Plains, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced today its plans to help cover the cost of transporting feed for livestock that rely on grazing. USDA is updating the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP) to immediately cover feed transportation costs for drought impacted ranchers. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) will provide more details and tools to help ranchers get ready to apply at their local USDA Service Center later this month at fsa.usda.gov/elap.
ELAP provides financial assistance to eligible producers of livestock, honeybees, and farm-raised fish for losses due to disease, certain adverse weather events or loss conditions as determined by the Secretary of Agriculture.
ELAP already covers the cost of hauling water during drought, and this change will expand the program beginning in 2021 to cover feed transportation costs where grazing and hay resources have been depleted. This includes places where:
- Drought intensity is D2 for eight consecutive weeks as indicated by the S. Drought Monitor;
- Drought intensity is D3 or greater; or
- USDA has determined a shortage of local or regional feed availability.
Cost share assistance will also be made available to cover eligible cost of treating hay or feed to prevent the spread of invasive pests like fire ants.
Under the revised policy for feed transportation cost assistance, eligible ranchers will be reimbursed 60% of feed transportation costs above what would have been incurred in a normal year. Producers qualifying as underserved (socially disadvantaged, limited resource, beginning or military veteran) will be reimbursed for 90% of the feed transportation cost. above what would have been incurred in a normal year.
A national cost formula, as established by USDA, will be used to determine reimbursement costs which will not include the first 25 miles and distances exceeding 1,000 transportation miles. The calculation will also exclude the normal cost to transport hay or feed if the producer normally purchases some feed. For 2021, the initial cost formula of $6.60 per mile will be used (before the percentage is applied), but may be adjusted on a state or regional basis.
To be eligible for ELAP assistance, livestock must be intended for grazing and producers must have incurred feed transportation costs on or after Jan. 1, 2021. Although producers will self-certify losses and expenses to FSA, producers are encouraged to maintain good records and retain receipts and related documentation in the event these documents are requested for review by the local FSA County Committee. The deadline to file an application for payment for the 2021 program year is Jan. 31, 2022.
USDA offers a comprehensive portfolio of disaster assistance programs. On farmers.gov, the Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool, Disaster Assistance-at-a-Glance fact sheet, and Farm Loan Discovery Tool can help producers and landowners determine all program or loan options available for disaster recovery assistance.
More information on this expansion to ELAP is forthcoming. In the meantime, more information is available at fsa.usda.gov/elap or by contacting a local USDA Service Center.
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