Hello from the Cottle/King County FSA and NRSC staff!  At the current time, the Paducah Service Center is now open for business to the public and the doors are unlocked. Appointments are encouraged to ensure the best quality service possible, however if you're dropping off a form or picking one up we do welcome walk ins. We are very excited to move on to this phase and look forward to seeing everyone in person.

Staffing Changes

Shonda Elliott, former PT from Motley County, recently accepted the CED position for Cottle/King and Motley counties. As a shared management location, I will be splitting my time in the office between the Matador and Paducah Service Centers. I look forward to serving the Cottle/King farmers and ranchers in this new position.

Reporting Changes

If you have made or will be making any changes to your farming operation for the upcoming crop year, please let us know. Types of changes include:

* Address, contact number, email address
* Banking information (including routing number change due to change in bank ownership) * Leases - please provide the office with a current copy of your lease(s) each year
* Land ownership - purchase or sale (we require a copy of the deed to change ownership) * Change of operation - Example: Trust, Estate, Joint Operation, LLP, LLC, Corporation  
  We require all documents for the joint operation or legal entity for our records
* Death of owner or operator - we require a death certificate and a copy of the will

Please report any changes immediately to avoid any disruption or loss of benefits.

Livestock Program Documentation 

With the current and past drought situation in our county, it's very important to keep detailed documented livestock records for your operation at all times to qualify for benefits on programs that may be available. Always save sales and purchase receipts for any livestock on your current or past inventory. Having detailed records as evidence of your beginning livestock numbers at the beginning of the calendar year can help you qualify for certain programs, as well as detailed documentation for any livestock losses such as photographs with a date on the photo or in the details of the jpg file of the deceased animal(s). Disaster events take us by surprise so it's always better to be ahead of the game with good documentation if you plan on applying for benefits. We anticipate the announcement for the 2022 Livestock Forage Program in the near future, so have those inventory records handy for 2022 beginning with January 1. 

Are you a military veteran interested in farming? USDA offers resources to help you:

• Fund Your Operation: USDA’s Farm Service Agency offers a variety of funding opportunities to help agricultural producers finance their businesses. Certain funds are targeted for veterans and beginning farmers and ranchers.
• Conserve Natural Resources: USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service offers conservation programs and expert one-on-one technical assistance to strengthen agricultural operations now and into the future. Veterans may be eligible for a cost share of up to 90 percent and advance payments of up to 50 percent to cover certain conservation practices.
• Manage Risks: USDA is here to help you prepare for and recover from the unexpected. Veterans who are beginning farmers may be eligible for reduced premiums, application fee waivers, increased insurance coverage, and other incentives for multiple USDA programs that support risk management.

USDA wants to ensure that veterans transitioning to agriculture have the resources needed to succeed. While USDA offices are currently closed to visitors because of the pandemic, Service Center staff continue to work with agricultural producers via phone, email, and other digital tools. To conduct business, please contact your local USDA Service Center. Additionally, more information related to USDA’s response and relief for producers can be found at farmers.gov/coronavirus. If you’re a new farmer, you can also reach out to your state Beginning Farmer and Rancher Coordinator.