Farm Service Agency  |  Natural Resources Conservation Service  |  Risk Management Agency

• Dates to Remember and December Interest Rates
• Grazing Plan Helps Increase Soil Health and Time Outdoors
• Polk County Farm Service Agency Announces County Committee Election Results
• USDA Previews Crop and Revenue Loss Assistance for Agricultural Producers
• 2023 Dairy Margin Coverage Deadline Extended – Jan. 31, 2023, Last Day to Enroll
• Financial Hardship and Loan Servicing
• USDA Offers Greater Protection and Flexibility with RMA’s Transitional and Organic Grower Assistance

Dates to Remember and December Interest Rates

Grazing Plan Helps Increase Soil Health and Time Outdoors

Background

James “Jimmy” Bloome has been farming his whole life. His family bought their farm near Colby, Wisconsin in 1989, and over the years, their operation has changed quite a bit. They began by raising pigs, then transitioned to beef, and finally a dairy operation. Currently, Jimmy is utilizing his one-hundred and eighty acres of rotationally grazed pasture to help feed his dairy cows.

Before transitioning to an organic prescribed grazing system, he used to grow row crops to feed his cows. He faced challenges with wet conditions and crop productivity. Although the conventional system worked, Jimmy began looking for new ways for his farm to raise dairy cows.

Highlights

The challenges Jimmy faced on his farm began with the soil. Wet soil conditions caused by a high water table and poor soil drainage made growing row crops more difficult. During an initial site visit with the Natural Resource Conservation Ser- vice (NRCS), District Conservationist Amy Neigum identified the potential for a pasture and prescribed grazing system.

NRCS also provided Jimmy with a few practice alternatives to compare, and together they decided on which practices were best for his specific property and needs. Jimmy described

working with NRCS as easy and enjoyable. “They are a great collaboration of people, who are easy to work with and knowledgeable. They make time for people and if they don’t know the answer they figure things out,” Jimmy shared.

In 2019, he applied for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program to develop a pasture and implement a prescribed grazing plan in collaboration with Bill Kolodziej, the Marathon County Grazing Specialist. Jimmy’s plan included nearly three miles of fence, livestock pipeline, and a watering facility to make the grazing plan work. His contract included stream crossings, which help cattle cross safely and limit streambank erosion and sediment loading, as well as construction of trails and walkways that improve the distribution of the animals and their access to food and water.

Charles Schwartz, NRCS Soil Conservation Technician, worked with Jimmy and designed some of the practices he implemented. When asked about his progress, Charles said, “Change isn’t easy, and neither is farming in Wisconsin weather. But Jimmy’s perseverance and commitment to success got him through those early hurdles.”

When asked what the most enjoyable part of his operation is, Jimmy said, “getting to spend more time outdoors with the animals. Before implementing my grazing system, I would spend as much as 6 hours a day in farming equipment. Now I get to spend that time outside.”

Jimmy participated in a conservation cover planting of five acres in 2021, where he established permanent plant cover composed of beneficial grasses and forbs such as Beebalm, Purple Coneflower, and more.

Future Plans

Jimmy wants to keep working with NRCS and continue to improve his land. Over the next few years, he will be implementing a Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan to ensure proper application of manure and nutrients to his land, and to protect the surrounding resources from runoff and incidental pollution.

Jimmy is also interested in the Conservation Stewardship Program, which helps landowners build on their existing conservation efforts while continuing to strengthen their operation.

Polk County Farm Service Agency Announces County Committee Election Results

Polk County U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced that County Committee elections are over, and the ballots have been counted.

Sara Byl of Cushing was elected to represent local administrative area (LAA) #1.

Cynthia Eggers of Frederic will serve as the first alternate.

County committee members are a critical component of the day-to-day operations of FSA. They help deliver programs at the county level and work to serve the needs of local producers. All recently elected county committee members will take office in January 2023 and will be joining the existing committee. Every FSA office is required to have a county committee, and they are made up of local farmers, ranchers and foresters who are elected by local producers.

Nearly 7,800 FSA county committee members serve FSA offices nationwide. Each committee has three to 11 elected members who serve three-year terms of office. One-third of county committee seats are up for election each year. County committee members impact the administration of FSA within a community by applying their knowledge and judgment to help FSA make important decisions on its commodity support programs, conservation programs, indemnity and disaster programs, emergency programs and eligibility.

County committee members impact producers through their decision making and help shape the culture of a local FSA office. They also ensure the fair and equitable administration of FSA farm programs in their counties and are accountable to the Secretary of Agriculture. Members conduct hearings and reviews as requested by the state committee, ensure underserved farmers, ranchers and foresters are fairly represented, make recommendations to the state committee on existing programs, monitor changes in farm programs and inform farmers of the purpose and provisions of FSA programs. They also assist with outreach and inform underserved producers such as beginning farmers, ranchers and foresters, about FSA opportunities.

For more information, visit the FSA website at fsa.usda.gov/elections or contact the Polk County FSA office at 715-485-3138.

USDA Previews Crop and Revenue Loss Assistance for Agricultural Producers

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced plans for additional emergency relief and pandemic assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). USDA is preparing to roll out the Emergency Relief Program (ERP) Phase Two as well as the new Pandemic Assistance Revenue Program (PARP), which are two programs to help offset crop and revenue losses for producers.  USDA is sharing early information to help producers gather documents and train front-line staff on the new approach. 

ERP Phase Two will assist eligible agricultural producers who suffered eligible crop losses, measured through decreases in revenue, due to wildfires, hurricanes, floods, derechos, excessive heat, winter storms, freeze (including a polar vortex), smoke exposure, excessive moisture and qualifying droughts occurring in calendar years 2020 and 2021.    
  
PARP will assist eligible producers of agricultural commodities who experienced revenue decreases in calendar year 2020 compared to 2018 or 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. PARP will help address gaps in previous pandemic assistance, which was targeted at price loss or lack of market access, rather than overall revenue losses.    
   
Emergency Relief Program Phase Two  
ERP is authorized under the Extending Government Funding and Delivering Emergency Assistance Act, which includes $10 billion in assistance to agricultural producers impacted by wildfires, droughts, hurricanes, winter storms and other eligible disasters experienced during calendar years 2020 and 2021.   
  
Phase Two builds on ERP Phase One, which was rolled out in May 2022 and has since paid more than $7.1 billion to producers who incurred eligible crop losses that were covered by federal crop insurance or Non-insured Crop Disaster Assistance Program.  
  
ERP Phase Two includes producers who suffered eligible losses but may not have received program benefits in Phase One. To be eligible for Phase Two, producers must have suffered a loss in allowable gross revenue as defined in forthcoming program regulations in 2020 or 2021 due to necessary expenses related to losses of eligible crops from a qualifying natural disaster event.   

Eligible crops include both traditional insurable commodities and specialty crops that are produced in the United States as part of a farming operation and are intended to be commercially marketed. Like other emergency relief and pandemic assistance programs, USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA) continues to look for ways to simplify the process for both staff and producers while reducing the paperwork burden. The design of ERP Phase Two is part of that effort.

In general, ERP Phase Two payments are expected to be based on the difference in certain farm revenue between a typical year of revenue as will be specified in program regulations for the producer and the disaster year.  ERP Phase Two assistance is targeted to the remaining needs of producers impacted by qualifying natural disaster events, while avoiding windfalls or duplicative payments. Details will be available when the rule is published later this year.   

Deadline for Emergency Relief Program Phase One 
Producers who are eligible for assistance through ERP Phase One have until Friday, Dec. 16, 2022, to contact FSA at their local USDA Service Center to receive program benefits. Going forward, if any additional ERP Phase One prefilled applications are generated due to corrections or other circumstances, there will be a 30-day deadline from the date of notification for that particular application.     
   
Pandemic Assistance Revenue Program   
PARP is authorized and funded by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021.

To be eligible for PARP, an agricultural producer must have been in the business of farming during at least part of the 2020 calendar year and had a certain threshold decrease in allowable gross revenue for the 2020 calendar year, as compared to 2018 or 2019. Exact details on the calculations and eligibility will be available when the forthcoming rule is published.   

How Producers Can Prepare 
  
ERP Phase Two and PARP will use revenue information that is readily available from most tax records. FSA encourages producers to have their tax documents from the past few years and supporting materials ready, as explained further below. Producers will need similar documentation to what was needed for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) Phase Two, where a producer could use 2018 or 2019 as the benchmark year relative to the disaster year.   

In the coming weeks, USDA will provide additional information on how to apply for assistance through ERP Phase Two and PARP. In the meantime, producers are encouraged to begin gathering supporting documentation including:  

• Schedule F (Form 1040); and 
• Profit or Loss from Farming or similar tax documents for tax years 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 for ERP and for calendar years 2018, 2019 and 2020 for PARP.   
  
  
  Producers should also have, or be prepared to have, the following forms on file for both ERP and PARP program participation:  

• Form AD-2047, Customer Data Worksheet (as applicable to the program participant);  
• Form CCC-902, Farm Operating Plan for an individual or legal entity; 
• Form CCC-901, Member Information for Legal Entities (if applicable); and  
• Form AD-1026 Highly Erodible Land Conservation (HELC) and Wetland Conservation (WC) Certification.  
  
  
  Most producers, especially those who have previously participated in FSA programs, will likely have these required forms on file. However, those who are uncertain or want to confirm should contact FSA at their local USDA Service Center.  
  
  In addition to the forms listed above, underserved producers are encouraged to register their status with FSA, using Form CCC-860, Socially Disadvantaged, Limited Resource, Beginning and Veteran Farmer or Rancher Certification, as certain existing permanent and ad-hoc disaster programs provide increased benefits or reduced fees and premiums. 
  
  Through proactive communications and outreach, USDA will keep producers and stakeholders informed as program eligibility, application and implementation details unfold.   

2023 Dairy Margin Coverage Deadline Extended – Jan. 31, 2023, Last Day to Enroll

Financial Hardship and Loan Servicing

• Any proposed or significant changes in the farming operation
• Any significant changes to family income or expenses
• The development of problem situations
• Any losses or proposed significant changes in security

USDA Offers Greater Protection and Flexibility with RMA’s Transitional and Organic Grower Assistance

If you have Federal crop insurance for crops in transition to organic or a certified organic grain or feed crop, you are eligible to receive premium assistance from the USDA for the 2023 reinsurance year. The Transitional and Organic Grower Assistance (TOGA) Program, offered by USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA), reduces a producer’s overall crop insurance premium bills, and helps them continue to use organic agricultural systems. 

RMA’s TOGA — a nationwide program — is part of USDA’s Organic Transition Initiative, a group of programs that build more and better markets for American growers and consumers and improve the resilience of the food supply chain. Through the Organic Transition Initiative, USDA will provide support in three main areas: mentoring and advice, direct farmer assistance, and organic market security.  

Premium benefits for TOGA include: 

• 10 percentage points of premium subsidy for all crops in transition,
• $5 per acre premium benefit for certified organic grain and feed crops, and
• 10 percentage points of premium subsidy for all Whole-Farm Revenue Protection (WFRP) policies covering any number of crops in transition to organic or crops with the certified organic practice. Producers who have additional individual crop insurance policies will also receive the applicable premium assistance on those policies.

Eligible organic grain and feed crops are: alfalfa seed, barley, buckwheat, canola, corn, cultivated wild rice, dry beans, dry peas, flax, forage production, forage seeding, fresh market sweet corn, grain sorghum, hybrid corn seed, hybrid popcorn seed, hybrid sorghum seed, hybrid sweet corn seed, millet, oats, crops insured under the Pasture, Rangeland, and Forage policy, peanuts, popcorn, rice, rye, safflower, sesame, silage sorghum, soybeans, sunflowers, sweet corn, triticale, and wheat. 

Producers can receive both RMA’s TOGA and premium assistance from other premium subsidy programs. To be eligible for RMA’s TOGA, producers must purchase an additional coverage policy. If a producer purchases an underlying policy and an additional endorsement, RMA’s TOGA premium subsidy only applies to the underlying policy. There is no enrollment paperwork to apply for TOGA. Producers will automatically receive the premium assistance on the billing statements for the 2023 reinsurance year, which covers applicable policies with sales closing dates from July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2023. For most eligible crops, the 2023 reinsurance year is also the 2023 crop year. 

Eligible producers who already have an insurance policy for the 2023 reinsurance year will still receive the TOGA premium subsidy. For example, for some potato, strawberry, and cabbage producers, the sales closing date for the 2023 reinsurance year has already passed. Since there is no enrollment paperwork, the premium assistance will still be automatically applied to eligible insurance policies.  

You can visit the TOGA webpage for more information, including frequently asked questions, and the TOGA fact sheet. 

While TOGA automatically provides premium assistance to producers who insure their crop during the 2023 reinsurance year, RMA encourages producers to contact a crop insurance agent to discuss all crop insurance opportunities. A list of crop insurance agents is available at all USDA Service Centers and online at the RMA Agent Locator. 

Crop insurance is sold and delivered solely through private crop insurance agents. A list of crop insurance agents is available at all USDA Service Centers and online at the RMA Agent Locator. Producers can learn more about crop insurance and the modern farm safety net at rma.usda.gov. 

USDA Service Center

941 Mallard Lane
Room 101 (FSA)
Room 103 (NRCS)
Balsam Lake, WI 54810

Phone: 715-485-3138
Fax: 855-733-0178 (FSA)