Severe weather events create significant challenges and often result in catastrophic loss for agricultural producers. Despite every attempt to mitigate risk, your operation may suffer losses. USDA offers several programs to help with recovery.

Risk Management

For producers who have risk protection through Federal Crop Insurance or the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP), we want to remind you to report crop damage to your crop insurance agent or the local Farm Service Agency (FSA) office.

If you have crop insurance, contact your agency within 72 hours of discovering damage and be sure to follow up in writing within 15 days. If you have NAP coverage, file a Notice of Loss (also called Form CCC-576) within 15 days of loss becoming apparent, except for hand-harvested crops, which should be reported within 72 hours.

Disaster Assistance

USDA also offers disaster assistance programs, which is especially important to livestock, fruit and vegetable, specialty and perennial crop producers who have fewer risk management options.

First, the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) and Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybee and Farm-raised Fish Program (ELAP) reimburses producers for a portion of the value of livestock, poultry and other animals that died as a result of a qualifying natural disaster event or for loss of grazing acres, feed and forage. And, the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) provides assistance to producers of grazed forage crop acres that have suffered crop loss due to a qualifying drought.  Livestock producers suffering the impacts of drought can also request Emergency Haying and Grazing on Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres.

Next, the Tree Assistance Program (TAP) provides cost share assistance to rehabilitate and replant tree, vines or shrubs loss experienced by orchards and nurseries. This complements NAP or crop insurance coverage, which cover the crop but not the plants or trees in all cases.

For LIP and ELAP, you will need to file a Notice of Loss for livestock and grazing or feed losses within 30 days and honeybee losses within 15 days. For TAP, you will need to file a program application within 90 days.

Documentation

It’s critical to keep accurate records to document all losses following this devastating cold weather event. Livestock producers are advised to document beginning livestock numbers by taking time and date-stamped video or pictures prior to after the loss.

Other common documentation options include:

• Purchase records
• Production records
• Vaccination records
• Bank or other loan documents
• Third-party certification

Other Programs

The Emergency Conservation Program and Emergency Forest Restoration Program can assist landowners and forest stewards with financial and technical assistance to restore damaged farmland or forests.

Additionally, FSA offers a variety of loans available including emergency loans that are triggered by disaster declarations and operating loans that can assist producers with credit needs.  You can use these loans to replace essential property, purchase inputs like livestock, equipment, feed and seed, or refinance farm-related debts, and other needs.

Meanwhile, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) provides financial resources through its Environmental Quality Incentives Program to help with immediate needs and long-term support to help recover from natural disasters and conserve water resources. Assistance may also be available for emergency animal mortality disposal from natural disasters and other causes.

Additional Resources

Additional details – including payment calculations – can be found on our NAP, ELAP, LIP, and TAP fact sheets. On farmers.gov, the Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool, Disaster-at-a-Glance fact sheet, and Farm Loan Discovery Tool can help you determine program or loan options.

While we never want to have to implement disaster programs, we are here to help. To file a Notice of Loss or to ask questions about available programs, contact your local USDA Service Center.

Each year, state committees review and approve or disapprove county committee recommended changes or additions to specific combinations of crops.

Double-cropping is approved when two specific crops have the capability to be planted and carried to maturity for the intended use, as reported by the producer, on the same acreage within a crop year under normal growing conditions. The specific combination of crops recommended by the county committee must be approved by the state committee.

Double-cropping is approved in New Jersey on a county-by-county basis. Click here for a list of approved double-cropping combinations for your county. 

A crop following a cover crop terminated according to termination guidelines is approved double cropping and these combinations do not have to be approved by the state committee.

More Information

For questions, please contact your local FSA office. To locate your local FSA office visit farmers.gov/service-center-locator.

The Farm Service Agency is seeking Loss Adjusters (LAs) for the Non-Insured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) and the Tree Assistance Program (TAP). Loss Adjusters are required to have knowledge of field crops and specialty crops, as well as a thorough understanding and execution of crop adjusting guidelines and program provisions, as applicable to FSA programs

Loss Adjusters are self-employed; therefore, health and retirement benefits are not provided. LA’s are responsible for paying all taxes on earned income. LA’s are also responsible for obtaining equipment necessary to perform required inspection/appraisal duties. Some equipment such as cameras and GPS measuring devices may be available through the FSA county office.

Loss adjusters should expect that hours available are highly variable depending on season and frequency of weather related events during the growing season.

Required qualifications include, but are not limited to:

• A minimum of two years of college education or adequate agriculture-related experience
• Strong analytical skills and attention to details
• Excellent interpersonal communication, negotiation, and conflict resolution skills
• Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing to producers and FSA employees
• Ability to maintain confidentiality in daily operations
• Reliable means of transportation and ability to travel within assigned area. LA’s may be assigned work in several counties and may travel statewide.

Essential functions and responsibilities:

• Participate in yearly LA update training
• Complete field inspections
• Read maps and aerial photographs
• Measure fields
• Discuss findings of crop loss with farmers
• Perform fact-finding and investigate crop damage, thoroughly documenting findings
• Maintain knowledge of FSA’s Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) and Tree Assistance Program (TAP) and RMA’s appraisals and inspections
• Schedule assignments to ensure timely service, returning producer forms to the FSA county office within 10 calendar days
• Accurately complete and timely submit all claim documents and LA pay vouchers
• Promote a good working relationship between the producer and FSA.

Required training Two phases of LA training must be completed before becoming a certified loss adjuster.

• Phase 1 is a minimum of 24 hours and can be as much as 120 hours of classroom training that covers general policy provisions in effect for appraisals, loss adjustment forms, crop handbooks, verification, and use of acreage and production to count.
• Phase II is a combination of classroom and field training for loss situations, including ineligible causes of loss and controversial cases. Phase II is a minimum of 24 hours.
• The LA trainee will work with a fully certified LA to become certified. A LA is not fully certified until two different crops are appraised without error.
• A minimum of 6 to 8 hours of annual update training is required to remain certified.

LA ethics and conflicts of interest LA’s must follow all applicable federal laws and ensure that there is no appearance or occurrence of conflict of interest. LA’s cannot:

• Solicit or accept money, gifts, or favors from any party that are designed to influence or give the appearance of influencing any loss adjustment findings or decisions
• Use position to gain favor, influence, or financial advantage
• Work in the county where he or she is the spouse of an FSA county executive director or county committee member
• Engage in sales or administration of any MPCI policy
• Adjust losses for:
• any family member (including but not limited to parents, brothers, sisters, children, spouse, in-laws, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents; relationship by adoption or similar extent is included)
• the family of an employee of the LA
• any party with whom the LA has a material or financial interest.
• Discriminate against any producer because of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Eligibility A Loss Adjuster cannot be:

• A permanent, part-time, or intermittent FSA employee (A field reporter who performs only technical field services may be an LA; however, work cannot be performed for both positions on the same day.)
• An FSA State or county committee member
• An elected or appointed public officer
• A candidate for any elected or appointed public office.

Contact Contact Aly Dyson, NJ FSA Farm Program Disaster Specialist, Alyson.Dyson@usda.gov, with any questions

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Under Secretary Xochitl Torres Small announced that USDA is making $31 million in grants available to help farmers and ranchers access new and better markets by adding more value to their products.

USDA is making the grants available under the Value-Added Producer Grants program. The grants help agricultural producers generate new products, create marketing opportunities and increase their incomes through value-added activities.

USDA is offering priority points to projects that advance key priorities under the Biden-Harris Administration to help rural communities and people address climate change and environmental justice, advance racial justice, place-based equity, and opportunity, and create more and better market opportunities.

Eligible applicants include independent producers, agricultural producer groups, farmer or rancher cooperatives, and majority-controlled producer-based business ventures.

Funding priority will be given to beginning farmers or ranchers who are military veterans or socially disadvantaged individuals; small and mid-sized family farms or ranches; and farmer or rancher cooperatives. Priority also will be given to projects that propose a mid-tier value chain by developing a supply network that moves agricultural products from production through consumption in a local or regional market.

The funding may be used for planning activities or working capital expenses related to producing and marketing a value-added agricultural product. Planning activities may include conducting feasibility studies and developing business plans. Working capital expenses may include costs associated with processing, marketing, advertising, inventory and salaries.

The maximum award for a planning grant is $75,000. The maximum award for a working capital grant is $250,000.

Electronic applications will be accepted via Grants.gov until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on May 11, 2023. Paper applications must be sent to the State Office where the project is proposed (click here for New Jersey).

Paper applications must be postmarked and mailed or sent overnight by May 16, 2023. Applications also may be delivered in person or emailed to an RD field office by close of business May 16, 2023.

Additional information is available on page 16396 of the March 17 Federal Register or by contacting your local USDA Rural Development office. In New Jersey contact Christine Schmelzle at (856) 787-7751 or christine.schmelzle@usda.gov 

Download the program fact sheet here: https://www.rd.usda.gov/sites/default/files/Value-Added-Fact-Sheet-3-17-23.pdf

If you’d like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit their GovDelivery subscriber page.

NRCS NJ will fund $275,000 through Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) for the development of new tools, approaches, practices and technologies to further conservation on New Jersey private lands. USDA is accepting proposals through May 7, 2022. 

Learn more ...

Beginning January 23, 2023, agricultural producers can begin to apply for two new important programs for revenue losses, from 2020 and 2021 natural disasters or the COVID-19 pandemic. Both programs equitably fill gaps in earlier assistance. 

First, you may be eligible for assistance through the Emergency Relief Program (ERP) Phase Two if you experienced revenue losses from eligible natural disasters in 2020 and 2021. ERP Phase Two is for producers who didn’t receive assistance from ERP Phase One.   

You may also be eligible for the Pandemic Assistance Revenue Program (PARP) if you experienced revenue losses in calendar year 2020. PARP is addressing gaps in previous pandemic assistance, which was targeted at price loss or lack of market access, rather than overall revenue losses.     

Applications for both new programs are due June 2, 2023, and you can apply for both programs during your same appointment with USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA). 

Historically, FSA programs have been designed to make direct payments to producers based on a single disaster event or for a single commodity loss. For many of you, this may be the first revenue-based program that you’ve applied for with FSA. 

Why revenue-based programs?   

ERP Phase Two and PARP take a much more holistic approach to disaster assistance, ensuring that producers not just make it through a single growing season but have the financial stability to invest in the long-term well-being of their operations and employees. 

In general, ERP Phase Two payments are based on the difference in allowable gross revenue between a benchmark year, representing a typical year of revenue for the producer and the disaster year – designed to target the remaining needs of producers impacted by qualifying natural disasters and avoid duplicative payments. ERP Phase Two revenue loss is based on tax years.    

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 decrease in revenue for the 2020 calendar year, as compared to a typical year. PARP revenue loss is based on calendar years. 

How to Apply 

 In preparation for enrollment, producers should gather 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.  
• 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. 

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.