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Dates of Importance
July 18, 2023, Nomination and Election workshop
July 20, 2023, West Tennessee Beginning Farmer Field Day, Trenton, TN Agri-Plex
July 28, 2023, Nomination and Election workshop
August 1, 2023, FInal date for COC nomination forms to be postmarked or received if submitted to the county FSA office.
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) county committees are a critical component of the day-to-day operations of FSA and allow grassroots input and local administration of federal farm programs.
Committees are comprised of locally elected agricultural producers responsible for the fair and equitable administration of FSA farm programs in their counties. Committee members are accountable to the Secretary of Agriculture. If elected, members become part of a local decision making and farm program delivery process.
A county committee is composed of three elected members from local administrative areas (LAA). Each member serves a three-year term. To be eligible for nomination and hold office as a committee member or alternate, a person must fulfill each of the following requirements: (1) be a producer with an interest in farming or ranching operations, (2) participate or cooperate in any FSA program provided for by law, (3) be a U.S. citizen, (4) be of legal voting age, (5) meet the basic eligibility requirements, and (6) reside in the county or multi-county jurisdiction in which they will be serving.
All nomination forms for the 2023 election must be postmarked or received in the local USDA service center by August 1, 2023. For more information on FSA county committee elections and appointments, refer to the FSA fact sheet: Eligibility to Vote and Hold Office as a COC
Member available online at: www.fsa.usda.gov/elections.
A Gibson County FSA election workshop will be held in the FSA conference room on July 18, 2023 and July 28, 2023 with both beginning at 9:00 AM. Topics to discuss will be nominating an eligible producer, and election dates.
The West Tennessee Beginning Farmer and Rancher team will be hosting a meeting to provide technical assistance/information on programs for new producers in West Tennessee. A beginning Farmer or Rancher is designated as one with 10 years or less of experience.
Representatives from the Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, UT Extension Service, TSU Cooperative Extension and AgriAbility will be in attendance providing information on topics, programs.
Event information:
- Location: Auditorium in the Ed Jones Agri-plex, Trenton, TN
- Address: 1252 Manufacturers Row, Trenton, TN
- Date and Time: July 20, 2023, 8:30 AM to 1:00 PM.
- Event Point of Contact: Joetta White, 731-855-7656 or jwhit102@utk.edu
If you would need to request an accommodation, please contact Shawn Wortman at 731-855-0023 or shawn.wortman@usda.gov by July 14, 2023, to request accommodations (e.g., an interpreter, translator, seating arrangements, etc.) or materials in an alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape – captioning, etc.).
Whether you rent or own your land, a conservation plan is critical to maintain and improve farm productivity. Plans of any kind are important as they set goals and outline how to reach them. Conservation plans are roadmaps for improving your operation while conserving natural resources. They provide proven strategies that landowners can use to solve identified natural resource concerns and take advantage of conservation opportunities.
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service can help you develop a conservation plan. This technical assistance from NRCS is free, and it can help you reduce soil loss from erosion, solve issues with soil, air and water quality, reduce potential damage from excess water and drought, enhance the quality of wildlife habitat, address waste management concerns, and improve the long-term sustainability of the country’s natural resources.
How does conservation planning work? You’ll meet with a planner from NRCS for a science-based evaluation of your problems and opportunities on your land. The NRCS staff member, often a district conservationist or conservation planning technician, then analyzes the findings and recommends the best strategies to address your problems and achieve valuable opportunities.
If you’re interested in conservation planning, contact your Gibson County USDA Service Center at 731-855-0023 ext.3 or visit nrcs.usda.gov.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has developed a simplified direct loan application to provide improved customer experience for producers applying for loans from the Farm Service Agency (FSA). The simplified direct loan application enables producers to complete a more streamlined application, reduced from 29 to 13 pages. Producers will also have the option to complete an electronic fillable form or prepare a traditional, paper application for submission to their local FSA farm loan office. The paper and electronic versions of the form will be available starting March 1, 2023.
Approximately 26,000 producers submit a direct loan application to the FSA annually, but there is a high rate of incomplete or withdrawn applications, due in part to a challenging and lengthy paper-based application process. Coupled with the Loan Assistance Tool released in October 2022, the simplified application will provide all loan applicants access to information regarding the application process and assist them with gathering the correct documents before they begin the process. This new application will help farmers and ranchers submit complete loan applications and reduce the number of incomplete, rejected, or withdrawn applications.
In October 2022, USDA launched the Loan Assistance Tool, an online step-by-step guide that provides materials to help an applicant prepare their farm loan application in one tool. Farmers can access the Loan Assistance Tool by visiting farmers.gov/farm-loan-assistance-tool and clicking the ‘Get Started’ button. The tool is built to run on any modern browser like Chrome, Edge, Firefox, or the Safari browser. A version compatible with mobile devices is expected to be available by the summer. It does not work in Internet Explorer.
The simplified direct loan application and Loan Assistance Tool are the first of multiple farm loan process improvements that will be available to USDA customers on farmers.gov in the future. Other improvements that are anticipated to launch in 2023 include:
- An interactive online direct loan application that gives customers a paperless and electronic signature option, along with the ability to attach supporting documents such as tax returns.
- An online direct loan repayment feature that relieves borrowers from the necessity of calling, mailing, or visiting a local Service Center to pay a loan installment.
USDA provides access to credit to approximately 115,000 producers who cannot obtain sufficient commercial credit through direct and guaranteed farm loans. With the funds and direction Congress provided in Section 22006 of the Inflation Reduction Act, USDA took action in October 2022 to provide relief to qualifying distressed borrowers while working on making transformational changes to loan servicing so that borrowers are provided the flexibility and opportunities needed to address the inherent risks and unpredictability associated with agricultural operations.
Soon, all direct loan borrowers will receive a letter from USDA describing the circumstances under which additional payments will be made to distressed borrowers and how they can work with their FSA local office to discuss these options. Producers can explore all available options on all FSA loan options at fsa.usda.gov or by contacting their local USDA Service Center.
Flocks of migratory birds, waterfowl, reptiles, amphibians and aquatic mammals depend on shallow water for habitat and food. Through controlled flooding in fields, you can create habitat and still use the land for recreational purposes.
Typically, shallow water bodies vary from six inches to six feet deep with most of the water less than 18 inches. Although there is no minimum size limit for shallow water development, areas greater than a quarter of an acre will provide more diverse habitats and be more beneficial for many wildlife species.
These areas draw a diverse flock of birds and waterfowl suited for viewing or hunting. In addition to creating habitat, holding water on these lands reduces the amount of water flowing into lakes and streams during the wet season providing flood protection. Shallow water retention also provides valuable groundwater recharge and opportunities for water quality improvement.
To learn more about managing your shallow water areas, contact your Gibson County USDA Service Center at 731-855-0023 ext.3 or visit nrcs.usda.gov.
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