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With summer weather here, McPherson County FSA is reminding producers of the importance of contacting our office for our disaster programs.
LFP- Livestock Forage Program
ELAP- Emergency Livestock Assistance Program
ECP- Emergency Conservation Program - Deadline 7/30/2023
August 1 is the deadline to submit your nomination to serve on the McPherson County FSA Committee. This year Local Administrative Area (LAA) 2, is up for election in our county. LAA 2 includes the Northeast part of the county (Smokey Hill, Bonaville, Gypsum Creek, New Gottland, Delmore, Battle Hill, Empire, & Canton areas).
Thank you to everyone for working with our office to complete your acreage certification for 2023 spring-planted crops, perennial grasses and Conservation Reserve Program acres. It’s always an extremely busy time of year for us, so we appreciate your patience.
That’s all for this month. Stay cool.
-Cheyenne Veatch, CED
Drought conditions have caused severe damage in McPherson County. ECP offers a cost-share assistance on water resources for grazed pastures who had a water system fail due to drought conditions.
If you’ve suffered severe damage, you may be eligible for assistance under the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) administered by theMcPherson County Farm Service Agency (FSA)
For land to be eligible, the natural disaster must create new conservation problems that, if untreated, would:
- be so costly to rehabilitate that Federal assistance is or will be needed to return the land to productive agricultural use
- is unusual and is not the type that would recur frequently in the same area
- affect the productive capacity of the farmland
- impair or endanger the land
If you qualify for ECP assistance, you may receive cost-share levels not to exceed 75 percent of the eligible cost of restoration measures. Eligible socially disadvantaged and beginning farmers and ranchers can receive up to 90 percent of the eligible cost of restoration. No one is eligible for more than $500,000 cost sharing per natural disaster occurrence.
To be eligible for assistance, practices must not be started until all of the following are met:
- an application for cost-share assistance has been filed
- the local FSA County Committee (COC) or its representative has conducted an onsite inspection of the damaged area
- the Agency responsible for technical assistance, such as the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), has made a needs determination, which may include cubic yards of earthmoving, etc., required for rehabilitation
In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), FSA must complete an environmental compliance review prior to producers taking any actions.
If you’ve suffered a loss from a natural disaster please contact the McPherson County USDA Service Center at 620-241-1836.
FSA is cleaning up our producer record database and needs your help. Please report any changes of address, zip code, phone number, email address or an incorrect name or business name on file to our office. You should also report changes in your farm operation, like the addition of a farm by lease or purchase. You should also report any changes to your operation in which you reorganize to form a Trust, LLC or other legal entity.
FSA and NRCS program participants are required to promptly report changes in their farming operation to the County Committee in writing and to update their Farm Operating Plan on form CCC-902.
To update your records, contact your McPherson County USDA Service Center at 620-241-1836.
Before haying or grazing eligible acres, producers must submit a request for CRP emergency haying or grazing to FSA and obtain a modified conservation plan from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Your request MUST be approved prior to utilizing the CRP acreage.
Grazing may not begin until after July 15 and is authorized for up to 90 days. Cattle must be removed from the CRP no later than September 30. Under the emergency grazing provisions, producers can use the CRP acreage for their own livestock or may grant another livestock producer use of the CRP acreage. The eligible CRP acreage is limited to acres located within the approved county.
Haying may not begin until after July 15th. Emergency haying is authorized for up to 60 days. Producers are limited to one cutting and are permitted to sell the hay. Participants must remove all hay from CRP acreage within 15 days after baling, and no later than September 15.
No fees or payment reductions will be assessed for emergency use.
USDA announced it is ramping up hiring for key positions that will help strengthen agricultural conservation efforts and turn President Biden’s Investing in America agenda into action. The available positions include engineers, civil engineering technicians and natural resource specialists, building on other large-scale hiring announcements earlier this year.
Today’s announcement is funded by $19.5 billion from President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act. The new NRCS engineers and engineering technicians will play a critical role in solving a host of natural resource problems for agricultural producers and local communities. Their projects may involve stream restoration, erosion control, developing water systems for livestock, improving and conserving irrigation water and restoring wetlands. They may also help communities recover from natural disasters.
Natural resource specialists perform a variety of duties to help landowners meet their conservation objectives. This may include assisting in the implementation of conservation plans, conducting scientific studies and performing on-site evaluations with customers. Their work enhances conservation program delivery and helps build resilient farms and communities across America.
How to Apply
NRCS posted an announcement for engineering technicians on June 26 and natural resource specialists on July 3. Interested candidates can find more information and apply by searching for these job titles on USAjobs.gov.
To qualify for these positions, candidates must meet the education requirements, or a combination of education and experience requirements, as outlined in the job announcement. General qualifications for the engineering and natural resource management job series are also available on OPM.gov. Additional information on career opportunities at NRCS is available on the agency’s careers webpage.
More Information
Over the next several years, NRCS expects to add over 4,400 new employees to its federal workforce, in addition to over 3,000 team members through partner organizations, to help with Inflation Reduction Act implementation.
NRCS is a federal agency that helps farmers, ranchers and forest landowners conserve soil, water and other natural resources. Employees provide technical expertise and conservation planning. Financial assistance is available for a wide variety of conservation programs. NRCS has offices in USDA Service Centers nationwide.
Accessing capital to begin, extend or support an agriculture operation can be especially challenging to new producers. Farm Service Agency’s “Beginning Farmer” direct and guaranteed loan programs provide an opportunity for qualified applicants to secure loans from funding set aside for producers who meet the following conditions:
- Has operated a farm for not more than 10 years
- Will materially and substantially participate in the operation of the farm
- Agrees to participate in a loan assessment, borrower training and financial management program sponsored by FSA
- Does not own a farm in excess of 30 percent of the county’s average size farm.
For more information contact, contact your Saline County USDA Service Center at 785-825-8269 or visit fsa.usda.gov.
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