In This Issue:
On Monday, October 26th Illinois was very honored to have U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, along with Congresswoman Robin Kelly and Congressman Jonathan Jackson, visit the Bret and Matt Perreault farm in Kankakee County. Other agricultural leaders that were in attendance from Illinois included, Steve Turner, FSA State Committee Chairman, Brian Frieden, Regional Director at USDA/ Risk Management Agency (RMA), Tammy Willis, State Conservationist at USDA/ Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Jerry Costello, Illinois Director of Agriculture, employees of the Illinois FSA, RMA, and RD agencies. Senate agriculture and conservation committee chairman, Senator, Patrick Joyce, House agriculture and conservation committee chair, Representative, Sonya Harper, and State Representative, Jason Bunting were in attendance. Also in attendance were four executive members and the advisor of the Hercher, Illinois FFA Chapter.
Amongst the topics discussed during the Illinois farm visit was the expansion of crop insurance coverage for farmers who practice double cropping (growing soybeans and wheat as two separate crops in the same field, in the same year.)
The Perreault farm who implemented double cropping wheat and soybeans for many years were able to take advantage of crop insurance for the first time in 2023.
Secretary Vilsack discussed building better Agriculture markets through resilience and implementing USDA programs. He highlighted progress made in partnering with farmers with farmers and American business to increase innovative domestic fertilizer production. Vilsack also announced $52.6 million in awards under the Fertilizer Production Expansion Program, which will fund 17 new projects to boost domestic fertilizer manufacturing, support innovative fertilizer technologies, and help lower cost of farmers.
On October 10-12th I traveled to Atlanta, Georgia with the FSA Urban Agriculture County Executive Director, Kim Ward to attend the National Urban Agriculture Initiative Kickoff Meeting. The Urban Agriculture Initiative Kickoff Meeting served as the national launch for the U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency’s urban agriculture pilot program, which was launched in 17 cities nationwide. The Kickoff meeting provided opportunity to work collaboratively to gain a better understanding of the needs of urban agriculture producers. We discussed the tools and skills that are necessary for urban agriculture producers to successfully access and use FSA and other USDA programs. The group networked with stakeholders from around the country and attended urban agriculture tours in Atlanta, GA. We both gained a vast amount of valuable urban agriculture knowledge by attending the Kickoff meeting.
I would like to remind producers in Adams, Boone, Hancock, McHenry, Pike, Randolph, Schuyler, and Stephenson, and Winnebago Counties that they are eligible to apply for 2023 Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) benefits on native pasture, improved pasture, forage sorghum.
Producers in Fulton, Mason, McDonough, Mercer and Tazewell Counties are eligible to apply for 2023 LFP benefits on native pasture and improved pasture.
LFP provides compensation if you suffer grazing losses for covered livestock due to drought on privately owned or cash leased land or fire on federally managed land.
County committees can only accept LFP applications after notification is received by the National Office of qualifying drought or if a federal agency prohibits producers from grazing normal permitted livestock on federally managed lands due to qualifying fire. You must complete a CCC-853 and the required supporting documentation no later than January 30, 2024, for 2023 losses.
For additional Information about LFP, including eligible livestock and fire criteria, contact your local County USDA Service Center or visit fsa.usda.gov.
I would like to also mention that the application period is now open for a new financial assistance program under Section 22007 of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), for farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners who experienced discrimination in USDA farm lending programs prior to January 2021. The application process will close on January 13, 2024. Borrowers will have the option to apply for assistance online via 22007apply.gov or through a paper-based form.
Details about the program, including an application and e-filing portal, are available at 22007apply.gov. The website includes an English and Spanish language application that applicants can download or submit via an e-filing portal, information on how to obtain technical assistance in-person or virtually, and additional resources and details about the program. Applicants can also call the free call center at 1-800-721-0970 or visit one of several dozen brick-and-mortar offices the program has set up around the country. Locations are provided on the program website and vendors will update the local events schedule with more information as it becomes available. It is important to note that filing an application is FREE and does not require a lawyer.
If you want to get weekly updates on the program’s events and progress, you can go to https://22007apply.gov, and subscribe to a weekly newsletter.
Last but certainly not least, I would like to mention that the FSA County Committee Election ballots will be mailed to producer on November 6, 2023. Please read the article below that explains the FSA County Committee Nomination/Election process.
Important reminders:
November 1, 2023–Organic Cost Share Program Deadline
November 6, 2023-County Committee election ballots will be mailed to producers
November 10, 2023–Veterans Day Holiday – FSA Office are closed
December 4, 2023-County Committee election ballots must be returned to FSA Offices
January 30, 2024–Final date to apply for 2023 Livestock Forage Disaster
March 1, 2024–Final date to apply for Livestock Indemnity Program
As you finish combining those last rows of corn this harvest season, please slow down, take a short break, stay hydrated, and always be mindful of your surroundings.
As always, please stay safe on and around the farm.
Sincerely,
Scott Halpin
State Executive Director
Illinois Farm Service Agency
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Farm Service Agency County Committee Elections will begin on November 6, 2023, when ballots are mailed to eligible voters. The deadline to return ballots to local FSA offices, or to be postmarked, is December 4, 2023.
County committee members are an important component of the operations of FSA and provide a link between the agricultural community and USDA. Farmers and ranchers elected to county committees help deliver FSA programs at the local level, applying their knowledge and judgment to make decisions on commodity price support programs; conservation programs; incentive, indemnity, and disaster programs for some commodities; emergency programs and eligibility. FSA committees operate within official regulations designed to carry out federal laws.
To be an eligible voter, farmers and ranchers must:
- Be of legal voting age or, if not of legal voting age, supervise and conduct the farming operation of an entire farm.
- Have an interest in a farm or ranch as either:
- An individual who meets one or more of the following:
- Is eligible and capable to vote in one’s own right.
- Is a partner of a general partnership.
- Is a member of a joint venture.
- Participates or cooperates in any FSA program that is provided by law. A cooperating producer is someone who has provided information to FSA about their farming or ranching operation(s) but may not have applied or received program benefits.
Eligible voters in the Local Administrative Area holding the election who do not receive a ballot can obtain one from their local FSA county office. Customers can identify which LAA they or their farming operation is in by using our new GIS locator tool available at fsa.usda.gov/elections.
Newly elected committee members will take office January 1, 2024.
More information on county committees can be found at fsa.usda.gov/elections or by contacting your local County FSA office.
Marketing Assistance Loans (MALs) and Loan Deficiency Payments (LDPs) provide financing and marketing assistance for wheat, feed grains, soybeans, and other oilseeds, pulse crops, rice, peanuts, cotton, wool and honey. MALs provide you with interim financing after harvest to help you meet cash flow needs without having to sell your commodities when market prices are typically at harvest-time lows. A producer who is eligible to obtain a loan, but agrees to forgo the loan, may obtain an LDP if such a payment is available. Marketing loan provisions and LDPs are not available for sugar and extra-long staple cotton.
FSA is now accepting requests for 2023 MALs and LDPs for all eligible commodities after harvest. Requests for loans and LDPs shall be made on or before the final availability date for the respective commodities.
Commodity certificates are available to loan holders who have outstanding nonrecourse loans for wheat, upland cotton, rice, feed grains, pulse crops (dry peas, lentils, large and small chickpeas), peanuts, wool, soybeans and designated minor oilseeds. These certificates can be purchased at the posted county price (or adjusted world price or national posted price) for the quantity of commodity under loan, and must be immediately exchanged for the collateral, satisfying the loan. MALs redeemed with commodity certificates are not subject to Adjusted Gross Income provisions.
To be considered eligible for an LDP, you must have form CCC-633EZ, Page 1 on file at your local FSA Office before losing beneficial interest in the crop. Pages 2, 3 or 4 of the form must be submitted when payment is requested.
Marketing loan gains (MLGs) and loan deficiency payments (LDPs) are no longer subject to payment limitations, actively engaged in farming and cash-rent tenant rules.
Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) provisions state that if your total applicable three-year average AGI exceeds $900,000, then you’re not eligible to receive an MLG or LDP. You must have a valid CCC-941 on file to earn a market gain of LDP. The AGI does not apply to MALs redeemed with commodity certificate exchange.
For more information and additional eligibility requirements, contact your local County USDA Service Center or visit fsa.usda.gov.
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The Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) provides assistance to you for livestock deaths in excess of normal mortality caused by adverse weather, disease and attacks by animals reintroduced into the wild by the federal government or protected by federal law.
For disease losses, FSA county committees can accept veterinarian certifications that livestock deaths were directly related to adverse weather and unpreventable through good animal husbandry and management.
For 2023 livestock losses, you must file a notice within 30 calendar days of when the loss is first apparent. You then must provide the following supporting documentation to your local FSA office no later than 60 calendar days after the end of the calendar year in which the eligible loss condition occurred.
- Proof of death documentation
- Copy of grower’s contracts
- Proof of normal mortality documentation
USDA has established normal mortality rates for each type and weight range of eligible livestock, i.e. Adult Beef Cow = 1.5% and Non-Adult Beef Cattle (less than 250 pounds) = 5%. These established percentages reflect losses that are considered expected or typical under “normal” conditions.
In addition to filing a notice of loss, you must also submit an application for payment by March 1, 2024.
For more information, contact the your local County USDA Service Center or visit fsa.usda.gov.
Farm loan borrowers who have pledged real estate as security for their Farm Service Agency (FSA) direct or guaranteed loans are responsible for maintaining loan collateral. Borrowers must obtain prior consent or approval from FSA or the guaranteed lender for any transaction that affects real estate security. These transactions include, but are not limited to:
- Leases of any kind
- Easements of any kind
- Subordinations
- Partial releases
- Sales
Failure to meet or follow the requirements in the loan agreement, promissory note, and other security instruments could lead to nonmonetary default which could jeopardize your current and future loans.
It is critical that borrowers keep an open line of communication with their FSA loan staff or guaranteed lender when it comes to changes in their operation. For more information on borrower responsibilities, read Your FSA Farm Loan Compass.
Tammy Willis, State Conservationist, announced the first application cutoff period for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Agricultural Conservation Easement Program - Wetland Reserve Easements (ACEP-WRE) of December 1, 2023. The purpose of the Wetland Reserve Easements (WRE) program is to help landowners to restore, enhance and protect habitat for wetland wildlife on cropland and adjacent acres. The program helps to reduce impacts from flooding, recharge groundwater, provide outdoor recreation, and increase habitat for migratory waterfowl resulting in climate beneficial practices.
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) wants landowners and farmers to know that the first application cut-off date for fiscal year 2024 has been established, Willis explains. We accept applications for Wetland Reserve Easements (WRE) year-round. Applications received that meet program eligibility by December 1, 2023 will be the first to be considered for funding in our fiscal year 2024 program. For FY 2024, Illinois NRCS has $3.5million in funding for landowners interested in Wetland Reserve Easements.
According to State Conservationist Willis, land eligible for WRE includes farmed or converted wetlands previously altered for agricultural production that can be successfully and cost-effectively restored. NRCS prioritizes applications based on the easement’s potential for improving water quality and protecting and enhancing habitat for migratory birds and other wildlife. To enroll land through this program, NRCS enters into an agreement with eligible private landowners to secure an easement on their property. NRCS then develops, with the landowner, a wetland restoration plan to restore, enhance, and protect wetland functions and values on their easement acres. NRCS works with the landowner on every step of the acquisition and restoration process.
NRCS provides technical and financial assistance directly to private landowners to restore, protect, and enhance wetlands through the purchase of these easements, and eligible landowners can choose to enroll in either a permanent or a 30-year easement. To apply for a wetland easement through ACEP - WRE, visit NRCS at your local USDA Service Center.
Find more information about ACEP and other NRCS conservation programs in Illinois on the new IL NRCS website: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/conservation-basics/conservation-by-state/illinois
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U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced Weaned Calf Risk Protection, a new insurance option for livestock producers in several states. This policy, offered by USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA), offers Actual Production History (APH) coverage for beef cow-calf producers to insure revenue from their spring calving operations. Weaned Calf Risk Protection will be available for the 2024 crop year.
“There are many variables and pressures involved in running a cow/calf operation, making it even more important that ranchers have a variety of insurance options available similar to the wide range of options available to crop growers,” said RMA Administrator Marcia Bunger. “The introduction of Weaned Calf Risk Protection reflects our priority to always pay attention to the evolving needs of producers and create options that can meet their unique situation.”
APH policies insure producers against yield losses due to natural causes such as drought, excessive moisture, hail, wind, frost, insects, and disease. In the case of the new Weaned Calf Risk Protection, coverage is provided for a decline in price and loss of yield due to a decrease of overall weaning weight like revenue coverage offered for other crops.
The program will be available in Colorado, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Texas, beginning with the January 31, 2024, sales closing date for the 2024 crop year. Coverage levels between 50 and 85% will be available along with catastrophic coverage.
This new insurance program adds to the suite of livestock insurance available to livestock producers such as Livestock Gross Margin (LGM), Livestock Risk Protection (LRP), Pasture, Rangeland, Forage (PRF), Annual Forage (AF), and Dairy Revenue Protection (DRP).
More Information
Crop insurance is sold and delivered solely through private crop insurance agents, whom interested producers should contact. A list of crop insurance agents is available at all USDA Service Centers and online at the RMA Agent Locator. Learn more about crop insurance and the modern farm safety net at rma.usda.gov or by contacting your RMA Regional Office.
USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. Under the Biden-Harris administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit usda.gov.
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If you’ve suffered above normal expenses for hauling feed or water to livestock or hauling livestock to forage/grazing acres due to the impacts of drought, you may be eligible for financial assistance through the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP). The following Illinois counties have reached the D3 designation: Adams, Hancock, Pike, Randolph, and Schuyler, Stephenson, and Winnebago. The Illinois counties that have reached the D2 designation: Boone, Fulton, Mason, McDonough, McHenry, Mercer, and Tazewell.
For eligible producers in qualifying counties, ELAP provides financial assistance for:
- the transportation of water to livestock;
- the above normal cost of mileage for transporting feed to livestock,
- the above normal cost of transporting livestock to forage/grazing acres.*
*Hauling livestock one-way, one haul per animal reimbursement and no payment for “empty miles.”
Eligible livestock include cattle, buffalo, goats and sheep, among others, that are maintained for commercial use and located in a county where the qualifying drought conditions occur. A county must have had D2 severe drought intensity on the U.S. Drought Monitor for eight consecutive weeks during the normal grazing period, or D3 or D4 drought intensity at any time during the normal grazing period. Producers must have risk in both eligible livestock and eligible grazing land in an eligible county to qualify for ELAP assistance.
Water Transportation
For ELAP water transportation assistance, a producer must be transporting water to eligible livestock on eligible grazing land where the producer had adequate livestock watering systems or facilities in place before the drought occurred and where they do not normally require the transportation of water. Payments are for costs associated with personal labor, equipment, hired labor, equipment, and/or contracted water transportation fees. Cost of the water itself is not covered. The ELAP payment formula uses a national average price per gallon.
Above Normal Costs of Transporting Feed
ELAP provides financial assistance to livestock producers who incur above normal expenses for transporting feed to livestock during drought. The payment formula excludes the first 25 miles and any mileage over 1,000 miles. The reimbursement rate is 60% of the costs above what would normally have been incurred during the same time period in a normal (non-drought) year.
Above Normal Costs of Transporting Livestock to Forage/Grazing Acres
ELAP provides financial assistance to livestock producers who are hauling livestock to a new location for feed resources due to insufficient feed and/or grazing in drought-impacted areas. Please contact your county FSA office for additional details.
For calendar year 2022 forward, producers must submit a notice of loss to your local FSA office within 30 calendar days of when the loss is apparent; producers should contact their county FSA office as soon as the loss of water resources or feed resources are known. For ELAP eligibility, documentation of expenses is critical. Producers should maintain records and receipts associated with the costs of transporting water to eligible livestock, the costs of transporting feed to eligible livestock, and the costs of transporting eligible livestock to forage/grazing acres.
ELAP also offers assistance to producers impacted by wildfire. Contact your county FSA office for more information on ELAP resources for wildfire losses. In addition, beekeepers also can benefit from ELAP provisions and should contact their county FSA office within 15 calendar days of when a loss occurs or from when the loss is apparent.
For more information and additional eligibility requirements, contact your local County USDA Service Center or visit fsa.usda.gov.
Disaster Assistance Available for Livestock Losses
The Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) provides assistance to you for livestock deaths in excess of normal mortality caused by adverse weather, disease and attacks by animals reintroduced into the wild by the federal government or protected by federal law.
For disease losses, FSA county committees can accept veterinarian certifications that livestock deaths were directly related to adverse weather and unpreventable through good animal husbandry and management.
For 2023 livestock losses, you must file a notice within 30 calendar days of when the loss is first apparent. You then must provide the following supporting documentation to your local FSA office no later than 60 calendar days after the end of the calendar year in which the eligible loss condition occurred.
- Proof of death documentation
- Copy of grower’s contracts
- Proof of normal mortality documentation
USDA has established normal mortality rates for each type and weight range of eligible livestock, i.e. Adult Beef Cow = 1.5% and Non-Adult Beef Cattle (less than 250 pounds) = 5%. These established percentages reflect losses that are considered expected or typical under “normal” conditions.
In addition to filing a notice of loss, you must also submit an application for payment by March 1, 2024.
For more information, contact the your local County USDA Service Center or visit fsa.usda.gov.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is beefing up crop insurance options for specialty crop and organic producers, including rolling out new and expanded options based on feedback from America’s agricultural producers. To achieve this, USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) accelerated its outreach efforts to hear directly from producers across the country by hosting in-person and virtual roadshows and making investments in risk management education. These improvements are part of a comprehensive effort to improve risk management tools and other programs for a wide variety of producers as well as expand access to organic markets.
“We’re committed to working with specialty crop and organic producers to develop crop insurance options that fit their needs,” RMA Administrator Marcia Bunger said. “We’ve listened, and we’re proud of our efforts to deliver crop insurance options that meet the needs of producers as well as to share information on available crop insurance options. This is part of USDA’s commitment to reach underserved and underreached producers and to help producers access new and better markets.”
From 1990 to 2022, liabilities for insured specialty crops rose from $1 billion to more than $23 billion. Over the past 20 years, the number of individual specialty crops insured under crop insurance programs increased by 27%. Currently, there are over 70 individual specialty crops insured under crop insurance programs.
New Insurance Options:
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Transitional and Organic Grower Assistance Program (TOGA): For 2022, RMA offered this new program reduce a producer’s overall crop insurance premium bill allowing them to continue using organic agricultural systems. Premium benefits for TOGA included: 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.
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Tropical Storm Coverage: For crop year 2023 and succeeding years, RMA added a new option to Hurricane Insurance Protection – Wind Index (HIP-WI) for named tropical storm weather events. The Tropical Storm Option covers damage caused by strong weather systems not categorized as hurricanes. Both a wind and precipitation trigger must occur for an indemnity to be paid. This new option helped many producers recover after Hurricane Idalia this year. About 60% of eligible policies elected this option.
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Grapevine: Beginning in crop year 2024, producers can insure all types of grapevines in select counties in California, Idaho, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Washington. This policy complements the existing Grape crop insurance program that covers the fruit growing on the vine. The policy covers freeze, fire, hail, flood, failure of irrigation water supply, and other causes of loss.
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Kiwifruit: Beginning in crop year 2024, producers in 12 California counties can insure their kiwifruit against unforeseen weather perils and other naturally occurring perils. The program covers three varietal group types: Hayward; Reds & Golds; and Mega. The Hayward variety currently makes up 92% of the California crop followed by non-Hayward varieties, including reds and golds and one green variety marketed as Mega Kiwi.
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Pomegranate: Beginning in crop year 2023, pomegranate producers in select California counties can receive yield-based insurance coverage for standard weather, natural, and environmental perils as well as quality losses. Coverage is available for two varietal groups: “Early” and the ‘Wonderful’ varieties and all others. The program also recognizes the different utilization values of fresh fruit, arils, and juice.
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Shellfish: Beginning in crop year 2024, producers can insure their commercially cultivated oysters that are grown using containerized methods. This program offers production-based coverage on an individual producer basis. This insurance option provides coverage against four perils including: named storms, excessive heat, freeze, and low salinity and will be available in select counties in Alabama, California, Florida, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Virginia.
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Controlled Environment: Beginning in crop year 2024, producers can insure plants produced in a controlled environment against disease that occurs in their facility. This program will provide the following benefits: simple application and policy renewal process, like the Nursery Value Select program, and insurance for controlled environment producer-selected plant categories. In addition to specialty crop and organic producers, this policy will greatly benefit urban producers.
Improved Insurance Options:
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Whole-Farm Revenue Protection Program (WFRP): Several improvements will begin in the 2024 policy year including: allowing all eligible producers to qualify for 80% and 85% coverage levels; allowing producers to purchase catastrophic coverage level policies for individual crops with WFRP; expanding yield history to a 10-year maximum (from four years) for all crops not covered by another federal crop insurance policy; making the policy more affordable for single commodity producers; and allowing producers to customize their coverage by choosing whether WFRP will consider other federal crop insurance policies as primary insurance when calculating premium and revenue to count during claim time.
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Micro Farm: Several updates were made to Micro Farm including: moving the sales closing date to a less busy time of year to help agents dedicate time to marketing the program, allowing producers to purchase other federal crop insurance with Micro Farm, allowing vertically integrated entities to be eligible and making the Expanding Operations feature available.
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Pistachios: Several revisions were made to the Pistachio policy including: allowing insurance for producers with fewer than four years of production records under the new Transitional Yields (T-Yields); clarifying simple average approved yield for APH databases containing T-Yields; clarifying variability adjustment requirements for actual production history databases; and allowing assigned yields and temporary yields if indicated in the Special Provisions.
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Quality Loss Option (QLO): RMA is making the QLO available to several initial specialty crops, including avocados (California only), blueberries, cranberries, grapes, peaches, stone fruit, and table grapes. RMA plans to make the option available to additional specialty crops in the upcoming months after further review.
Outreach Efforts and Risk Management Education:
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Outreach efforts: Over the last two years, RMA has engaged with more than 700,000 producers and crop insurance professionals through a multi-faceted outreach approach, interacting with 60,000 stakeholders at 560 events across the nation and hosting 39 in-person and virtual listening sessions to discuss prevented planting updates, apples, and cherries. Additionally, RMA hosted more than 3,000 producers during the “RMA Roadshow” that featured in-person and virtual events across the country. The Roadshow informed producers about updates and improvements to WFRP and Micro Farm.
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Risk Management Education: In August 2023, RMA awarded about $6.5 million to 22 organizations to educate underserved, specialty, small-scale, and organic producers on farm risk management and climate-smart farm practices. Through Risk Management Education (RME), RMA partners with organizations, such as nonprofits and land grant universities, to develop training and resources for producers about risk management options. The almost $6.5 million investment builds on the $6.5 million that RMA has already provided in partnerships since 2021.
More Information
Specialty crop producers can learn more on RMA’s Specialty Crop Page or by contacting one of RMA’s specialty crop liaisons, who serve as points of contact for local specialty crop producers. Organic producers can learn more at RMA’s Organic webpage. Producers can receive the most up to date information about RMA insurance options for specialty crops by subscribing to GovDelivery.
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. Learn more about crop insurance and the modern farm safety net at rma.usda.gov or by contacting your RMA Regional Office.
USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. Under the Biden-Harris administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit usda.gov
The Farm Service Agency (FSA) makes loans to youth to establish and operate agricultural income-producing projects in connection with 4-H clubs, FFA and other agricultural groups. Projects must be planned and operated with the help of the organization advisor, produce sufficient income to repay the loan and provide the youth with practical business and educational experience. The maximum loan amount is $5,000.
Youth Loan Eligibility Requirements:
- Be a citizen of the United States (which includes Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands) or a legal resident alien
- Be 10 years to 20 years of age
- Comply with FSA’s general eligibility requirements
- Be unable to get a loan from other sources
- Conduct a modest income-producing project in a supervised program of work as outlined above
- Demonstrate capability of planning, managing and operating the project under guidance and assistance from a project advisor. The project supervisor must recommend the youth loan applicant, along with providing adequate supervision.
For help preparing the application forms, contact your local County USDA Service Center or visit fsa.usda.gov.
Funding is now available for the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program – Agriculture Land Easements (ACEP-ALE). The program provides an opportunity for landowners to place land into an easement while continuing to produce an agricultural commodity. This Ag Land Easement program protects agriculture land from conversion to uses other than agriculture. Many landowners find these programs useful when they want to leave a farming legacy. Others want to protect agriculture land from Urban expansion. With these programs, you can do just that.
ACEP-ALE is different than many other easement programs, in that it requires an entity to assist with the cost of purchasing the easement and the entity also holds the easement instead of NRCS. This often appeals to some landowners because they feel more comfortable with the entity serving as the easement holder. Who can serve as an ‘entity’? Eligible entities include state and local governments and non-governmental organizations that have farmland or grassland protection programs, can qualify as an eligible entity.
For the FY2023 Signup, great resources are available to help explain the Ag Land Easement program requirements for entities and landowners. NRCS worked with American Farmland Trust (AFT) to create documents that walk a landowner or entity through the easement process. These resource materials are located on the NRCS IL website at www.nrcs.usda.gov/il.
The ACEP-ALE signup process is continuous; applications can be taken at any time. NRCS will conduct the first opportunity for funding during the first application cutoff of December 1, 2023. All eligible applications received through December 1, 2023, will be considered for funding. An additional funding cutoff for ACEP-ALE will be determined.
Entities interested in participating in ACEP-ALE must submit an NRCS-CPA-41 Entity Application Form along with NRCS-CPA-41A Parcel Application Form, for all the parcels they would like to fund in FY24.
To learn more, producers and entities should call to set up appointments with local NRCS office staff. Visit www.nrcs.usda.gov/il to find your local office contact information.
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