In This Issue:
It is the season for thanks!
This time of year is one of my favorites! Spending time with my wife, children, and grandchildren always makes me smile, however in seasons such as this, I beam with gratitude.
I give thanks to the Oklahoma Farm Service Agency staff as they work diligently to deliver drought assistance and disaster assistance to all agricultural producers. I encourage you to look into some of the program opportunities we have available for Oklahoma Farmers and Ranchers.
Upcoming Deadlines:
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Livestock Forage Program for 2023 losses-- January 30, 2024
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Emergency Livestock Assistance Program for 2023 losses-- January 30, 2024
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Acreage Reporting (wheat and other fall-planted small grains, canola, and peaches)-- January 17, 2024
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Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, lettuce, onions. potatoes, strawberries, tomatoes, turnips) -- January 31, 2024
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Livestock Indemnity Program for 2023 losses-- March 1, 2024
For additional information regarding these programs and to inquire on eligibility, I encourage you to contact your county office for more information.
I hope the best for all of my fellow agricultural enthusiasts.
Steve Kouplen
Livestock inventory records are necessary in the event of a natural disaster, so remember to keep them updated.
When disasters strike, the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) can help you if you’ve suffered excessive livestock death losses and grazing or feed losses due to eligible natural disasters.
To participate in livestock disaster assistance programs, you’ll be required to provide verifiable documentation of death losses resulting from an eligible adverse weather event and must submit a notice of loss to your local FSA office within 30 calendar days of when the loss of livestock is apparent. For grazing or feed losses, you must submit a notice of loss to your local FSA office within 30 calendar days of when the loss is apparent and should maintain documentation and receipts.
You should record all pertinent information regarding livestock inventory records including:
- Documentation of the number, kind, type, and weight range of livestock
- Beginning inventory supported by birth recordings or purchase receipts.
For more information on documentation requirements, contact your County USDA Service Center or visit fsa.usda.gov.
Oklahoma State Farm Service Agency (FSA) Office is accepting applications to fill a temporary Secretary position. All candidates must be U.S. Citizens, high school graduates or the equivalent.
The individual selected will be responsible for carrying out general office activities, and technical functions pertaining to FSA administered loans and programs. Applicants should possess excellent human relations skills as well as strong clerical and computer skills. A general knowledge of agricultural practices would also be beneficial. The selected applicant must undergo a background investigation.
Applications can be obtained from the Oklahoma State FSA Office located at 100 USDA, Suite 102, Stillwater, OK 74074, located next door to Oklahoma State University Police Department.
The closing date for this announcement is December 8, 2023. For additional information, please contact Janlyn Hannah at 405-742-1130.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is now offering crop insurance for sesame producers nationwide. Beginning in the 2024 crop year, USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) is expanding the Actual Production History (APH) plan to allow producers to request written agreements anywhere sesame or a similar crop has been grown successfully. RMA is expanding the program in response to requests from sesame producers. Learn more
We’re inviting urban producers, innovative producers, and other stakeholders to virtually attend a public meeting of the Federal Advisory Committee for Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production on November 29 from 1-3 pm. Learn more and register
The tenth annual Oklahoma Local Agriculture Summit is set to take place Feb. 28 - March 1, 2024, at the Edmond Conference Center located at 2833 Conference Dr, Edmond, OK 73034. The focus of the conference is to increase the availability of local food in Oklahoma communities and strengthen farmers markets and agritourism sites through education and networking opportunities.
The conference is facilitated by the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry, ONIE Project, Langston University, USDA, and key stakeholders from agricultural, community and public health agencies. Multiple in-depth workshops will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 28, including hands-on marketing training, a workshop sharing best farm practices, and an in-depth session on USDA resources. The full summit day with more than 20 breakout sessions is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 29 followed by the agritourism bus tour and innovative farm bus tour on Friday, March 1.
Most of the events associated with the summit are free to attend; however, registration is required for each event. Registration is open online at https://oklac.org/oklas and will close on Feb. 28 or once capacity is met.
The conference has five tracks addressing topics of special interest to farmers market managers, growers, agritourism producers, Christmas tree growers, and community support organizations. Topics will include accepting SNAP/EBT, growing practices, marketing to consumers, and more. A meal on February 29 will be provided to all registrants.
There are more than 45 registered farmers markets and 400 agritourism producers in Oklahoma, providing quality and tasty local food and enjoyment to communities across the state. Information on Oklahoma’s agritourism industry can be found at www.oklahomaagritourism.com.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Micaela Halverson
micaela.halverson@ag.ok.gov
405-740-0794
The Flower Hill Institute provides valuable webinars, outreach sessions, and technical assistance for the USDA- Farm Service Agency. This month, the Flower Hill Institute hosts an "Office Hours" session for the Conservation Reserve Program.
Anyone must attend, but please preregister utilizing this link.
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