One of the happiest moments this week is when I learned that, in Indiana, we will be gaining an average of 45 minutes of daylight in January! Bring on spring!
A new year also is a good time to reflect on where we’ve been and where we’re heading at Indiana FSA. Highlights for me this year include finishing ad hoc programs dealing with weather related disasters and economic downturns from the pandemic. I’m proud of the Indiana team for working so hard to get these benefits to our producers. These ad hoc programs have been in addition to all the farm programs included in the 2018 Farm Bill. At times, our staff had short deadlines, and in some cases, they did many hours of training for these programs outside of the Farm Bill to make sure they were providing the best service possible to Hoosier producers.
I’m proud that we’ve been able to backfill positions and utilize some flexibility and common-sense approaches to hire staff in Indiana FSA. By finding ways to make sure we have talented and committed staff in our county offices and streamlining how we deliver programs, we are ready to fully administer another year of the 2018 Farm Bill. We’re serving existing and new borrowers with our Farm Loan Programs. We are ready to assist with emergency and disaster assistance. We are signing up producers for the ARC-PLC program. We are ready to welcome new farmers into our offices to help them establish their farm number and report their crops.
Whatever Indiana farmers face in 2024, the Indiana FSA team will be here to assist our farming families. Contact your local office with questions concerning which programs fit best for your operation.
Cheers to a great 2024. Please reach out if you need assistance.
Sincerely In Agriculture –
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 State Executive Director
USDA continues to accept applications for assistance through the Discrimination Financial Assistance Program for Indiana farmers 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 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 a 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.
Several entities are involved in the Discrimination Financial Assistance Program, with varying roles and responsibilities. The National Administrator and Regional Hubs are responsible for conducting outreach, assisting with the financial assistance application process, processing applications, managing program call centers, and operating local offices. Additional outreach and application support is provided by trusted community groups. These groups include AgrAbility, the Farmer Veteran Coalition, Farmers’ Legal Action Group, Federation of Southern Cooperatives, Intertribal Agriculture Council, Land Loss Prevention Program, National Young Farmers Coalition, and Rural Coalition.
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 22007apply.gov, and subscribe to a weekly newsletter.
Meet John “JC” Chandler of Belton, South Carolina, where his herd of Charolais cattle is his pride and joy. While he’s only 17, JC has already become an agriculture leader in his school and community.
Currently, JC has a total of 17 cows in his herd, including eight commercial cows, seven Charolais, a steer and a limousine cow.
The Ninth Generation
JC’s parents, Amy and Chris, run a small operation in Belton where they raise commercial cattle, particularly Black Angus and Baldy. While their operation has nurtured his passion for agriculture, his family's long running history with the Charolais breed inspired him to start his own herd with Charolais cattle.
JC’s family has been in agriculture since the 1700s and he is now the ninth generation to own cattle. His great-great-grandfather purchased his first Charolais herd in 1963, shipping them from France to South Carolina. His great-great grandfather’s family eventually had one of the largest Charolais herds in the Southeast.
Growing the Herd
JC saved up to purchase his first Charolais in December 2020. Recommended by his father, JC later secured a youth loan in January 2021 with USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) to grow his herd even more.
Youth loans help youth between the ages of 10 and 21 start and operate income-producing projects in connection with their participation in 4-H, the National FFA Organization (FFA), a Tribal youth group, or other similar agricultural youth organization.
Becoming a Leader
JC is now a senior at the South Carolina Governor's School for Agriculture at John de la Howe High School, a state-funded, public, residential high school that provides its students with a challenging agricultural education program and hands-on training.
During his senior year, he will intern with his school’s president, Dr. Timothy Keown, which will provide JC the opportunity to learn about politics and the operational aspects of the South Carolina Governor’s School.
For more information about USDA programs and services, contact your local USDA service center.
To read the full story, visit Fridays on the Farm: Roots in Agriculture Run Deep | Farmers.gov.
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If you shear wool or mohair or have unshorn pelts, you may be eligible for Loan Deficiency Payments (LDPs).
The deadline to apply for a Loan Deficiency Payment for 2023 wool, mohair and unshorn pelts is January 30, 2024.
Form CCC-633EZ for 2024 is required before producers sell or shear the 2024 crop.
Rules related to payment limitations, actively engaged in farming and cash-rent tenant no longer apply to LDPs.
For more information, contact your local USDA Service Center or visit fsa.usda.gov/pricesupport.
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The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires Federal agencies to consider all potential environmental impacts for federally funded projects before the project is approved.
For all Farm Service Agency (FSA) programs, an environmental review must be completed before actions are approved, such as site preparation or ground disturbance. These programs include, but are not limited to, the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP), Farm Storage Facility Loan (FSFL) program and farm loans. If project implementation begins before FSA has completed an environmental review, the request will be denied. Although there are exceptions regarding the Stafford Act and emergencies, it’s important to wait until you receive written approval of your project proposal before starting any actions.
Applications cannot be approved until FSA has copies of all permits and plans. Contact your local FSA office early in your planning process to determine what level of environmental review is required for your program application so that it can be completed timely.
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Do you have grain under loan with FSA?
If loan grain has been disposed of through feeding, selling or any other form of disposal without prior written authorization from the county office staff, it is considered unauthorized disposition.
The financial penalties for unauthorized dispositions are severe and your name will be placed on a loan violation list for a two-year period.
Contact your local USDA Service Center to request permission to feed, sell or otherwise dispose of grain under loan. Always call before you haul any grain under loan.
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Producers can now enroll in the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) program and to make election changes for the 2024 crop year. The deadline to complete enrollment and any election change is March 15, 2024.
2024 Elections and Enrollment
Producers can elect coverage and enroll in ARC-County (ARC-CO) or PLC, which provide crop-by-crop protection, or ARC-Individual (ARC-IC), which protects the entire farm. Although election changes for 2024 are optional, producers must enroll through a signed contract each year. Also, if a producer has a multi-year contract on the farm it will continue for 2024 unless an election change is made.
If producers do not submit their election revision by the March 15, 2024, deadline, their election remains the same as their 2023 election for commodities on the farm. Farm owners cannot enroll in either program unless they have a share interest in the cropland.
Covered commodities include barley, canola, large and small chickpeas, corn, crambe, flaxseed, grain sorghum, lentils, mustard seed, oats, peanuts, dry peas, rapeseed, long grain rice, medium grain rice, safflower seed, seed cotton, sesame, soybeans, sunflower seed and wheat.
2022 Crop Year Payments
ARC and PLC payments for a given crop year are paid out the following fall to allow actual county yields and the Market Year Average prices to be finalized. These payments help mitigate fluctuations in either revenue or prices for certain crops. Payments for crops that may trigger for the 2023 crop year will be issued in the fall of 2024.
Crop Insurance Considerations
ARC and PLC are part of a broader USDA safety net that also includes crop insurance and marketing assistance loans.
Producers are reminded that ARC and PLC elections and enrollments can impact eligibility for some crop insurance products.
Producers on farms with a PLC election can purchase Supplemental Coverage Option (SCO) through their Approved Insurance Provider; however, producers on farms where ARC is the election are ineligible for SCO on their planted acres for that crop on that farm.
Unlike SCO, the Enhanced Coverage Option (ECO) is unaffected by an ARC election. Producers may add ECO regardless of the farm program election.
Web-Based Decision Tools
Many universities offer web-based decision tools to help producers make informed, educated decisions using crop data specific to their respective farming operations. Producers are encouraged to use the tool of their choice to support their ARC and PLC elections.
More Information
For more information on ARC and PLC, producers can visit the ARC and PLC webpage or contact their local USDA Service Center. Producers can also make elections and complete enrollment online with level 2 eAuth.
Many FSA programs require all program participants, either individuals or legal entities, to be “actively engaged in farming.” This means participants provide a significant contribution to the farming operation, whether it is capital, land, equipment, active personal labor and/or management. For entities, each partner, stockholder or member with an ownership interest, must contribute active personal labor and/or management to the operation on a regular basis that is identifiable and documentable as well as separate and distinct from contributions of any other member. Members of joint operations must have a share of the profits or losses from the farming operation commensurate with the member’s contributions to the operation and must make contributions to the farming operation that are at risk for a loss, with the level of risk being commensurate with the member’s claimed share on the farming operation.
Joint operations comprised of non-family members or partners, stockholders or persons with an ownership in the farming operation must meet additional payment eligibility provisions. Joint operations comprised of family members are exempt from these additional requirements. For 2016 and subsequent crop years, non-family joint operations can have one member that may use a significant contribution of active personal management exclusively to meet the requirements to be determined “actively engaged in farming.” The person or member will be defined as the farm manager for the purposes of administering these management provisions.
Non-family joint operations may request to add up to two additional managers for their farming operation based on the size and/or complexity of the operation. If additional farm managers are requested and approved, all members who contribute management are required to complete form CCC-902MR, Management Activity Record. The farm manager should use the form to record management activities including capital, labor and agronomics, which includes crop selection, planting decisions, acquisition of inputs, crop management and marketing decisions. One form should be used for each month and the farm manager should enter the number of hours of time spent for each activity under the date of the month the actions were completed. The farm manager must also document if each management activity was completed on the farm or remotely.
The records and supporting business documentation must be maintained and timely made available for review by the appropriate FSA reviewing authority, if requested.
If the farm manager fails to meet these requirements, their contribution of active personal management to the farming operation for payment eligibility purposes will be disregarded and their payment eligibility status will be re-determined for the applicable program year.
In some instances, additional persons or members of a non-family member joint operation who meet the definition of farm manager may also be allowed to use such a contribution of active personal management to meet the eligibility requirements. However, under no circumstances may the number of farm managers in a non-family joint operation exceed a total of three in any given crop and program year.
USDA reminds specialty crop growers that assistance is available for producers who incur eligible on-farm food safety program expenses to obtain or renew a food safety certification through the Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops (FSCSC) program.
Producers can apply for assistance on their calendar year 2023 expenses through January 31, 2024.
Program Details
FSCSC assists specialty crop operations that incurred eligible on-farm food safety certification and related expenses pertaining to obtaining or renewing a food safety certification in calendar year 2023. FSCSC covers a percentage of the specialty crop operation’s cost of obtaining or renewing its certification, as well as a portion of related expenses.
To be eligible for FSCSC, the applicant must be a specialty crop operation; meet the definition of a small business or very small business; and have paid eligible expenses related to the 2023 certification.
Specialty crop operations may receive assistance for the following costs:
- Developing a food safety plan for first-time food safety certification.
- Maintaining or updating an existing food safety plan.
- Food safety certification.
- Certification upload fees.
- Microbiological testing for products, soil amendments and water.
- Training
FSCSC payments are calculated separately for each category of eligible costs. A higher payment rate has been set for socially disadvantaged, limited resource, beginning and veteran farmers and ranchers. Details about the payment rates and limitations can be found at farmers.gov/food-safety.
Applying for Assistance
The FSCSC application period for 2023 closes January 31, 2024. FSA will issue payments after the application period closes. If calculated payments exceed the amount of available funding, payments will be prorated.
Interested specialty crop producers can apply by completing the FSA-888, Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops Program (FSCSC) application. The application, along with other required documents, can be submitted to the FSA office at any USDA Service Center nationwide by mail, fax, hand delivery or via electronic means.
Specialty crop producers can also call 877-508-8364 to speak directly with a USDA employee ready to assist.
Visit farmers.gov/food-safety for additional program details, eligibility information and forms needed to apply.
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Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) policy requires participants with certain practices to perform a management activity during the life of the contract.
The purpose of Mid-Contract Management (MCM) Activity is to enhance the wildlife habitat value of the enrolled acres for species such as Northern Bobwhite, pollinators, and others. For example, in grass fields, the perennial grasses tend to crowd out desirable broadleaf flowers and litter accumulates. In this case, the purpose of MCM is to set the perennial grasses back which enables these broadleaf plants to germinate and thrive.
Normally, Management Activities are conducted between the 4th and 6th year of the contract. However, on land with existing cover, disturbance activities can begin as soon as technically feasible. Your Conservation Plan of Operations (CPO) will outline the amount of acreage, recommended type of MCM activity and which year(s) you are required to complete your MCM.
Areas planted to grasses and forbs are required to perform a management activity during the life of the contract, with the following options:
- Prescribed Burning (more info below); Strip Disking; Strip Spraying; Inter-seeding forbs/legumes/pollinator habitat; Impact grazing (limited to CP1, CP2, and CP10)
Areas planted to trees/shrubs, Grassed Waterways (CP8A), Filter Strips (CP21), and actual wetland acres no longer require management activities in Indiana (effective with Fiscal Year 2020 signups) however participants may voluntarily perform management activities if the activities are included in the approved CPO.
Grassland fields must be established for a minimum of three years before starting the activity.
MCM activities must be completed outside of the Primary Nesting Season in order to protect ground-nesting bird species. In Indiana, the Primary Nesting Season is April 1st through August 1st of each year.
For most practices less than 5 acres, the entire acreage can be managed in one year; otherwise, the maximum amount that can be disturbed during any one year is ½ of the contract acreage. For maximum habitat value, disturb no more than 1/3 of the contract acreage. See the activity-specific job sheets.
The following environmentally sensitive areas will be avoided:
- Concentrated flow areas,
- Critical areas,
- Acreage within first 20 feet of a practice that borders a water resource to avoid water quality resource concerns,
- Other areas where gully erosion is likely.
Utilizing a Prescribed Burn on CRP Acres
If you participate in CRP, you are responsible for fire management on your CRP acreage. The goal is to suppress the amount of fuel in the event of a wildfire while still promoting the diversity of the conservation cover.
One fire management practice includes installing firebreaks, which should be included in the contract support documents and installed according to NRCS firebreak standards. Barren firebreaks will only be allowed in high-risk areas, such as transportation corridors, rural communities, and adjacent farmsteads. A conservationist must certify that there will not be an erosion hazard from the barren firebreak. If erosion becomes a problem, remedial action will be taken.
If you would like to utilize a prescribed burn on CRP acreage, now is the time to reach out to be sure Fireguard technical practices are outlined in your CPO, as required. If the technical practices are not presently outlined in your CPO, contact your local USDA Service Center and your NRCS District Conservationist concerning revisions to your CPO.
More Information
For more information on Mid-Contract Management specific to your CRP contract, please contact your local USDA Service Center to review your CRP contract and the CPO.
Boots to Business (B2B) is an entrepreneurial education and training program offered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) as part of the Department of Defense Transition Assistance Program (TAP). The course provides an overview of entrepreneurship and applicable business ownership fundamentals, while introducing resources to support you in business development. We are pleased to announce Boots to Business Reboot for Farmers and Ranchers, in partnership with the USDA, designed specifically for those with an interest in developing an agriculture-based business. This one-day, virtual session, presented on Monday, January 22nd, will feature speakers from across the USDA, farmer veteran business owners, SBA resource partners and industry experts from across the country.
For more information and to register visit Boots to Business Reboot for Veteran Beginning Farmers & Ranchers Tickets, Mon, 22 Jan 2024 at 10:00 AM | Eventbrite.
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USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) connects agricultural producers with high-quality and affordable crop insurance sold by approved insurance providers. This includes the specific needs of urban and innovative producers, who may have smaller and more specialized operations.
In this Ask the Expert, Economist Claire White answers questions about RMA programs and opportunities for urban and innovative producers, including the new Controlled Environment crop insurance program. This new option is part of USDA’s broader effort to support urban agriculture and develop new and better markets for American producers. The Controlled Environment policy is available in Cuyahoga, Erie, Franklin, Fulton, Lake, Lorain, and Lucas counties in Ohio.
Claire has been with RMA for over 20 years, writing and improving crop insurance policies. She specializes in nursery and nursery-related products, cotton, small grains, apples, and many others.
Read the full interview here.
USDA announced loan interest rates for January 2024, which were effective January 1, 2024. USDA’s FSA loans provide important access to capital to help agricultural producers start or expand their farming operation, purchase equipment and storage structures, or meet cash flow needs.
FSA also offers guaranteed loans through commercial lenders at rates set by those lenders.
Check your eligibility for FSA loans by utilizing the Farm Loan Assistance Tool. Find out which of these loans may be right for you by using our Farm Loan Discovery Tool.
Producers can explore available options on all FSA loan options at fsa.usda.gov or by contacting your local USDA Service Center.
2024 Indiana FSA Important Deadline Dates
January 13 – Application Deadline to submit an Application for Section 22007 of the Inflation Reduction Act – Discrimination Financial Assistance Program
January 15 – Offices Closed in Observance of Martin Luther King, Jr’s Birthday
January 16 – Final Acreage Reporting Date for Applies
January 30 – Final Date to Submit Application for Payment for 2023 Losses under Livestock Forage Program (LFP)
January 30 – Final Date to Submit Application for Payment and Notice of Loss for 2023 Losses under Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP)
January 31 – Deadline to Apply for Loan Deficiency Payment (LDP) for Unshorn Pelts Produced During 2023 Crop Year
January 31 – Final Date to Submit Application for 2023 Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops (FSCSC) Program
February 19 - Offices Closed in Observance of George Washington’s Birthday
February 29 - Final Date to Submit Application and Notice of Loss (NOL) for 2023 Losses under Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP)
Ongoing – Submit an Application for a Farm Storage Facility Loan
Continuous - Submit an Application for FSA Farm Loans
Continuous - Signup for Local County Office FSA Text Alerts - Text Your Service Center Keyword to FSANOW (372-669)
Continuous – Sign up for GovDelivery Newsletters, Bulletins and Indiana Press Releases (Subscribe to USDA Emails for Farmers | Farmers.gov)
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