In This Issue:
Greetings and Happy New Year!
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) assists farmers, ranchers and foresters with conservation practices on their operations. Now that the new year has begun, this could be a good time to review your farm’s conservation plan. A conservation plan identifies your conservation objectives and assesses and analyzes the natural resources issues on your land.
The conservation plan includes tools and resources customized specifically for you, like a land use map, soils information, photos, inventory of resources, economic costs and benefits, schedule of recommended practices, maintenance schedules, and engineering notes — all based on your goals and the resource needs.
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.
How does conservation planning work? NRCS is here to provide one-on-one support to our customers at our 61 USDA Service Centers statewide. NRCS staff can help guide farmers to the best USDA assistance based on their conservation goals. You will meet with your local NRCS district conservationist, or conservation planning technician, for a science-based evaluation of the problems and opportunities on your land. NRCS staff members then analyze the findings and recommend the best strategies to address your issues and achieve valuable conservation opportunities and objectives.
Farmers who work with us at their local USDA Service Center can:
- Verify eligibility for USDA programs
- Discuss their business and conservation goals
- Create a conservation plan
- Learn how to meet conservation compliance provisions
A conservation plan is critical to maintain and improve your operation’s 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.
If you’re interested in finding out more about conservation planning, I encourage you to contact your local USDA Service Center to discuss your operation’s needs.
See what other landowners are doing –
Learn more about the benefits of conservation practices directly from the farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners applying them with our Conservation at Work series. Explore the different types of conservation practices by watching these 90-second videos.
ACT NOW
Beginning January 22, 2024, through February 22, 2024, Arkansas NRCS will implement ACT NOW. The ACT NOW process will be used for some EQIP and CSP funding pools. Through ACT NOW, NRCS can immediately approve and obligate a ranked application when an eligible application meets or exceeds a determined minimum ranking score. This means no longer having to wait for all applications to be reviewed and preapproved in that ranking pool. More information and guidance will be forthcoming on ACT NOW ranking pools later.
NRCS accepts producer applications for its conservation programs year-round. To apply for fiscal year 2024 funding, contacting your local NRCS office. See additional information on program application submission dates in the article below.
Important Dates to Remember:
- January 19: ACT NOW Hybrid Outreach Meeting. Contact your local USDA Service center for location or Register on ZOOM at: https://uada.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwqduiprDspE9Xa_bxvdEPQOX-UVNUJsKFh#/registration
- January 22: ACT NOW Sign-up begins
- January 25-27: Arkansas Grown Conference & Expo, Hot Springs Convention Center
- January 29: Arkansas Soil and Water Education Conference, First National Bank Arena, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro
- January 31: Deadline to apply for NFWF Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration Grant Program People’s Garden grant proposals.
- February 1: Arkansas Rice Annual Meeting, Embassy Suites, Jonesboro
- February 23: Calendar Year 2024 CSP Payment Deadline
Happy New Year
For Specialty crop growers, 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 Jan. 31, 2024.
Agricultural producers can now enroll in the Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs for the 2024 crop year. Producers can enroll and make election changes for the 2024 crop year starting Dec. 18, 2023. The deadline to complete enrollment and any election change is March 15, 2024.
FSA is waiving the requirement to submit Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-raised Fish (ELAP) and Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) notices of loss within a pre-determined number of days for 2023. FSA COC’s are also being asked to re-evaluate 2023 ELAP and LIP late-filed notices of loss to determine if the waiver applies. FSA COC’s will review all notices of loss for both ELAP and LIP that were previously disapproved for the 2023 program year due to late filing and re-evaluate them to determine if the waiver applies. To receive ELAP and LIP benefits, producers will still need to file an application for payment by the established program deadline for the 2023 program year. Please contact your local service center for more information.
Please take advantage of Ask USDA. Available at ask.usda.gov, Ask USDA is similar to AskFSA, and provides information for all USDA programs. Ask USDA allows USDA customers to search for and read answers about FSA programs and services in the same location as they read about other USDA programs and services. Customers are able to submit questions through email, chat, and phone if they need more information. This improved customer service approach provides a one-stop shopping experience that covers all of USDA’s many programs.
On farmers.gov, the Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool, Disaster-at-a-Glance fact sheet and Loan Assistance Tool can help producers and landowners determine disaster protection and recovery program or loan options. Please take advantage of these tools.
For more information on Farm Service Agency (FSA), contact your local USDA service center or visit www.farmers.gov.
Our goal is to serve all farmers, ranchers, and agricultural partners; equitably; through the delivery of effective and efficient agricultural programs.
Arkansas farmers and ranchers who are interested in planning and competing for potential funding opportunities should ACT NOW. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will be utilizing ACT NOW to process conservation applications in some ranking pools to deliver a conservation product faster.
Fiscal Year (FY)2024 Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) ACT NOW allows Arkansas NRCS to immediately approve and obligate ranked applications in a designated ranking pool when an eligible application meets or exceeds the state-determined minimum ranking score. ACT NOW will utilize minimum ranking score thresholds for each ranking pool. This means no longer having to wait for all applications to be reviewed and preapproved in a ranking pool.
If a farmer or rancher has a pending Environmental Quality Incentives Program application at their USDA Field Service Center, or has never applied for EQIP, this is their chance to ACT NOW. This provides producers an opportunity to update their conservation plan or apply for a conservation plan for EQIP to address resource concerns on their property.
Arkansas FY2024 ACT NOW Opportunities include:
- AR Seasonal High Tunnel Initiative
- Conservation Practices available for funding: 325-Seasonal High Tunnel
- Minimum Ranking Score Threshold: 100 points
- AR Soil Health Initiative
- Conservation Practices available for funding: 340 Cover Crop, 328 Crop Rotation, 590 Nutrient Management, 329 Residue and Tillage Management (No-Till), 345 Residue and Tillage Management (Reduced Till), 336 Soil Carbon Amendment
- Minimum Ranking Score Threshold: 150 points
- AR Energy Initiative:
- Conservation Practices available: 374 Energy Efficient Agricultural Operation, 670 Energy Efficient Lighting System, and 672 Energy Efficient Building Envelope
- Minimum Ranking Score Threshold: 50 points
Farmers and ranchers are encouraged to be prepared to provide information about their anticipated crop rotation, any soil testing, and other relevant resource information like a nutrient management plan, soil health assessment, and pest management plan, including a chemical list for crop fields you wish to enroll. This preparedness will help to facilitate planning their project.
How to Apply
NRCS accepts applications for conservation programs year-round, but to be included in this ACT NOW funding opportunity, interested producers should contact their local USDA Service Center. Arkansas NRCS will use the ACT NOW process for some EQIP funding pools and projects beginning January 22, 2024, through February 22, 2024.
Applicants are encouraged to work with NRCS and the USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) to complete eligibility requirements at their earliest convenience during the application process and to update all their agricultural records for FY2024. Please visit your local USDA Service Center for additional information about ACT NOW or for information about other NRCS Farm Bill programs. You can locate your local Field Service Center at USDA Service Center Locator.
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration Grant Program is accepting People’s Garden grant proposals until January 31. The opportunity is open for the U.S. Census metropolitan statistical areas (state maps available here) in Little Rock and eight other cities around the country.
The People’s Garden connects gardens across the country that produce local food, practice sustainability, and bring people together in their community. Gardens of different sizes and types, including school gardens, community gardens, urban farms, and small-scale agriculture projects in rural and urban areas, can be recognized as a “People’s Garden” if they:
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Join the People’s Garden community by registering a garden at www.usda.gov/peoples-garden.
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Grow the garden using sustainable practices that benefit people and wildlife.
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Teach about gardening and resilient, local food systems.
Approximately $500,000 ($50,000/city) is available from the USDA People’s Garden Initiative to fund projects that will support community-based projects that promote sustainable agriculture practices that benefit people and wildlife. Priority will be given to projects that incorporate urban and community agriculture and natural resource practices to support local, resilient food systems; pollinator and migratory bird habitat; or green infrastructure that benefits watersheds. Successful projects will incorporate an educational component, including but not limited to, community workshops, job training programs, web-based or other external content.
Funding for the NFWF opportunity is limited to the locations identified in the Request for Proposals, however, gardens in rural and urban areas that meet the People’s Garden criteria of Join, Grow, and Teach are welcome to voluntarily register their garden for free and join the larger network. Contact Katy Brantley, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service state urban conservationist at katy.brantley@usda.gov for additional information.
The plant materials program operates under the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The Booneville Plant Materials Center (BPMC) is one of 25 PMCs, strategically located throughout the nation, that are working to deliver state-of-the-art plant science technologies to meet identified conservation needs. The BPMC priorities are:
- Protection and enhancement of water quality
- Protection and enhancement of pastureland
- Critical area treatment
- Protection and enhancement of cropland
- Protection and enhancement of wildlife habitat
- Protection and enhancement forestland
The BPMC is co-located with the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service at the Dale Bumpers Small Farms Research Center, six miles south of Booneville, Arkansas, on State Highway 23. The BPMC farm is composed of 285 acres of land leased from the state of Arkansas.
The BPMC develops plants and plant science technologies to address conservation issues for customers in areas from the rugged Ozarks to the western coastal plain. The BPMC has a service area of 53 million acres and serves portions of Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. The area is characterized by small family farms. Forage, poultry, and timber production are the major land uses. The soils are most often shallow, stony, and erosive. The BPMC has developed improved conservation plants, including Hampton Germplasm big bluestem, ‘Bumpers’ eastern gamagrass, and Wynia Germplasm Indiangrass.
The staff at the center partners with other organizations to hold public workshops and visitors are welcome. Before visiting, please contact us to ensure a staff member will be available. Our hours are Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Our 2023 Progress Report of Activities is now available. For a copy, contact PMC Manager Stephen Haller at (479) 675-5182.
The USDA Arkansas Farm Service Agency (FSA) is committed to educating producers on available programs and loans. FSA representatives will be available at the following workshops and conferences. Producers interested in attending these conferences/workshops should follow the registration or RSVP instructions listed below.
Jan 24th – Path to Prosperity
FDIC, SBA, and USDA will present the Southern-Central “Path to Prosperity”, on January 24, 2024, in Little Rock, Arkansas. Path to Prosperity will consist of panel discussions comprised of economic, lending and government contracting experts. There will be facilitated conversations, sharing best practices, and innovative solutions. Topics include Access to Capital for Starting the Path to Prosperity, Unlocking Small Business Capital, Government Contracting and Procurement, and Relationships and Resource for Starting a Path to Prosperity. Doris Washington, Arkansas FSA State Executive Director, will be speaking. The meeting will be held from 8:00am – 4:30pm at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, 2801 South University Avenue, Little Rock, Arkansas. Campus location: Engineering and Information Technology 142.
Jan 25th -27th – Arkansas Grown Conference and Expo
The Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s Arkansas Grown program is partnering with Arkansas agriculture associations and organizations to host the Arkansas Grown Conference & Expo! The Arkansas Grown Conference & Expo will be held January 25-27, 2024. FSA will present as well as have an informational Booth. The conference and expo will be held at the Hot Springs Convention Center, Hot Springs, Arkansas. Please visit Arkansas Grown Conference & Expo - Arkansas Grown for additional information.
Mar 15th - UAPB’s Rural Life Conference The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff is hosting the 2024 Rural Life Conference at the Pine Bluff Convention Center on March 15, 2024. Paul Casey, Agricultural Program Specialist and Chana Thompson, Farm Loan Chief will present a workshop on Conservation and Farm Loans. Additional information will be forthcoming. Visit School of Agriculture, Fisheries and Human Sciences | University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (uapb.edu).
A multi-agency guide for USDA assistance for underserved farmers and ranchers is now available. If you are a farmer or rancher and are a minority, woman, veteran, beginning, or limited resource producer, you can use this booklet to learn about assistance and targeted opportunities available to you. This includes programs offered through the Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Risk Management Agency. Download the guide here. The guide is also available in Spanish, Hmong, Korean, Vietnamese, Thai and Chinese on farmers.gov/translations.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced that agricultural producers can now enroll in the Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs for the 2024 crop year. Producers can enroll and make election changes for the 2024 crop year starting Dec. 18, 2023. The deadline to complete enrollment and any election change is March 15, 2024.
On Nov. 16, 2023, President Biden signed into law H.R. 6363, the Further Continuing Appropriations and Other Extensions Act, 2024 (Pub. L. 118-22), which extended the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (Pub. L. 115-334), more commonly known as the 2018 Farm Bill, through September 30, 2024. This extension allows authorized programs, including ARC and PLC, to continue operating.
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
This fall, FSA issued payments totaling more than $267 million to agricultural producers who enrolled in the 2022 ARC-CO option and the ARC ARC-IC option for covered commodities that triggered a payment. Payments through the PLC option did not trigger for the 2022 crop year.
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.
Upland cotton farmers who choose to enroll seed cotton base acres in ARC or PLC are ineligible for the stacked income protection plan (STAX) on their planted cotton acres for that farm.
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.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (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 Jan. 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.
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 Jan. 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.
Farmers and ranchers rely on crop insurance to protect themselves from disasters and unforeseen events, but not all crops are insurable through the USDA’s Risk Management Agency. The Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) provides producers another option to obtain coverage against disaster for these crops. NAP provides financial assistance to producers of non-insurable crops impacted by natural disasters that result in lower yields, crop losses, or prevents crop planting.
Commercially produced crops and agricultural commodities for which crop insurance is not available are generally eligible for NAP. Eligible crops include those grown specifically for food, fiber, livestock consumption, biofuel or biobased products, or value loss crops such as aquaculture, Christmas trees, ornamental nursery, and others. Contact your local FSA office to see which crops are eligible in your state and county.
Eligible causes of loss include drought, freeze, hail, excessive moisture, excessive wind or hurricanes, earthquake and flood. These events must occur during the NAP policy coverage period, before or during harvest, and the disaster must directly affect the eligible crop. For guidance on causes of loss not listed, contact your local FSA county office.
Interested producers apply for NAP coverage using FSA form CCC-471, “Application for Coverage,” and pay the applicable service fee at the FSA office where their farm records are maintained. These must be filed by the application closing date, which varies by crop. Contact your local FSA office to verify application closing dates and ensure coverage for eligible NAP crops.
At the time of application, each producer acknowledges they have received the NAP Basic Provisions, which describes NAP requirements for coverage. NAP participants must report crop acreage shortly after planting and provide verifiable or reliable crop production records when required by FSA.
Producers are required to pay service fees which vary depending on the number of crops and number of counties your operation is located in. The NAP service fee is the lesser of $325 per crop or $825 per producer per administrative county, not to exceed a total of $1,950 for a producer with farming interests in multiple counties. Premiums also apply when producers elect higher levels of coverage with a maximum premium of $15,750 per person or legal entity.
A producer’s certification on Form CCC-860 Socially Disadvantaged, Limited Resource, Beginning and Veteran Farmer or Rancher Certification may serve as an application for basic NAP coverage for all eligible crops beginning with crop year 2022. These producers will have all NAP-related service fees for basic coverage waived, in addition to a 50 percent premium reduction if higher levels of coverage are elected.
For more detailed information on NAP, download the NAP Fact Sheet. To get started with NAP, we recommend you contact your local USDA service center.
Farm Service Agency (FSA) loans require applicants to have a satisfactory credit history. A credit report is requested for all FSA direct farm loan applicants. These reports are reviewed to verify outstanding debts, see if bills are paid timely and to determine the impact on cash flow.
Information on your credit report is strictly confidential and is used only as an aid in conducting FSA business.
Our farm loan staff will discuss options with you if you have an unfavorable credit report and will provide a copy of your report. If you dispute the accuracy of the information on the credit report, it is up to you to contact the issuing credit report company to resolve any errors or inaccuracies.
There are multiple ways to remedy an unfavorable credit score:
- Make sure to pay bills on time
- Setting up automatic payments or automated reminders can be an effective way to remember payment due dates.
- Pay down existing debt
- Keep your credit card balances low
- Avoid suddenly opening or closing existing credit accounts
FSA’s farm loan staff will guide you through the process, which may require you to reapply for a loan after improving or correcting your credit report.
For more information on FSA farm loan programs, contact your Local County USDA Service Center or visit fsa.usda.gov.
Farm Service Agency (FSA) is committed to providing our farm loan borrowers the tools necessary to be successful. FSA staff will provide guidance and counsel from the loan application process through the borrower’s graduation to commercial credit. While it is FSA’s commitment to advise borrowers as they identify goals and evaluate progress, it is crucial for borrowers to communicate with their farm loan staff when changes occur. It is the borrower’s responsibility to alert FSA to any of the following:
- Any proposed or significant changes in the farming operation
- Any significant changes to family income or expenses
- The development of problem situations
- Any losses or proposed significant changes in security
If a farm loan borrower can’t make payments to suppliers, other creditors, or FSA on time, contact your farm loan staff immediately to discuss loan servicing options.
For more information on FSA farm loan programs, contact your Local County USDA Service Center or visit fsa.usda.gov.
You have a lot at stake in making sure your crop insurance acreage reporting is accurate and on time. If you fail to report on time, you may not be protected. If you report too much acreage, you may pay too much premium. If you report too little acreage, you may recover less when you file a claim.
Crop insurance agents often say that mistakes in acreage reporting are the easiest way for producers to have an unsatisfactory experience with crop insurance. Don’t depend on your agent to do this important job for you. Your signature on the bottom of the acreage reporting form makes it, legally, your responsibility. Double-check it for yourself.
Remember - acreage reporting is your responsibility. Doing it right will save you money. Always get a copy of your report immediately after signing and filing it with your agent and keep it with your records. Remember, it is your responsibility to report crop damage to your agent within 72 hours of discovery. Never put damaged acreage to another use without prior written consent of the insurance adjuster. You don’t want to destroy any evidence of a possible claim. Learn more by visiting RMA’s website.
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