In This Issue:
 Looking for ways to do business with USDA that saves you time? Look no further than farmers.gov.
When you create a farmers.gov account for the farmers.gov authenticated site, you have access to self-service features through a secure login. Managing your business with the Farm Service Agency (FSA) and the National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is faster than ever. From e-signing documents, viewing, printing, and exporting maps and receiving notifications of payment disbursements, a farmers.gov authenticated account makes doing business with USDA easy and secure.
What can you do with your farmers.gov account?
- Submit a Direct Farm Loan application. This tool and other process improvements allow farmers and ranchers to submit complete loan applications. Helpful features include an electronic signature option, the ability to attach supporting documents such as tax returns, complete a balance sheet, and build a farm operating plan.
- View NRCS Disbursements and Farm Loans financial activity from the past 180 days.
- View, print and export detailed farm records and farm/tract maps.
- Export common land unit (field) boundaries as ESRI and GeoJSON file types.
- Import precision agriculture planting boundaries, create labels containing crop information, and print both on farm tract maps.
- Use the draw tools to determine acres in an area of interest that can be printed on a map and provided to a third party or exported as a feature file for use in other geospatial applications.
- View, upload, download and e-sign NRCS documents.
- Request conservation and financial assistance, including submitting a program application.
- Access information on current and past conservation practices, report practice completion and request practice certification
- View detailed information on previous and ongoing contracts, including the amount of cost- share assistance received and request contract modifications.
- View Farm Loan Program loans: View Farm Loan principal and interest balances, payment history, loan terms, and download interest statements.
How do you create a farmers.gov account?
To create a farmers.gov account you will need:
- A USDA individual customer record - A customer record contains information you have given to USDA to do business with them, like your name, address, phone number, and any legal representative authority relationships.
- A login.gov account – Login.gov is a sign-in service that gives people secure online access to participating government programs.
- Customers who are new to USDA should visit Get Started at Your USDA Service Center, then go to gov/account to create a farmers.gov account.
In addition to the self-service features, farmers.gov also has information on USDA programs, farm loans, disaster assistance, conservation programs and crop insurance.
Decide by March 15th.
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.
Upcoming Closing Dates:
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March 15, 2022: Fresh Beans, Brussel Sprouts, Cantaloupe, Celery, Cucumbers, Eggplant, Honeydews, Oats, Okra, Peppers, Pumpkins, Sorghum Forage, Squash, Sweet Corn (processing), Sweet Potatoes, Sunflowers, Tomatillos, Tomatoes(Fresh) and Watermelons.
- Click here for a complete list of NAP closing deadlines, by closing date or by crop name.
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.
Basic NAP coverage is free and buy-up coverage is 50% off for beginning, limited resource, minority and women farmers. This includes entities whose membership is at least 50% beginning, limited resource, minority and women farmers.
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.
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Don’t wait! USDA’s Risk Management Agency may have the coverage you need if you are running a smaller operation. The Whole-Farm Revenue Protection and Micro Farm are great risk management options for urban, organic and/or innovative producers.
RMA Whole Farm Revenue Protection provides a risk management safety net for all commodities on the farm under one insurance. This covers farms with specialty or organic commodities and or those marketing to local, regional, specialty, and direct markets, and allows diversified farms to insure all their crops under one policy. Check out Frequently Asked Questions on Whole-Farm Revenue Protection. Sales closing dates vary by region, and upcoming sales closing dates are Feb. 28 and March 31, 2024! To purchase before your sales closing date, speak to a crop insurance agent as soon as possible.
RMA’s Micro Farm Program gives smaller operations (up to $350,000 in approved revenue) a more cost-effective way to insure all or most of their commodities under one policy. This is ideal for producers who participate in farmers markets and local food networks because post-production operations, such as canning, freezing, and processing can be used to calculate your farm’s insurance guarantee. Check out Frequently Asked Questions on Micro Farm. Sales closing dates vary by region, and are Feb. 28, March 31, and April 15, 2024! To purchase before your sales closing date, speak to a crop insurance agent as soon as possible.
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.
Learn more about crop insurance for urban farmers and innovative producers.
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The U. S Department of Agriculture (USDA) will provide more than $3 billion to commodity and specialty crop producers impacted by natural disaster events in 2022. Eligible impacted producers can apply for financial assistance through the Emergency Relief Program (ERP) 2022. The program will help offset the financial impacts of crop yield and value losses from qualifying disasters occurring in 2022.
ERP 2022 covers losses to crops, trees, bushes and vines due to qualifying, calendar year 2022 natural disaster events including wildfires, hurricanes, floods, derechos, excessive heat, tornadoes, winter storms, freeze (including a polar vortex), smoke exposure, excessive moisture, qualifying drought and related conditions.
AS NOTED ON YOUR APPLICATON, THE PAYMENT AMOUNT ON TRACK 1 APPLICATION RECEIVED IN THE MAIL IS NOT THE FINAL PAYMENT AMOUNT AND WILL BE SUBJECT TO ADJUSTMENTS.
Read more here: https://www.fsa.usda.gov/state-offices/New-Jersey/news-releases/2023/usda-to-provide-more-than-3-billion-to-commodity-and-specialty-crop-producers-impacted-by-2022-natural-disasters-
More Information
ERP 2022 eligibility details and payment calculation factor tables are available on the emergency relief website, in the ERP Track 1 and ERP Track 2 fact sheets and through your local FSA county office.
 The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has launched an online application for Direct Loan customers. More than 26,000 customers who submit a Direct Loan application each year can now use an online, interactive, guided application that is paperless and provides helpful features including an electronic signature option, the ability to attach supporting documents such as tax returns, complete a balance sheet and build a farm operating plan. This tool is part of a broader effort by USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) to streamline its processes, improve customers service, and expand credit access.
Click here to learn more: https://www.fsa.usda.gov/state-offices/New-Jersey/news-releases/2023/usda-now-accepting-applications-for-farm-loans-online-
To use the online loan application tool, producers must establish a USDA customer account and a USDA Level 2 eAuthentication (“eAuth”) account or a Login.gov account.
Most farm loan borrowers will soon be able to make payments to their direct loans online through the Pay My Loan feature on farmers.gov starting in early February. Pay My Loan is part of a broader effort by USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) to streamline its processes, especially for producers who may have limited time during the planting or harvest seasons to visit a local FSA office; modernize and improve customer service; provide additional customer self-service tools; and expand credit access to assist more producers.
Learn more here: https://www.fsa.usda.gov/state-offices/New-Jersey/news-releases/2024/farmers-ranchers-now-can-make-usda-farm-loan-payments-online
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is offering financial assistance to agricultural producers and private landowners enrolled in its Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) to improve the health of their forests. The Forest Management Incentive, available through USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA), can help participants with forest management practices, such as brush management and prescribed burning.
The Forest Management Incentive is available to participants with active CRP contracts with forest cover that are not within two years of expiring. The incentive is a payment to eligible CRP participants who properly completed authorized forest management practice activities to improve the condition of resources, promote forest management and enhance wildlife habitat.
Learn more here: https://www.fsa.usda.gov/state-offices/New-Jersey/news-releases/2024/usda-encourages-producers-participating-in-conservation-reserve-program-to-consider-forest-management-incentive
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Agricultural producers who farm in coastal states are recommended to consider Hurricane Insurance Protection – Wind Index (HIP-WI), which covers a portion of the deductible of the underlying crop insurance policy when a county, or county adjacent, is within the area of sustained hurricane-force winds. HIP-WI also includes a Tropical Storm Option. To date, this coverage has provided $700 million to producers, which includes payments for both hurricanes and tropical storms.
Last fall, USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) received valuable feedback from producers, agents, and Approved Insurance Providers on ways to improve education. In response, RMA developed new resources including a video, a podcast, and updated frequently asked questions. RMA will continue to collect feedback to strengthen this vital tool for producers in hurricane prone areas.
Upcoming sales closing dates are February 28 and March 15.
To purchase before your sales closing date, speak to a crop insurance agent as soon as possible.
Learn more about HIP-WI,
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 The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing approximately $11.5 million in 38 cooperative agreements that support innovative, scalable waste management plans to reduce and divert food waste from landfills. This includes a project in Princeton, New Jersey.
The Composting and Food Waste Reduction cooperative agreements, which are funded by the American Rescue Plan Act, are part of USDA’s broad support for urban agriculture. The program is jointly administered by USDA’s Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). The recommended projects will be implemented between now and 2026.
Read more here: https://www.fsa.usda.gov/state-offices/New-Jersey/news-releases/2024/usda-invests-approximately-11.5-million-in-composting-and-food-waste-reduction-projects-in-23-states-including-new-jersey
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is requesting public input – due by Feb. 16, 2024 – on how foreign filers report agricultural land holdings in the United States. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is proposing to update the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act Report form so that reporting can include data on long-term lessees, data to assess the impacts of foreign investment on agricultural producers and rural communities, and to gather geospatial information. These updates to the form will help FSA in the collection of data as it administers the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act of 1978 (AFIDA).
More information is available here: https://www.fsa.usda.gov/news-room/news-releases/2023/usda-requests-public-input-on-reporting-for-foreign-agriculture-land-holdings
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