Are you tilling a farm for the first time this year? Maybe you are rotating watermelons or potatoes on another producer’s farm. Before you will be able to report those crop acres to FSA, we’ll need to verify the producer change for the land. This can be accomplished in a number of ways. New producers can provide a copy of the lease agreement. The farm owner can verify the operator change directly to FSA. Or, the previous farm operator can verify that a new producer will be tilling the farm.
The deadline to report peas and potatoes is Wednesday, May 15. Most other spring-seeded crops and perennial forage must be reported by Monday, July 15. If you have any farm changes, please contact your local office to have the records updated ahead of time or bring the documentation with you when you report. With your permission, FSA will send crop acreage reports to your crop insurance agent. This saves you an extra step and ensures consistency. It’s very important that this report is accurate and complete so please let us know as soon as possible if you’ve picked up or dropped any farms.
Please stay safe on the roads and in the field!
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced today that 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 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.
On average, local USDA Service Centers process more than 225,000 farm loan payments each year. Pay My Loan gives most borrowers an online repayment option and relieves them from needing to call, mail, or visit a Service Center to pay their loan installment. Farm loan payments can now be made at the borrower’s convenience, on their schedule and outside of FSA office hours.
Pay My Loan also provides time savings for FSA’s farm loan employees by minimizing manual payment processing activities. This new service for producers means that farm loan employees will have more time to focus on reviewing and processing new loans or servicing requests.
The Pay My Loan feature can be accessed at farmers.gov/loans. To use the payment feature, producers must establish a USDA customer account and a USDA Level 2 eAuthentication (“eAuth”) account or a Login.gov account. This initial release only allows individuals with loans to make online payments. For now, borrowers with jointly payable checks will need to continue to make loan payments through their local office.
FSA has a significant initiative underway to streamline and automate the Farm Loan Program customer-facing business process. For the over 26,000 producers who submit a direct loan application annually, FSA has made various improvements including:
- The Online Loan Application, an 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.
- The Loan Assistance Tool that provides customers with an interactive online, step-by-step guide to identifying the direct loan products that may be a fit for their business needs and to understanding the application process.
- A simplified direct loan paper application, which reduced loan applications by more than half, from 29 pages to 13 pages.
Using the correct signature when doing business with FSA can save time and prevent a delay in program benefits.
The following are FSA signature guidelines:
- A married woman must sign her given name: Mrs. Mary Doe, not Mrs. John Doe
- For a minor, FSA requires the minor's signature and one from the minor’s parent
Note, by signing a document with a minor, the parent is liable for actions of the minor and may be liable for refunds, liquidated damages, etc.
When signing on one’s behalf the signature must agree with the name typed or printed on the form or be a variation that does not cause the name and signature to be in disagreement. Example - John W. Smith is on the form. The signature may be John W. Smith or J.W. Smith or J. Smith. Or Mary J. Smith may be signed as Mrs. Mary Joe Smith, M.J. Smith, Mary Smith, etc.
FAXED signatures will be accepted for certain forms and other documents provided the acceptable program forms are approved for FAXED signatures. Producers are responsible for the successful transmission and receipt of FAXED information.
Spouses may sign documents on behalf of each other for FSA and CCC programs in which either has an interest, unless written notification denying a spouse this authority has been provided to the county office.
Spouses cannot sign on behalf of each other as an authorized signatory for partnerships, joint ventures, corporations or other similar entities. Likewise, a spouse cannot sign a document on behalf of the other in order to affirm the eligibility of oneself.
Any member of a general partnership can sign on behalf of the general partnership and bind all members unless the Articles of Partnership are more restrictive. Spouses may sign on behalf of each other’s individual interest in a partnership, unless notification denying a spouse that authority is provided to the county office. Acceptable signatures for general partnerships, joint ventures, corporations, estates, and trusts must consist of an indicator “by” or “for” the individual’s name, individual’s name and capacity, or individual’s name, capacity, and name of entity.
For additional clarification on proper signatures contact your local FSA office.
Producers are encouraged to call their local FSA office to schedule an appointment to ensure maximum use of their time and to make sure FSA staff is available to tend to their important business needs. Please call your local FSA office ahead to set an appointment and to discuss any records or documentation that might be needed during your appointment. To find your local FSA office, visit farmers.gov/working-with-us/service-center-locator. Or call one of our local offices at:
New Castle: (302)-832-3100 Ext 2 (Wednesdays & Thursdays)
Kent/New Castle: (everyday) (302)-741-2600 Ext 2
Sussex: (302)-856-3990 Ext 2
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
- 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.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The project supervisor must recommend the youth loan applicant, along with providing adequate supervision.
For help preparing the application forms, contact your Delaware USDA Service Center at 302-856-3990 or visit fsa.usda.gov.
Ask USDA is now available as a tool for FSA customers to ask questions about FSA programs and services.
Ask USDA, available at ask.usda.gov is similar to AskFSA, which was decommissioned Sept. 21, but it also 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.
All Delaware FSA offices will be closed these dates:
Monday - May 27, 2024 - Memorial Day
Wednesday - June 19, 2024 - Juneteenth National Independence Day
Thursday - July 4, 2024 - Independence Day
March 15 ARC/PLC contract enrollment deadline
March 15
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Application closing date to purchase NAP on the following crops: asparagus, beans, broccoli, cabbage, canary melons, cantaloupes, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, greens, hemp, honey dew, lettuce, peppers, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, squash, & tomatoes.
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May 15
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Peas and potato reporting deadline to FSA.
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July 15
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Spring planted crop reporting deadline to FSA.
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August 15
September 1
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FCIC processing beans crop reporting deadline to FSA
Application closing date to purchase NAP on mixed forage.
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September 30
October 6
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Application closing date to purchase NAP on Mollusk
Emergency loan application deadline
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November 20th
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Application closing date to purchase NAP on the following crops: Apples, Blueberries, & Peaches.
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December 15
December 31
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Cover Crop & Small Grain crop reporting deadline to FSA.
Application closing date to purchase NAP on Honey.
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**Any crops planted after the deadline have 15 calendar days from the day of planting to report to the county office.**
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