In order to comply with FSA program eligibility requirements, all producers are encouraged to contact the Buncombe/Madison County FSA Office to file an accurate crop certification report by the applicable deadline. Call and make an appointment to save time (828-649-2712) or email one of the employees.

Maps are now available at the Madison/Buncombe County FSA Office for acreage reporting purposes. If you wish to receive your maps by e-mail, please call our office at 828-649-2712 ext. 2 or email one of the employees.  

The following acreage reporting dates are applicable for Madison County:

January 2, 2024 Apiculture (Bee Hives)

January 15, 2024 Apples, Blueberries, Canola, Grapes, Fall Seeded Small Grains

May 1, 2024 Nursey Crops

May 30, 2024 Beans, Cabbage, Kale, Lettuce, Strawberries, Potatoes (anything planted before May 15) 

July 15, 2024 Beans, Cabbage, Greens, Lettuce, Onions, Corn, Soybeans, Tobacco, Grain Sorghum, Tomatoes, Peppers, Potatoes, Pumpkins, Squash, CRP, Hay, Pasture, and all other crops and land uses not listed. 

July 31, 2024 Hemp (Best to report within 30 days after planting)                                       

September 15, 2024 Cabbage PP2, Greens PP2, Lettuce

The following exceptions apply to the above acreage reporting dates:

• If the crop has not been planted by the above acreage reporting date, then the acreage must be reported no later than 15 calendar days after planting is completed.
• If a producer acquires additional acreage after the above acreage reporting date, then the acreage must be reported no later than 30 calendars days after purchase or acquiring the lease. Appropriate documentation must be provided to the county office.
• If a perennial forage crop is reported with the intended use of “cover only,” “green manure,” “left standing,” or “seed,” then the acreage must be reported by July 15th.

Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) policy holders should note that the acreage reporting date for NAP covered crops is the earlier of the dates listed above or 15 calendar days before grazing or harvesting of the crop begins.

USDA is now accepting nominations for county committee members for elections that will occur later this year. County Committee members make important decisions on how federal farm programs are administered locally. All nomination forms for the 2024 election must be postmarked or received in the local FSA office by August 1, 2024.   

Elections in Madison County will occur in Local Administrative Areas Two (LAA 2) for 2024. LAAs are elective areas for FSA committees in a single county or multi-county jurisdiction and they may include LAAs that are focused on an urban or suburban area.  LAA 2 in Madison County consist of  the following Communities; Hot Springs, Laurel, Rice Cove, and Spring Creek.  Producers can locate their LAA through a new GIS locator tool available at fsa.usda.gov/elections.

Agricultural producers may be nominated for candidacy for the county committee if they:

• Participate or cooperate in a USDA program; and
• Reside in the LAA that is up for election this year.

A cooperating producer is someone who has provided information about their farming or ranching operation to FSA, even if they have not applied or received program benefits. Individuals may nominate themselves or others and qualifying organizations may also nominate candidates. USDA encourages minority producers, women and beginning farmers or ranchers to nominate, vote and hold office.   

More Information 

Producers should contact the Madison/Buncombe FSA Office (828-649-2712 extension 2) today to register and find out how to get involved in their county’s election, including if their LAA is up for election this year. To be considered, a producer must be registered and sign an FSA-669A nomination form.

Nomination forms and other information about FSA county committee elections are available at fsa.usda.gov/elections.  Election ballots will be mailed to eligible voters beginning November 4, 2024.

Through the Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP), USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) will cover up to 75% of organic certification costs at a maximum of $750 per certification category. FSA is now accepting applications, and organic producers and handlers should apply for OCCSP by the Oct. 31, 2024, deadline for eligible expenses incurred from Oct. 1, 2023, to Sept. 30, 2024. FSA will issue payments as applications are received and approved.

OCCSP was part of a broader organic announcement made by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on May 15, 2024, which also included the Organic Market Development Grant program and Organic Transition Initiative.

Eligible Applicants, Expenses and Categories

OCCSP provides cost-share assistance to producers and handlers of organic agricultural commodities for expenses incurred obtaining or maintaining organic certification under USDA’s National Organic Program. Eligible OCCSP applicants include any certified organic producers or handlers who have paid organic certification fees to a USDA-accredited certifying agent.

Cost share assistance covers expenses including application fees, inspection costs, fees related to equivalency agreement and arrangement requirements, inspector travel expenses, user fees, sales assessments and postage. OCCSP pays a maximum of $750 per certification category for crops, wild crops, livestock, processing/handling, and state organic program fees (California only).

 How to Apply

To apply, producers and handlers should contact the Madison/Buncombe FSA office at 828-649-2712 extension 2.