Hello everyone! I am pleased to introduce myself as the new County Executive Director in Training in the Rhode Island FSA County Office. With four years in the Rhode Island County FSA Office as a program technician, I have gotten to know many of the producers in Rhode Island and I am excited to continue working with new and existing producers on all of the helpful programs that FSA has to offer.

What a great time to be growing in Rhode Island! The Rhode Island County FSA office has many new programs available for producers. We are now accepting applications for the Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP). This program covers up to 75% of eligible certification costs. Eligible cost include application fees, application fees, inspection costs, fees related to equivalency agreement/arrangement requirements, travel/per diem for inspectors, user fees, sales assessments, and postage. Expenses for the 2024 program year must be accrued from October 1^st, 2023 to September 30^th, 2024. FSA works closely with our state partner, the RI Department of Environmental Management, to administer OCCSP.  To request an application for OCCSP, please contact Matt Green with the RIDEM Division of Agriculture Organic Certification Program at (401) 222-2781 ext. 2774516.  If you have questions about what USDA programs are available for your organic operation, give us a call at (401) 828-3120 option 1.  

Need a place to start? FSA has great resources to get your farming operation off the ground including financing, conservation assistance, risk management, and disaster assistance. Visit www.farmers.gov/newfarmers to access all tools available to new producers or contact the county office at (401) 828-3120 option 1 and we can help guide you through the process.

Make sure you don’t miss any important deadlines by signing up to receive FSA notifications through text messages. To subscribe to these services, text RIKent to FSANOW, that’s 372-669. Standard text messaging rates apply. Speaking of important deadlines, the deadline to report your acreage to the County Office is Monday, July 15^th, 2024.

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Signed on July 26, 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including employment, transportation, housing and access to various government programs and services. Since 1990, we celebrate Disability Pride Month annually in July. It's a time for people living with disabilities to honor their many unique talents and skills. Disability, visible or invisible, can happen at any point in a person's lifetime. As individuals, we experience disability differently. Celebrating Disability Pride includes expanding your consciousness of those living with disabilities and reflecting upon their contributions. Increased awareness invites opportunities to change how disability is perceived, end stigmas and promote expanded appreciation as a natural part of human diversity. Learn more...

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The new customer kiosks from USDA’s Farm Service Agency are now available at every county office nationwide. These kiosks help to streamline your visit to your local county office and easily access a variety of features such as signing FSA documents, utilizing the Loan Assistance Tool, browsing USDA programs, accessing the internet, accessing necessary personal information, and signing up for a Login.gov account, which provides access to farmers.gov level two features and other USDA and U.S. Government web resources. Future kiosk functionality enhancements include a customer check-in application, self-service option for FSA program applications and documents, financial inquiries and more. Learn more about how FSA is modernizing our customer experience...

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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is expanding the Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops (FSCSC) program to now include medium-sized businesses in addition to small businesses. Eligible specialty crop growers can apply for assistance for expenses related to obtaining or renewing a food safety certification. The program has also been expanded to include assistance for 2024 and 2025 expenses. Producers can apply for assistance on their calendar year 2024 expenses beginning July 1, 2024, through Jan. 31, 2025. For program year 2025, the application period will be Jan. 1, 2025, through Jan. 31, 2026.

Program Details

FSCSC assists specialty crop operations that incurred eligible on-farm food safety certification and expenses related to obtaining or renewing a food safety certification. 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.

Eligible FSCSC applicants must be a specialty crop operation; meet the definition of a small or medium-size business and have paid eligible expenses related to certification. Learn more...

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The Rhode Island State Technical Committee (STC) advises NRCS serves in an advisory capacity to NRCS and other USDA agencies on the implementation of the natural resources conservation provisions of Farm Bill legislation. STCs are intended to include members from a wide variety of natural resource and agricultural interests.

Chaired by Rhode Island NRCS State Conservationist, R. Phou Vongkhamdy, the RI STC is composed of representatives from Federal and State natural resource agencies, American Indian Tribes, agricultural and environmental organizations, and agricultural producers. The STC meets regularly to provide information, analysis, and recommendations to USDA officials, who strongly consider their advice. Individuals or groups wanting to participate as members on the Rhode Island State Technical Committee may submit requests to RI State Conservationist, R. Phou Vongkhamdy, explaining their interest and relevant credentials.

The meeting is open to the public, but registration is required so that participants can be provided with a link to access the meeting. To register, please contact Jermaine Jenkins, Assistant State Conservationist for Field Operations, at 401-822-8824 or jermaine.jenkins@usda.gov. Learn more about State Technical Committees.

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Finding the right risk management fit for your farm can feel overwhelming, especially for specialty crop and small-scale farmers and ranchers. That’s why the USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) created a new searchable directory of crop insurance agents who have experience selling Whole-Farm Revenue Protection (WFRP) and Micro Farm policies. With 1,135 crop insurance agents listed, providing coverage in all 50 states, the process of finding the “right risk management fit” just got easier.

In addition to the new directory, there are other resources available for specialty crop producers including regional specialists located in each of the RMA regional offices. Feedback is crucial to continually improving risk management options, and specialty crop producers can reach out with suggestions or questions by emailing SpecialtyCrops@usda.gov. Specialty crop and small-scale producers are encouraged to use the new searchable directory and visit the RMA Specialty Crops page. 

Whole-Farm Revenue Protection

The first of its kind, WFRP recognizes diversification found on specialty and small-scale farms. With WFRP producers can insure their entire operation including crops, livestock, and nursery production, under one policy. Another advantage of WFRP coverage is it bridges the insurance gap for several specialty crops that don’t currently have individual policies available.  

Micro Farm

Also included in WFRP, the Micro Farm option gives smaller operations more streamlined insurance options. It provides a risk management safety net for all commodities on your farm under one insurance policy. This insurance plan is tailored for any farm with up to $350,000 in approved revenue, including farms with specialty or organic commodities (both crops and livestock), or those marketing to local, regional, farm-identity preserved, specialty, or direct markets. 

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