 Nominations are now being accepted for farmers and ranchers to serve on local U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) county committees. These committees make important decisions about 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 Aug. 1, 2024.
Elections for committee members will occur in certain Local Administrative Areas (LAA). LAAs are elective areas for FSA committees in a single county or multi-county jurisdiction and may include LAAs that are focused on an urban or suburban area.
Customers can locate their LAA through a geographic information system locator tool available at fsa.usda.gov/elections and determine if their LAA is up for election by contacting their local FSA office.
Agricultural producers may be nominated for candidacy for the county committee if they:
- Participate or cooperate in a USDA program.
- 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, women, urban and beginning farmers or ranchers to nominate, vote and hold office.
Nationwide, more than 7,700 dedicated members of the agricultural community serve on FSA county committees. The committees are made up of three to 11 members who serve three-year terms.
Committee members are vital to how FSA carries out disaster recovery, conservation, commodity and price support programs, as well as making decisions on county office employment and other agricultural issues.
You should contact your local FSA office today to register and find out how to get involved in your county’s election, including if their LAA is up for election this year. To be considered, you must be registered and sign an FSA-669A nomination form. This form and other information about FSA county committee elections are available at fsa.usda.gov/elections.
All nomination forms for the 2024 election must be postmarked or received in the local USDA Service Center by the Aug.1, 2024, deadline. Election ballots will be mailed to eligible voter
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.
Want to learn more about how FSA is modernizing our customer experience? If so, check out this Farmers.gov Ask the Expert Blog Post.
FSA offers online resources that can help producers understand our programs.
The Loan Assistance Tool allows producers to check their eligibility for FSA loans, discover the various FSA loan products, learn about documentation requirements, follow easy-to-understand instructions when completing the loan application forms, and use a map locator to identify and contact their local FSA Service Center to discuss loan assistance.
The Direct Loan Application was developed to provide an improved customer experience for producers applying for loans from FSA. The simplified direct loan application provides applicants with the financial documents necessary for the loan official approval to complete the loan process. The last page of the application also includes information on what additional documents will be required for processing of the loan application.
The Online Loan Application is an online, interactive, guided Direct Loan application that provides helpful features including an electronic signature option, the ability to attach supporting documents, and build a farm operating plan. It replicates the support an applicant would receive when completing a loan application in person with an FSA Farm Loan Officer, while continuing to provide customers with one-on-one assistance as needed. The online application tool is only available for producers who will be, or are currently, operating their farm as an individual. FSA is expanding the tools availability to married couples applying jointly and other legal entities in 2024. For additional information, access Online Loan Application Customer Guide (farmers.gov).
The Pay My Loan self-service tool allows an FSA customer with a farm loan to make an online payment through a secure portal on their schedule and not constrained by FSA office hours. The tool can be used on a desktop computer, tablet, or smart phone. For additional information, visit farmers.gov or access: User Guide for Accessing Loan Information and Online Payments (farmers.gov).
The Your Guide to FSA Farm Loans guidebook simplifies information on the types of farm loans available; how to apply for a guaranteed loan, direct loan, or land contract guarantee; what you can expect once you submit your application; and most importantly, your rights and responsibilities as an FSA customer.
The Your FSA Farm Loan Compass guidebook simplifies information regarding the responsibilities of FSA loan borrowers and the loan servicing options available to them.
Spanish language versions of the Your Guide to FSA Farm Loans and Your FSA Farm Loan Compass guidebooks are available as well.
Summer is the season for freshwater harmful algal blooms, which can produce toxins that are harmful to humans, livestock, working animals, and pets. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has several conservation practices that may help farmers and ranchers protect animals and people by restricting access to contaminated water or providing alternate water sources.
The ABCs of HABs
Freshwater harmful algal blooms (HABs) are usually caused by rapid of blue-green algae (known as cyanobacteria) in water bodies such as lakes, ponds, and streams. These organisms can produce toxins (known as cyanotoxins) that are harmful to humans, livestock, working animals, and pets. Contacting or ingesting contaminated water (including water spray or mist) can result in irritation, illness, or even death.
Cyanobacteria are naturally found in water bodies, so they cannot be eradicated. Instead, it’s important to understand how and why blooms occur. Cyanobacterial blooms and their potential toxicity often are a result of excess nutrients, such as phosphorus and nitrogen, in water bodies. Excess nutrients can come from adjacent agricultural lands, livestock waste, and leaky septic systems, among other sources. HABs typically form in summer, when warm, nutrient-rich, stagnant waters and more frequent sunlight increase the opportunity for their growth.
Treatment of current HABs involves chemical, biological, or mechanical treatment targeted directly at the contaminated waters. Prevention of future HABs involves changing the conditions that favor cyanobacteria, including nutrient management of the surrounding land and trapping or treating nutrient losses to waterbodies.
Risks HABs pose to livestock, working animals, and pets
Symptoms* of cyanotoxin exposure in animals include:
- vomiting
- excessive salivation
- fatigue
- staggered walking
- difficulty breathing
- weakness
- convulsions
- liver failure
In severe cases, HAB poisoning can lead to death. Therefore, any potential intoxication needs to be immediately addressed by qualified professionals.
NRCS is not the authority on HAB symptoms in animals and humans. Please refer to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website for further information on HAB symptoms or contact your state or county health department.
Steps you can take if a potential exposure to cyanotoxins has occurred:
- Eliminate animal access to the suspected contaminated water source.
- Wash animals with clean water and monitor for symptoms of exposure to cyanotoxins. Isolate any animals exhibiting symptoms and seek veterinary care as soon as possible.
- An alternative source of livestock drinking water might be needed.
- Contact the appropriate state agency for sampling and testing guidance to test the water source for HABs and cyanotoxins. It is not safe for landowners to sample the water themselves without proper personal protective equipment and procedures.
- If a HAB occurs, there is potential for recurrence. Therefore, the waterbody should be monitored.
- Adopt conservation practices that reduce the risk of livestock exposure to HABs and prevent and reduce nutrient loading to waters to minimize the risk of future HABs occurrences.
Reduce livestock exposure to HABs
If HABs or cyanotoxins have been detected in a water body, preventing exposure by restricting access is key to ensuring the health and well-being of people, livestock, working animals and pets on the farm.
NRCS has several conservation practices that may be useful to exclude livestock from contaminated waters or provide alternative water sources. Some examples are:
- Fencing
- Pond
- Access control
- Water well
- Watering facility
For more information or assistance:
To learn more about how NRCS can help address HAB concerns or other natural resource concerns, visit the NRCS website or contact NRCS at your local USDA Service Center.
July 31 – Final Date to Submit an Offer for CLEAR30 CRP Signup
August 1 – Nesting Season Ends for Indiana Conservation Reserve Program Practices August 1 – Deadline to File COC Election Nomination Forms (Postmarked or Delivered to Local FSA Office)
Ongoing – Submit an Application for a Farm Storage Facility Loan
Ongoing – Submit an Offer for Continuous Conservation Reserve Program Practices Continuous - Submit an Application for FSA Farm Loans
Continuous - Signup for Local County Office FSA Text Alerts - Text Your Service Center Keyword to FSANOW (372-669)
Continuous – Sign up for GovDelivery Newsletters, Bulletins and Indiana Press Releases (Subscribe to USDA Emails for Farmers | Farmers.gov)
USDA announced loan interest rates for July 2024, which are effective July 1, 2024. USDA’s FSA loans provide important access to capital to help agricultural producers start or expand their farming operation, purchase equipment and storage structures, or meet cash flow needs.
FSA offers farm ownership and operating loans with favorable interest rates and terms to help eligible agricultural producers, whether multi-generational, long-time or new to the industry, obtain financing needed to start, expand or maintain a family agricultural operation. For many loan options, FSA sets aside funding for historically disadvantaged producers, including beginning, women, American Indian or Alaskan Native, Asian, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and Hispanic farmers and ranchers.
Interest rates for Operating and Ownership loans for July 2024 are as follows:
FSA also offers guaranteed loans through commercial lenders at rates set by those lenders.
Check your eligibility for FSA loans by utilizing the Farm Loan Assistance Tool. Visit farmers.gov/loans or fsa.usda.gov to learn more.
Commodity and Storage Facility Loans
Additionally, FSA provides low-interest financing to producers to build or upgrade on-farm storage facilities and purchase handling equipment and loans that provide interim financing to help producers meet cash flow needs without having to sell their commodities when market prices are low. Funds for these loans are provided through the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) and are administered by FSA.
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Commodity Loans (less than one year disbursed): 6.125%
- Farm Storage Facility Loans:
- Three-year loan terms: 4.625%
- Five-year loan terms: 4.375%
- Seven-year loan terms: 4.375%
- Ten-year loan terms: 4.375%
- Twelve-year loan terms: 4.375%
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