Vineland, NJ USDA Service Center- September 2024
In This Issue:
The Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) helps you manage risk through coverage for both crop losses and crop planting that was prevented due to natural disasters. The eligible or “noninsured” crops include agricultural commodities not covered by federal crop insurance.
You must be enrolled in the program and have purchased coverage for the eligible crop in the crop year and county in which the loss incurred to receive program benefits following a qualifying natural disaster.
The next closing deadline for New Jersey is September 30th for Aquaculture, Christmas Trees, Flowers, Grass (SOD), Garlic, Grass (Hay), Mixed Forage, Rye, Teff. New Jersey coverage deadlines: by closing date or by crop .
NAP Buy-Up Coverage Option
NAP offers higher levels of coverage, from 50 to 65 percent of expected production in 5 percent increments, at 100 percent of the average market price. Buy-up levels of NAP coverage are available if the producer can show at least one year of previously successfully growing the crop for which coverage is being requested.
Producers of organics and crops marketed directly to consumers also may exercise the “buy-up” option to obtain NAP coverage of 100 percent of the average market price at the coverage levels of between 50 and 65 percent of expected production.
NAP basic coverage is available at 55 percent of the average market price for crop losses that exceed 50 percent of expected production.
Buy-up coverage is not available for crops intended for grazing.
NAP Service Fees
For all coverage levels, the NAP service fee is the lesser of $325 per crop or $825 per producer per county, not to exceed a total of $1,950 for a producer with farming interests in multiple counties.
NAP Enhancements for Qualified Military Veterans
Qualified veteran farmers or ranchers are eligible for a service fee waiver and premium reduction, if the NAP applicant meets certain eligibility criteria.
Beginning, limited resource and targeted underserved farmers or ranchers remain eligible for a waiver of NAP service fees and premium reduction when they file form CCC-860, “Socially Disadvantaged, Limited Resource and Beginning Farmer or Rancher Certification.”
For NAP application, eligibility and related program information, contact your USDA Service Center or visit fsa.usda.gov/nap
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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 FSA at their local USDA Service Center and be prepared to provide documentation of organic certification and eligible expenses. OCCSP applications can also be submitted through participating state departments of agriculture. For more information, visit the OCCSP webpage.
More Information
USDA offers other assistance for organic producers, including the Organic Transition Initiative (OTI), which includes direct farmer assistance for organic production and processing and conservation. For more information on organic agriculture, visit farmers.gov/organic.
To learn more about FSA programs, producers can contact their local USDA Service Center. Producers can also prepare maps for acreage reporting as well as manage farm loans and view other farm records data and customer information by logging into their farmers.gov account. If you don’t have an account, sign up today.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is announcing the launch of the Debt Consolidation Tool, an innovative online tool available through farmers.gov that allows agricultural producers to enter their farm operating debt and evaluate the potential savings that might be provided by obtaining a debt consolidation loan with USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) or a local lender.
A debt consolidation loan is a new loan used to pay off other existing operating loans or lines of credit that might have unreasonable rates and terms. By combining multiple eligible debts into a single, larger loan, borrowers may obtain more favorable payment terms such as a lower interest rate or lower payments. Consolidating debt may also provide farmers and ranchers additional cash flow flexibilities.
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The United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in New Jersey is now accepting FY2025 applications for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), climate-smart practices through EQIP funded by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the Agricultural Management Assistance (AMA) program and the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP).
While NRCS accepts applications year-round, New Jersey producers and landowners should apply by October 18, 2024 to be considered for funding in the current cycle.
The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)
Through EQIP, NRCS provides agricultural producers with one-on-one help and financial assistance to plan and implement conservation practices to address a variety of issues such as water quality degradation, soil erosion, soil quality degradation and inadequate habitat for fish and wildlife.
Special initiatives include:
- Working Lands for Wildlife (WLFW) - Golden Winged-Warbler
- The National Water Quality Initiative (NWQI) and
- The New Jersey Pine Barrens Joint Chiefs’ Landscape Restoration Partnership
The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) - Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)
EQIP-IRA funds will provide direct climate mitigation benefits for producers to advance conservation through practices like cover cropping, conservation tillage, wetland restoration, prescribed grazing, nutrient management, tree planting and more.
Agricultural Management Assistance (AMA) Program
AMA is a voluntary conservation program available to beginning and limited resource farmers, small farms, and producers who have had limited participation in other USDA financial assistance programs. Producers eligible for AMA can apply for financial and technical assistance to voluntarily address resource issues such as water management, water quality, and erosion control by incorporating conservation into their farming operations.
The Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP)
Through RCPP, NRCS seeks to co-invest with partners to implement projects that demonstrate innovative solutions to conservation challenges and provide measurable improvements and outcomes tied to the resource concerns they seek to address. New Jersey’s RCPP land management projects are:
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Salem River Bog Turtle Protection and Restoration – Lead partner, New Jersey Audubon, will help private landowners increase wildlife habitat and habitat suitability for the endangered Bog Turtle population in the Upper Salem River Watershed by offering financial incentives to install and maintain conservation practices.
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Northern NJ Small Food Link Conservation Project – NRCS Partner, Urban Agriculture Cooperative, will deliver technical and financial assistance to new and historically underserved urban farmers in Northern N.J.
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Mine Brook Gorge Twin Dam Removals and Floodplain Restoration - Lead partner, Musconetcong Watershed Association will work to restore habitat for native cold-water fishes, reduce stream temperatures, and enhance biodiversity in the Mine Brook Tributary and Gorge.
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New Jersey Coastal Aquaculture - NRCS partner Ocean County SCD will lead this aquaculture project to promote aquatic habitat on shellfish leases and enhance water quality throughout the coastal bays of New Jersey.
Applications are available through your local USDA Service Center and online at https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/getting-assistance/get-started-with-nrcs
While NRCS accepts applications year-round, if you apply after the program ranking date, your application will automatically be considered during future funding cycles.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service in New Jersey (NRCS-NJ) is currently accepting applications for the Fiscal Year 2025 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and 2018 Farm Bill funding through the Agricultural Conservation Easements Program (ACEP). This includes eligible parcels for both Agricultural Land Easements (ALE) and Wetland Reserve Easements (WRE) for this sign-up period.
While applications for ACEP-ALE and ACEP-WRE are taken on a continuous basis, the batching dates to be considered for Fiscal Year 2025 funding are Oct. 4, 2024, for the first round of applications batching, and Dec. 20, 2024, for the second round of applications batching. NRCS-NJ may be offering additional signup dates for ALE.
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), Pub. L. No. 117-169, passed by the 117th United States Congress, authorized the use of ACEP funds for easements or interests in land most likely to reduce, capture, avoid, or sequester carbon dioxide, methane, or nitrous oxide emissions on program-eligible land.
Agricultural Land Easements
ACEP-ALE provides cost-share financial assistance to eligible partners for purchasing perpetual Agricultural Land Easements that protect the agricultural use and conservation values of eligible land. In the case of working farms, the program helps farmers and ranchers keep their land in agricultural production. The program also protects grazing uses and related conservation values by conserving grassland, including rangeland, pastureland, and shrubland. Eligible partners include American Indian tribes, state and local governments, and non-governmental organizations that have farmland, rangeland, or grassland protection programs.
For Fiscal Year 2025, lands that are prioritized include cropland or grassland where NRCS has identified a high threat of conversion to a nonagricultural use. Prioritized lands also include those that are classified as grassland or native vegetation (e.g., sagebrush, tall grass prairie) where NRCS has identified a high threat of conversion to a non-grassland use.”
Wetland Reserve Easements
Through ACEP-WRE, NRCS helps landowners and tribes restore, enhance, and protect wetland ecosystems. NRCS and the landowner work together to develop a plan for the restoration and maintenance of the easement.
Wetland Reserve Easements component of the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program provides habitat for migratory waterfowl and other wetland dependent wildlife, including threatened and endangered species; improves water quality by filtering sediments and chemicals; reduces flooding; recharges groundwater; protects biological diversity; provides resilience to climate change; and provides opportunities for educational, scientific and limited recreational activities.
All ACEP–WRE applications are ranked according to the potential for protecting and enhancing habitat for migratory birds, fish, and other wildlife. Compensation with a payment rate is based on an annual Area Wide Market Analysis (AWMA) established by the Geographic Area Rate Cap (GARC), or landowner offer, whichever is less. It is important that applicants provide accurate records of ownership. All landowners listed on the deed must work with their local FSA to ensure all required documents are filed (including Form CCC–902, Farm Operating Plan, as well as the adjusted gross income and conservation compliance forms).
How to Apply
Landowners interested in ACEP-WRE can apply through their local USDA Service Center.
Landowners interested in ACEP-ALE must work with a cooperating entity who will submit the required application materials. NRCS does not accept ACEP-ALE applications directly from producers. State and local governments, non-governmental organizations that have farmland or grassland protection programs, and several New Jersey land trusts are eligible to help interested landowners apply.
For more information about ACEP-ALE and ACEP-WRE, please refer to the NRCS-New Jersey ACEP Program Webpage or the NRCS ACEP national webpage. Questions about the program can be emailed to NRCS-NJ’s easement specialist, katelyn.colon@usda.gov.
To learn how to get started with NRCS, click here, or visit your local USDA service center. To learn how to sign up for free email alerts about the latest NRCS program and national funding opportunities, click here.
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Vineland, NJ USDA Service Center
1318 S. Main Rd. Bldg. 5A
Vineland, NJ 08360
Phone: 856-205-1225
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FARM SERVICE AGENCY
County Executive Director
Angela J. Andreoli
856-285-7661
Angela.Andreoli@usda.gov
Farm Loan Manager
Austin Baird
908-441-7508
Austin.Baird@usda.gov
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NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE
District Conservationist
Michelle Pedano
856-285-7651
Michelle.Pedano@usda.gov
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