Indiana FSA State Newsletter - September 13, 2024
In This Issue:
As fall will be upon us very soon, I hope everyone had a great growing season and have enjoyed the summer events that support American agriculture. As we head to the busy time of fall harvest, please be mindful of farm safety considerations on your operation. September 15-21 is National Farm Safety and Health week, highlighting the importance of focusing on farm safety every day, but especially during this time of year. Please stay safe as you navigate rural roads and harvest the crop with equipment working overtime.
Thank you for all you do to provide the food, fuel, feed and fiber for our lives. Fall is here and harvest is underway in the Hoosier heartland. Farm safety is thought about, but during this time of the year, it sometimes takes a back seat to the focus of the day – getting the crop from the field to the wagon, to the bins, to market! Here are a few quick reminders as you reap your 2024 crop:
- Slow down and take a breath – especially on the road: remember to use flashers and slow-moving vehicle emblems and consider using a follow vehicle when moving equipment.
- Wear proper clothing: Hooded sweatshirts and jackets are often a go-to during harvest but can be very dangerous around moving parts. Take the strings out of your sweatshirts or switch to crewnecks. Wearing visible clothing is important too and teaches the younger generation how important being seen is on the farm.
- Practice grain bin and silo safety: Grain harvest and storage can be hazardous. Never be alone when entering a silo or grain bin.
- Don’t forget to rest: Harvest is one of the busiest times of the year on the farm. You are closely watching the weather forecast and trying to beat the rain or the wind. It is easy to rack up the hours without resting your body. The lack of sleep can slow your response times and makes it more difficult to focus. Do not ignore your health.
- Have an emergency plan: Creating a plan for emergencies is essential. Knowing who to call and where they should go can save you time in the moment and could potentially save lives. Develop and then communicate your emergency plan with others on the farm.
I wish you a safe and healthy harvest season. If you need something from FSA, we are only a phone call away.
Sincerely In Agriculture,
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State Executive Director
Marketing Assistance Loans (MALs) and Loan Deficiency Payments (LDPs) provide financing and marketing assistance for wheat, feed grains, soybeans, and other oilseeds, pulse crops, rice, peanuts, cotton, wool and honey. MALs provide you with interim financing after harvest to help you meet cash flow needs without having to sell your commodities when market prices are typically at harvest-time lows. A producer who is eligible to obtain a loan, but agrees to forgo the loan, may obtain an LDP if such a payment is available.
FSA is now accepting requests for 2024 MALs and LDPs for all eligible commodities after harvest. Requests for loans and LDPs shall be made on or before the final availability date for the respective commodities.
Commodity certificates are available to loan holders who have outstanding nonrecourse loans for wheat, upland cotton, rice, feed grains, pulse crops (dry peas, lentils, large and small chickpeas), peanuts, wool, soybeans and designated minor oilseeds. These certificates can be purchased at the posted county price (or adjusted world price or national posted price) for the quantity of commodity under loan, and must be immediately exchanged for the collateral, satisfying the loan. MALs redeemed with commodity certificates are not subject to Adjusted Gross Income provisions.
To be considered eligible for an LDP, you must have form CCC-633EZ, Page 1 on file at your local FSA Office before losing beneficial interest in the crop. Pages 2, 3 or 4 of the form must be submitted when payment is requested.
Marketing loan gains (MLGs) and loan deficiency payments (LDPs) are no longer subject to payment limitations, actively engaged in farming and cash-rent tenant rules.
Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) provisions state that if your total applicable three-year average AGI exceeds $900,000, then you’re not eligible to receive an MLG or LDP. You must have a valid CCC-941 on file to earn a market gain of LDP. The AGI does not apply to MALs redeemed with commodity certificate exchange.
For more information and additional eligibility requirements, contact your local USDA Service Center or visit fsa.usda.gov.
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NAP provides financial assistance to you for crops that aren’t eligible for crop insurance to protect against lower yields or crops unable to be planted due to natural disasters including freeze, hail, excessive moisture, excessive wind or hurricanes, flood, excessive heat and qualifying drought (includes native grass for grazing), among others.
To receive payment, you had to purchase NAP coverage for 2024 crops and file a notice of loss the earlier of 15 days of the occurrence of the disaster or when losses become apparent or 15 days of the final harvest date. For hand-harvested crops and certain perishable crops, you must notify FSA within 72 hours of when a loss becomes apparent.
Eligible crops must be commercially produced agricultural commodities for which crop insurance is not available, including perennial grass forage and grazing crops, fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, floriculture, ornamental nursery, aquaculture, turf grass, ginseng, honey, syrup, bioenergy, and industrial crops.
For more information on NAP, contact your local USDA Service Center or visit fsa.usda.gov/nap.
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Producers who received an Emergency Relief Program (ERP) payment need to meet ERP insurance linkage requirements by purchasing crop insurance, or Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) coverage where crop insurance is not available.
Purchase coverage must be at the 60/100 coverage level or higher for insured crops or at the catastrophic coverage level or higher for NAP crops for the next two available crop years, which will be determined from the date you received an ERP payment and may vary depending on the timing and availability of coverage. The insurance coverage requirement applies to the physical location of the county where the crop was located and for which an ERP payment was issued.
Contact your crop insurance agent or local FSA county office as soon as possible to ask about coverage options. Producers who do not obtain the applicable coverage by the sales/application closing date will be required to refund the ERP benefits received on the applicable crop, plus interest. To determine which crops are eligible for federal crop insurance or NAP, visit the RMA website.
For more information, contact your local USDA Service Center or visit fsa.usda.gov.
Farm Service Agency (FSA) is committed to providing our farm loan borrowers the tools necessary to be successful. FSA staff will provide guidance and counsel from the loan application process through the borrower’s graduation to commercial credit. While it is FSA’s commitment to advise borrowers as they identify goals and evaluate progress, it is crucial for borrowers to communicate with their farm loan staff when changes occur. It is the borrower’s responsibility to alert FSA to any of the following:
- Any proposed or significant changes in the farming operation
- Any significant changes to family income or expenses
- The development of problem situations
- Any losses or proposed significant changes in security
If a farm loan borrower can’t make payments to suppliers, other creditors, or FSA on time, contact your farm loan staff immediately to discuss loan servicing options.
For more information on FSA farm loan programs, contact your local USDA Service Center, Indiana Regional Farm Loan Office or visit fsa.usda.gov.
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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.
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires Federal agencies to consider all potential environmental impacts for federally funded projects before the project is approved.
For all Farm Service Agency (FSA) programs, an environmental review must be completed before actions are approved, such as site preparation or ground disturbance. These programs include, but are not limited to, the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP), Farm Storage Facility Loan (FSFL) program and farm loans. If project implementation begins before FSA has completed an environmental review, the request will be denied. Although there are exceptions regarding the Stafford Act and emergencies, it’s important to wait until you receive written approval of your project proposal before starting any actions.
Applications cannot be approved until FSA has copies of all permits and plans. Contact your local FSA office early in your planning process to determine what level of environmental review is required for your program application so that it can be completed timely.
For more information, contact your local USDA Service Center or visit fsa.usda.gov.
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FSA reminds foreign investors with an interest in agricultural land in the United States that they are required to report their land holdings and transactions to USDA.
The Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act (AFIDA) requires foreign investors who buy, sell or hold an interest in U.S. agricultural land to report their holdings and transactions to the USDA. Foreign investors must file AFIDA Report Form FSA-153 with the FSA county office in the county where the land is located. Large or complex filings may be handled by AFIDA headquarters staff in Washington, D.C.
According to CFR Title 7 Part 781, any foreign person who holds an interest in U.S. agricultural land is required to report their holdings no later than 90 days after the date of the transaction.
Foreign investors should report holdings of agricultural land totaling 10 acres or more used for farming, ranching or timber production, and leaseholds on agricultural land of 10 or more years. Tracts totaling 10 acres or less in the aggregate, and which produce annual gross receipts in excess of $1,000 from the sale of farm, ranch, forestry or timber products, must also be reported. AFIDA reports are also required when there are changes in land use, such as from agricultural to nonagricultural use. Foreign investors must also file a report when there is a change in the status of ownership.
The information from AFIDA reports is used to prepare an annual report to Congress. These annual reports to Congress, as well as more information, are available on the FSA AFIDA webpage.
Assistance in completing the FSA-153 report may be obtained from the local FSA office. For more information regarding AFIDA or FSA programs, contact your local USDA Service Center or visit fsa.usda.gov.
Don’t know much about Federal crop insurance, but you want to learn more?
Crop insurance is a risk management strategy that farmers use to protect their livelihoods. By purchasing a policy through a crop insurance agent, farmers are financially protected if there are losses due to a covered cause of loss. It’s not so different from car or homeowners' insurance.
Start your journey out right by reading RMA’s Beginners Guide to Crop Insurance.
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USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announced that December 6 will be the first round of funding application date for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) in Indiana.
EQIP is a voluntary conservation program available for agricultural producers. Through EQIP, NRCS provides financial and technical assistance to install conservation practices that reduce soil erosion and sedimentation, improve soil health, improve water and air quality and create wildlife habitat. Also included in this sign up are several state and national initiatives.
CSP is an important farm bill conservation program that helps producers who are already practicing good stewardship to take their natural resource management to the next level. The program helps to improve both their agricultural production and provide valuable conservation benefits such as cleaner and more abundant water, as well as healthier soils and better wildlife habitat.
Producers interested in EQIP or CSP should visit their local USDA Service Center and speak with an NRCS representative. While applications are accepted on a continuous basis, applications submitted by December 6 will be evaluated for this round of funding. Applicants must meet minimum eligibility requirements for EQIP and CSP. NRCS staff will work with producers to determine eligibility and, assess and rank each application to compete for funding.
For more information about farm bill programs and other technical and financial assistance available through Indiana NRCS conservation programs, visit nrcs.usda.gov/indiana or contact your district conservationist in your local USDA Service Center.
For information on additional Indiana NRCS programs and initiatives, visit Indiana | Natural Resources Conservation Service (usda.gov).
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Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) offers farmer-driven, grassroots grants and education programs. Since 1988, SARE grantees have been putting the principles of sustainable ag into practice on farms in every state.
How do we produce and distribute food, fuel, and fiber sustainably? While every strategy varies, SARE embraces three broad goals: economic viability over the long term; stewardship of our nation’s land, air, and water; and quality of life for farmers, ranchers, and their communities.
To learn more about these competitive grants to fund research and education projects to advance sustainable agricultural practices in the United States, visit North Central SARE Home - SARE North Central.
Join the SARE mailing list by clicking here. Notifications of free resources and other news are sent approximately once a month, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) in partnership with the Cornell Small Farms Program and Rooted have launched the Promise of Urban Agriculture courses to provide critical information for building or supporting successful commercial urban farms.
The courses, now available on the Cornell Small Farms Program website, educate participants through unique video content and materials about topics including, Accessing Urban Land for Farming, Urban Farm Planning and Management, and Sources of Urban Farm Income. Upon completion of these courses, participants will know the important factors involved in building viable urban farms, understand relevant policy and planning tools, be aware of economic opportunities and risks, and distinguish between effective nonprofit and for-profit business structures.
The Veterans Business Outreach Center's Boots to Business entrepreneurial training for military veterans interested in Farming. This one-day, virtual session, presented on Monday, September 30th at 9:00 am EST, will feature speakers from across the USDA, farmer veteran business owners, SBA resource partners and industry experts from across the country.
For additional details and to register, visit Boots to Business for Veteran Beginning Farmers & Ranchers Virtual Workshop.
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You are invited to join Urban Soil Health for our third annual full-day event for conservation and agricultural professionals who work with urban and small farmers, vegetable growers, and diversified farmers.
Click below for free registration and to view the day's agenda.
September 16 – Final Acreage Reporting Date for Cucumbers – Planted 6/1 – 8/15 in Knox County
September 30 – Final Acreage Reporting Date for Value Loss & Controlled Environment Crops for 2025 Crop Year.
September 30 - NAP Sales Closing Date for Value loss Crops for the Following Year (Flowers for Fresh Cut, Onion Sets, Turfgrass Sod, Christmas Trees, Aquaculture, Mushrooms, Etc.) for 2025 Crop Year
September 30 - NAP Sales Closing Date for Garlic, Wheat, Barley, Rye and Mint for 2025 Crop Year.
October 1 - Final Date to Submit Receipts for 2024 CRP Mid-Contract Management
October 11 – Final Date to Submit Producer Eligibility Forms for 2022 Emergency Relief Program Track 1 and Track 2 Losses
October 14 – Offices Closed in Observance of Columbus Day
October 31 – Final Date to Apply for Reimbursement through the Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP) (for expenses incurred 10-01-2023 through 09-30-2024)
To view the 2024 Indiana Important Program Deadline Dates Document Online
USDA announced loan interest rates for September 2024, which are effective September 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.
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.
FSA also offers guaranteed loans through commercial lenders at rates set by those lenders.
Check your eligibility for FSA loans and find the right loans to fit your needs by utilizing the Farm Loan Assistance Tool.
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