North Dakota FSA eNews - October, 2024
In This Issue:
October 31, 2024: 2024 Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP) deadline
November 15, 2024: 2025 Acreage Reporting Deadline for Fall-Seeded Small Grains
November 15, 2024: 2025 Aronia and June Berries NAP Coverage deadline
November 15, 2024: 2025 Hops NAP Coverage deadline
November 29, 2024: Final Day to Apply for 2024 Organic Dairy Marketing Assistance Program
December 1, 2024: 2025 Grapes NAP Coverage deadline
December 31, 2024: 2025 Honey NAP Coverage deadline
January 30, 2025: Final Day to Apply for 2024 Livestock Forage Program
January 30, 2025: Final Day to Apply for 2024 Emergency Livestock Assistance Program
February 28, 2025: Final Day to Apply for 2024 Livestock Indemnity Program
Greetings!
I have farmed and ranched with my husband, Greg, for 44 years and probably the word that describes those 44 years best is unpredictability. Prices are up and then they are down. Quality of the crops can vary dramatically – especially when you have rain during wheat harvest. I would have predicted a dry spring and summer where we live given our dry winter – but we’ve had beautiful, timely rains this year. We recently bought a used semi, and it ran great all through the first half of our soybean harvest and then the transmission blew up in the field. All of those concerns now seem pale in comparison when I contemplate the loss, damage and emotional toll our ranchers and farmers in western ND just experienced from wildfires or the devastation caused by hurricanes in the SE part of our country. Farmers are optimistic by nature, or we’d never leave the yard in the spring but there are days when we have to dig deep for that optimism. It’s important for us to recognize that wildfires, severe drought, the grind of harvest, low commodity prices, and/or unusual break downs can all take a toll on our mental health.
Our chosen profession comes with a high suicide rate – I know, we don’t like to talk about it or even read about it. If we just sweep those feelings of depression or anxiety under the rug, we hope they will go away. Unfortunately, that’s not the way it works. Taking care of our mental health is just as important as greasing our equipment - we’re proactively trying to stop breakdowns before they occur. As farmers, we work with tools every day. There are tools for good mental health too! Here’s a great list –Connect with others; Stay positive; Get physically active; Help others; Get enough sleep; Create joy and satisfaction; Eat well and Take care of your spirit. Most important – if you have suicidal thoughts or feel depressed – please talk to someone! Here’s the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline:1-800-273-TALK (8255) or in ND – dial 211. Farmers and ranchers are less than 2% of the population and we can’t afford to lose even one person when we are able to reach out and help support each other. Pick a mental health tool and use it today!
If you’ve experienced losses related to wildfires and/or severe drought, please review the disaster programs that we have available for you in the newsletter. Contact your county office with any questions you may have. Be safe as you work on repairs and clean up; continue your harvest and/or bring those cattle home from pastures and we’ll talk again next month!
- Marcy Svenningsen
The Farm Service Agency (FSA) reminds farmers and ranchers affected by the recent wildfires in Western North Dakota that disaster assistance programs are available to support their recovery efforts. Please reach out to your local FSA office to start a Notice of Loss. You can find your closest office at USDA Service Center Locator. For more information visit fsa.usda.gov/disaster
FSA administers a suite of safety-net programs to assist producers after natural disasters such as wildfire. Below is a description of some of those programs, followed by a listing of important documentation to maintain while preparing for your conversation with your local USDA Service Center:
- Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) - offers payments to eligible producers for livestock death losses in excess of normal mortality due to adverse weather such as wildfires. In the case of wildfires, losses from injury or smoke inhalation after the immediate fire are eligible if they are directly attributable to the wildfire for a period of at least 30 days.
- To participate in LIP, producers will be required to provide verifiable documentation of death losses resulting from an eligible adverse weather event such as wildfire, and you must submit a notice of loss to your local FSA by the application deadline, March 1, 2025.
- Livestock Forage Program (LFP) - offers payments to grazing producers for reduced forage from eligible drought in the county, and wildfire on federally managed acreage.
- To participate in LFP, producers must file an application with actual livestock quantities by January 30, 2025, and attach records of land control such as leases, and for federal lands the notification to remove cattle.
- Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP) – offers payments to grazing producers for lost grazing, lost feed, water hauling, due to drought and adverse weather conditions such as wildfires.
- To participate in ELAP, producers must submit a notice of loss to your local FSA office by the application deadline, January 30, 2025, and should maintain inventory and loss documentation and receipts of grazing and feed losses to include value of stored feed that was damaged be weather.
- Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) - provides emergency funding for farmers and ranchers to rehabilitate land severely damaged by natural disasters; including fence losses from wildfires.
- To participate in ECP an application for cost-share assistance must be filed, the local FSA County Committee (COC) or its representative will conduct an onsite inspection of the damaged area, and the Agency responsible for technical assistance, such as the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) has recommended the technical requirements for the project such as replacing/repairing livestock fencing.
- Emergency Loan Program – emergency loans are available to producers with agriculture operations located in a county under a primary or contiguous Presidential or Secretarial disaster designation such as drought or wildfire. These low interest loans help producers recover from production and physical losses. Be sure to contact your local USDA Service Center early.
Documentation Important for Livestock Programs at FSA:
Producers should record all pertinent information regarding livestock losses due to the eligible adverse weather or loss condition. Some examples of documentation include:
- Documentation of the number, kind, type, and weight range of livestock that have died, supplemented, if possible, by photographs or video, records of ownership and records of losses
- Quantity of normal mortality losses for those losses not associated with disaster
- Rendering truck receipts by kind, type and weight - important to document prior to disposal
- Beginning inventory supported by birth recordings or purchase receipts
- Documentation from Animal Plant Health Inspection Service, Department of Agricultural, Veterinarian, or other sources to substantiate eligible death losses due to an eligible loss condition
- Contract grower’s contracts and grazing land leases
- Documentation that livestock were removed from grazing pastures due to an eligible adverse weather or loss condition
- Costs of transporting livestock feed to eligible livestock, such as receipts for equipment rental fees for hay lifts and snow removed
- Feed purchase receipts if feed supplies or grazing pastures are destroyed
- Harvest records or feed purchase records, along with documented loss quantities.
- Number of gallons of water transported to livestock due to water shortages.
- Contemporaneous records for proof of producer's inventory and death losses such as a running record, journal or cattle book.
For more information on these programs, contact your County USDA Service Center or visit fsa.usda.gov/disaster.
Based on the U.S. Drought Monitor, producers in Adams, Billings, Bowman, Divide, Golden Valley, McKenzie, Slope, and Williams County are eligible to apply for 2024 Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) benefits.
LFP provides compensation if you suffer grazing losses for covered livestock due to drought on privately owned or cash leased land or fire on federally managed land.
County committees can only accept LFP applications after notification is received by the National Office of qualifying drought or if a federal agency prohibits producers from grazing normal permitted livestock on federally managed lands due to qualifying fire. You must complete a CCC-853 and the required supporting documentation no later than January 30, 2025, for 2024 losses.
For additional information about LFP, including eligible livestock and fire criteria, contact the local Service Center or visit fsa.usda.gov.
The Non-Insured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) provides financial assistance to producers of non-insurable crops when low yields, loss of inventory, or prevented planting occur due to natural disasters (includes native grass for grazing).
Eligible producers must have purchased NAP coverage for 2024 crops. If a producer has a Socially Disadvantaged, Limited Resource, Beginning and Veteran Farmer or Rancher Certification (form CCC-860) on file with FSA, it also serves as a 2024 application for basic coverage for all eligible NAP crops. These underserved producers have all NAP-related service fees for basic coverage waived.
A notice of loss must be filed on form CCC-576, 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. Prevented planting acreage must be reported no later than 15 calendar days after the final planting date as established by FSA. Contact your local FSA office for a list of final planting dates by crop.
Producers abandoning or destroying a crop with NAP coverage must notify FSA prior to the destruction of the acreage.
Producers of hand-harvested crops must notify FSA of damage or loss through the administrative County Office within 72 hours of the date of damage or loss first becomes apparent. This notification can be provided by filing a CCC-576, email, fax or phone. Producers who notify the County Office by any method other than by filing the CCC-576 are still required to file a CCC-576, Notice of Loss, within the required 15 calendar days.
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 FSA office or visit www.fsa.usda.gov/nap
Farmers and ranchers rely on crop insurance to protect themselves from disasters and unforeseen events, but not all crops are insurable through the USDA’s Risk Management Agency. The Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) provides producers another option to obtain coverage against disaster for these crops. NAP provides financial assistance to producers of non-insurable crops impacted by natural disasters that result in lower yields, crop losses, or prevents crop planting.
Commercially produced crops and agricultural commodities for which crop insurance is not available are generally eligible for NAP. Eligible crops include those grown specifically for food, fiber, livestock consumption, biofuel or biobased products, or value loss crops such as aquaculture, Christmas trees, ornamental nursery, and others. Contact your local FSA office to see which crops are eligible in your state and county.
Eligible causes of loss include drought, freeze, hail, excessive moisture, excessive wind or hurricanes, earthquake and flood. These events must occur during the NAP policy coverage period, before or during harvest, and the disaster must directly affect the eligible crop. For guidance on causes of loss not listed, contact your local FSA county office.
Interested producers apply for NAP coverage using FSA form CCC-471, “Application for Coverage,” and pay the applicable service fee at the FSA office where their farm records are maintained. These must be filed by the application closing date, which varies by crop. Contact your local FSA office to verify application closing dates and ensure coverage for eligible NAP crops.
At the time of application, each producer acknowledges they have received the NAP Basic Provisions, which describes NAP requirements for coverage. NAP participants must report crop acreage shortly after planting and provide verifiable or reliable crop production records when required by FSA.
Producers are required to pay service fees which vary depending on the number of crops and number of counties your operation is located in. The NAP service fee is the lesser of $325 per crop or $825 per producer per administrative county, not to exceed a total of $1,950 for a producer with farming interests in multiple counties. Premiums also apply when producers elect higher levels of coverage with a maximum premium of $15,750 per person or legal entity.
A producer’s certification on Form CCC-860 Socially Disadvantaged, Limited Resource, Beginning and Veteran Farmer or Rancher Certification may serve as an application for basic NAP coverage for all eligible crops beginning with crop year 2022. These producers will have all NAP-related service fees for basic coverage waived, in addition to a 50 percent premium reduction if higher levels of coverage are elected.
For more detailed information on NAP, download the NAP Fact Sheet. To get started with NAP, we recommend you contact your local USDA service center.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) provides emergency loans to help producers recover from production and physical losses due to drought, flooding, other natural disasters, or quarantine.
Loan Uses:
Emergency loan funds may be used to:
- Restore or replace essential property;
- Pay all or part of production costs associated with the disaster year;
- Pay essential family living expenses;
- Reorganize the farming operation; and
- Refinance certain debts.
Eligibility:
Emergency loans may be made to farmers and ranchers who:
- Own or operate land located in a county declared by the President or designated by the Secretary of Agriculture as a primary disaster area or quarantine area. All counties contiguous to the declared, designated, or quarantined primary counties also are eligible for emergency loans. A disaster designation by the FSA Administrator authorizes emergency loan assistance for physical losses only in the designated and contiguous counties;
- Are established family farm operators and have sufficient farming or ranching experience;
- Are citizens or permanent residents of the United States;
- Have suffered a loss of production below the normal production yield of the crop or realized a physical loss to livestock, livestock products, real estate or personal property;
- Have an acceptable credit history;
- Are unable to receive credit from commercial sources;
- Can provide collateral to secure the loan; and
- Have repayment ability.
Producers can borrow up to 100 percent of actual production or physical losses to a maximum amount of $500,000, excluding any duplicate payments such as crop insurance indemnity payment or other government payments.
Loans for crop, livestock, and non-real estate losses are normally repaid within one to seven years, depending on the loan purpose, repayment ability, and collateral available as loan security. In special circumstances, terms of up to 20 years may be authorized. Loans for physical losses to real estate are normally repaid within 30 years. In certain circumstances, repayment may be made over a maximum of 40 years.
Applications for emergency loans must be received within eight months of the county’s disaster or quarantine designation date. The October interest rate for emergency loans is 3.750% and subject to change monthly.
To find more information about FSA disaster assistance programs, visit farmers.gov or contact your local FSA office. To find your local FSA office, visit farmers.gov/service-center-locator.
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.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has confirmed the detection of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), also known as H5N1, in dairy cattle in 12 states including Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Mexico, Ohio, South Dakota, Texas and Wyoming. To protect the U.S. livestock industry from the threat posed by HPAI H5N1 USDA is taking a number of actions with our federal partners.
On April 24, APHIS announced a federal order that includes mandatory testing for interstate movement of dairy cattle and mandatory reporting of influenza A detections in livestock. In addition to the Federal Order mandates, USDA provides several voluntary testing and monitoring options, including the HPAI Dairy Herd Status Program announced on May 31, 2024. APHIS has released a list of requirements and recommendations that apply to interstate moving of lactating dairy cattle, testing guidance for livestock, and answers to frequently asked questions. Producers are encouraged to visit the APHIS HPAI Livestock Detection website for information about these programs and requirements, as well as the most comprehensive and timely updates about this rapidly evolving situation.
Assistance for Milk Loss
Confirmed H5N1 Positive Test Results Required for Recovery Assistance
Producers who incur milk losses in their dairy herds due to HPAI H5N1 can now apply for financial assistance through the USDA’s updated Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-raised Fish Program (ELAP). USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) expanded ELAP policy through the rule-making process to assist with financial losses resulting from reduced milk production when cattle are removed from commercial milking in dairy herds having a confirmed positive H5N1 test. Positive tests must be confirmed through the USDA’s APHIS’ National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL).
To apply, producers need to submit the following to FSA:
- Proof of herd infection through a confirmed positive H5N1 test (based on USDA’s APHIS H5N1 case definition) on individual animal or bulk tank samples confirmed by APHIS’ NVSL;
- A notice of loss indicating the date when the loss is apparent, which is the sample collection date for the positive H5N1 test; and
- An application for payment certifying the number of eligible adult dairy cows removed from production, the month the cows were removed from production, and the producer’s share in the milk production.
The final date to file a notice of loss and application for payment for eligible losses is 30 days after the end of the prior calendar year, which is January 30.
Note: To determine livestock and producer eligibility for ELAP H5N1 assistance, to submit an application or if you’ve not previously conducted business with FSA, contact your local FSA county office for details. Find your local office. Other online resources include frequently asked questions and a fact sheet.
Loans for Biosecurity Implementation
FSA also provides direct and guaranteed loans for farmers and ranchers that can assist with implementation of biosecurity measures for their operations. Loans can assist with:
- Installing physical barriers to facilitate quarantine, to prevent livestock interaction with wildlife, and to prevent unauthorized access by visitors
- Purchase of disinfectant, footbaths, and disposable footwear and clothing;
- Veterinary costs related to vaccination and general animal health;
- Testing of feed and water sources for toxins and other disease;
- Costs associated with responsible manure disposal and management;
- Costs associated with cleaning and disinfecting livestock transportation equipment; and
- Other biosecurity measures recommended by USDA or other applicable agencies.
To learn more about loans, producers can use the:
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Loan Assistance Tool – helps producers better navigate the farm loan process. The online Loan Assistance Tool provides producers needing agricultural financing with an interactive, step-by-step guide.
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Farm Loans Overview Factsheet – provides an overview of all FSA direct and guaranteed loans, and eligibility requirements.
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Farm Loans Homepage – gives in-depth farm loan information, including fact sheets, for those who don’t want to use the online Loan Assistance Tool.
To learn more about ELAP or farm loans, producers should contact the FSA at the local USDA Service Center.
To learn more about APHIS requirements and resources, visit APHIS’ Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) Detections in Livestock webpage.
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.
Opportunity for State Departments of Agriculture
FSA is also accepting applications from state departments of agriculture to administer OCCSP. FSA posted a funding opportunity summary on grants.gov and will electronically mail the Notice of Funding Opportunity to all eligible state departments of agriculture. Applications are due July 12, 2024.
If a state department of agriculture chooses to participate in OCCSP, both the state department of agriculture and FSA county offices in that state will accept OCCSP applications and make payments to eligible certified operations. Producers or handlers can receive OCCSP assistance from either FSA or the participating state department of agriculture but not both.
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) announced an additional $250 million in automatic payments for distressed direct and guaranteed farm loan borrowers under Section 22006 of the Inflation Reduction Act. This significant step continues USDA's commitment to keeping farmers and ranchers financially viable and support for agricultural communities.
Over the past two years, USDA acted swiftly to assist borrowers in retaining their land and continuing their agricultural operations. Since President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act into law in August 2022, the USDA has provided approximately $2.4 billion in assistance to more than 43,900 distressed borrowers.
Building on this momentum, USDA is announcing an estimated additional $250 million in assistance to approximately 4,650 distressed direct and guaranteed farm loan borrowers. This includes approximately $235 million in assistance for an estimated 4,485 delinquent direct and guaranteed borrowers who have not received prior IRA 22006 assistance, and approximately $15 million in assistance for an estimated 165 direct and guaranteed borrowers with Shared Appreciation Agreements.
Distressed FSA borrowers with loans secured by real estate must sign a Shared Appreciation Agreement when they accept loan servicing actions that write down a portion of their direct or guaranteed debt. FSA is required to recapture a portion of that write-down if the property value of the real estate security increases when the agreement matures. Borrowers are required to either repay this amount or have it converted into an interest-accruing repayment agreement. As loan servicing actions that were paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic resume, such as Shared Appreciation Agreement recaptures, this added debt burden could severely impact borrowers who are already struggling.
How Payments Will Be Made
For direct borrower delinquency assistance, FSA will make an automatic payment in the amount of any outstanding delinquencies, as of Sept. 30, 2024, on qualifying direct borrower loans that are one or more days delinquent, as of that date, provided those borrowers have not received prior Section 22006 assistance that was applied to reduce a direct FSA loan balance (excluding assistance for Disaster Set-Asides and Emergency Loans).
For guaranteed borrower delinquency payments, FSA will mail via check an automatic payment in the amount of any outstanding delinquencies, as of Sept. 30, 2024, on qualifying guaranteed loans that are 30 or more days delinquent, as of that date, provided those borrowers have not received prior Section 22006 guaranteed loan assistance. Guaranteed loan borrowers are not considered to be in monetary default until 30 days past due. This assistance will be in the form of a United States Department of the Treasury check that is jointly payable to the borrower and the lender.
For borrowers receiving assistance on their Shared Appreciation Agreements, a payment will be made to resolve outstanding amortized repayment agreements and recapture amounts owed to FSA which have matured as of Sept. 30, 2024. Borrowers whose Shared Appreciation Agreements have not matured as of Sept. 30, 2024, will be contacted by FSA and provided an opportunity to request that FSA calculate a partial recapture and Shared Appreciation Agreement assistance offer.
Shared Appreciation Agreement assistance amounts will be calculated as follows:
- For borrowers whose Shared Appreciation Agreement had previously matured and the receivable owed was converted into a Shared Appreciation Payment Agreement prior to Sept. 30, 2024, Shared Appreciation Agreement assistance will be equal to the total amount of outstanding principal and interest owed on the payment agreement of Sept. 30, 2024.
- For Shared Appreciation Agreements that have reached their maturity date, but FSA has not yet calculated recapture due, FSA will complete required appraisals and calculate the recapture due as of the date of the Shared Appreciation Agreement maturity. Shared Appreciation Agreement assistance will be equal to the amount of calculated recapture.
- For Shared Appreciation Agreements that have not yet matured, FSA will be in contact with borrowers and will provide the option to request Shared Appreciation Agreement payment assistance. Borrowers must consent to FSA completing an appraisal on real estate security prior to March 31, 2025. FSA will calculate the amount of recapture that would be due as if the Shared Appreciation Agreement matured as of Sept. 30, 2024, and the borrower may accept that payment as a partial payment towards the receivable due at final maturity. Borrowers may still owe additional recapture at final Shared Appreciation Agreement maturity.
As with previous rounds of Section 22006 of the Inflation Reduction Act assistance, direct and guaranteed borrowers receiving assistance under any category above will receive a letter from FSA explaining the payment they received. Guaranteed borrowers will receive instructions to make an appointment with their lender to process the payment and apply it to their qualifying guaranteed loan accounts. FSA will provide a letter to guaranteed lenders with instructions for providing updated status reports.
Any distressed direct and guaranteed borrowers who qualify for these forms of assistance and are currently in bankruptcy will be addressed using the same case-by-case review process announced in October 2022 for complex cases.
Additional Farm Loan Programs Improvements
FSA recently announced significant changes to Farm Loan Programs through the Enhancing Program Access and Delivery for Farm Loans rule. These policy changes are designed to expand opportunities for borrowers to increase profitability and be better prepared to make strategic investments in the enhancement or expansion of their agricultural operations.
FSA also has a significant initiative underway to streamline and automate the Farm Loan Program customer-facing business process. FSA has made several impactful improvements including:
- The Loan Assistance Tool that provides customers with an interactive online, step-by-step guide to identifying the direct loan products that may be a fit for their business needs and to understanding the application process.
- The Online Loan Application, an interactive, guided application that is paperless and provides helpful features including an electronic signature option, the ability to attach supporting documents such as tax returns, complete a balance sheet and build a farm operating plan.
- An online direct loan repayment feature that relieves borrowers from the necessity of calling, mailing, or visiting a local USDA Service Center to pay a loan installment.
- A simplified direct loan paper application, reduced from 29 pages to 13 pages.
- A new educational hub with farm loan resources and videos.
- The Distressed Borrowers Assistance Network, a national initiative aimed at providing personalized support to financially distressed farmers and ranchers. The network connects borrowers with individualized assistance to help them regain financial stability.
USDA encourages producers to reach out to their local FSA farm loan staff to ensure they fully understand the wide range of loan and servicing options available to assist with starting, expanding, or maintaining their agricultural operation. To conduct business with FSA, producers should contact their local USDA Service Center.
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.
The Debt Consolidation Tool is a significant addition to FSA’s suite of improvements designed to modernize its Farm Loan Programs. The tool enhances customer service and increases opportunities for farmers and ranchers to achieve financial viability by helping them identify potential savings that could be reinvested in their farming and ranching operation, retirement accounts, or college savings accounts.
Producers can access the Debt Consolidation Tool by visiting farmers.gov/debt-consolidation-tool. The tool is built to run on modern browsers including Chrome, Edge, Firefox, or the Safari browser. Producers do not need to create a farmers.gov account or access the authenticated customer portal to use the tool.
Additional Farm Loan Programs Improvements
FSA recently announced significant changes to Farm Loan Programs through the Enhancing Program Access and Delivery for Farm Loans rule. These policy changes, to take effect September 25, 2024, are designed to better assist borrowers to make strategic investments in the enhancement or expansion of their agricultural operations.
FSA also has a significant initiative underway to streamline and automate the Farm Loan Program customer-facing business process. For the over 26,000 producers who submit a direct loan application annually, FSA has made several impactful improvements including:
- The Loan Assistance Tool that provides customers with an interactive online, step-by-step guide to identifying the direct loan products that may be a fit for their business needs and to understanding the application process.
- The Online Loan Application, an interactive, guided application that is paperless and provides helpful features including an electronic signature option, the ability to attach supporting documents such as tax returns, complete a balance sheet, and build a farm operating plan.
- An online direct loan repayment feature that relieves borrowers from the necessity of calling, mailing, or visiting a local USDA Service Center to pay a loan installment.
- A simplified direct loan paper application, reduced from 29 pages to 13 pages.
- A new educational hub with farm loan resources and videos.
USDA encourages producers to reach out to their local FSA farm loan staff to ensure they fully understand the wide range of loan and servicing options available to assist with starting, expanding, or maintaining their agricultural operation. To conduct business with FSA, please contact your local USDA Service Center.
USDA’s Commodity Credit Corporation makes available nonrecourse marketing assistance loans on certain crop year 2024 commodities. These loans can be requested via mail, fax, email or by calling the office to make an appointment to complete a loan application (CCC-666). Loan applications are available at all county FSA offices or available online at: https://www.fsa.usda.gov/ then select the Forms link.
A commodity loan application must be filed at the county office that maintains the farm records for the farm that produced the commodity for the loan. The 2024 crop commodity loan rates are available at any county FSA office, or online at: https://www.fsa.usda.gov/programs-and-services/price-support/Index
Lien searches are required for all applicants and spouses in order to identify prior lien holders. County Offices update CCC-10’s by verifying an individual’s name according to their driver’s license. Lien waivers are required from all lien holders before the commodity loan can be disbursed.
To be eligible for loan the commodity must meet the applicable commodity definition in the Official United States Standards and specific commodity eligibility requirements for a nonrecourse loan. Test weight and moisture levels can impact the eligibility for nonrecourse loans. If there are known quality problems producers should contact their local county FSA office to discuss available loan options.
Farm-stored loans are available in approved storage structures that provide safe storage for the commodity through the maturity date of the loan.
Warehouse-stored loans are also available at CCC-approved storage warehouses or State licensed warehouses which have been assigned a CCC warehouse code. Proof of storage paid through the loan maturity date and proof of payment of in-charges must be provided with the warehouse receipt for the warehouse stored loan. CCC will not adjust the loan rate using premiums and discounts at the time of loan making. However, loan rates will be adjusted if the loan is forfeited to CCC at maturity.
Producers requesting commodity loans are required to maintain beneficial interest in the commodity tendered for loan. Beneficial interest includes having control and title in the commodity. Loss of any one element causes loss of beneficial interest. Sales agreements, including options to purchase, priced later and contracts for future delivery can impact beneficial interest. Once beneficial interest is lost, the commodity remains ineligible for loan or LDP, even if the producer regains control or title at a later date.
Loans mature on demand, but no later than the last day of the ninth calendar month after the month in which the loan is disbursed.
If you’re enrolled in the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) or Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs, you must protect all cropland and noncropland acres on the farm from wind and water erosion and noxious weeds. By signing ARC county or individual contracts and PLC contracts, you agree to effectively control noxious weeds on the farm according to sound agricultural practices. If you fail to take necessary actions to correct a maintenance problem on your farm that is enrolled in ARC or PLC, the County Committee may elect to terminate your contract for the program year.
Landowners and operators are reminded that in order to receive payments from USDA, compliance with Highly Erodible Land (HEL) and Wetland Conservation (WC) provisions are required. Farmers with HEL determined soils are reminded of tillage, crop residue, and rotation requirements as specified per their conservation plan. Producers are to notify the USDA Farm Service Agency prior to breaking sod, clearing land (tree removal), and of any drainage projects (tiling, ditching, etc.) to ensure compliance. Failure to update certification of compliance, with form AD-1026, triggering applicable HEL and/or wetland determinations, for any of these situations, can result in the loss of FSA farm program payments, FSA farm loans, NRCS program payments, and premium subsidy to Federal Crop Insurance administered by RMA.
Farm Storage Facility Loan, 3-Year Term: 3.625%
Farm Storage Facility Loan, 5-Year Term: 3.500%
Farm Storage Facility Loan, 7-Year Term: 3.625%
Farm Storage Facility Loan, 10-Year Term: 3.750%
Farm Storage Facility Loan, 12-Year Term: 3.875%
Emergency Loan: 3.750%
Commodity Loans: 5.125%
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North Dakota FSA eNews
North Dakota State Office 1025 28th St. South Fargo, ND 58103
Phone: 701-239-5224 Fax: 855-813-6644
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State Office Staff:
State Executive Director: Marcy Svenningsen
Administrative Officer: Amber Briss
Compliance/Payment Limitations: Kristen Knudtson
Conservation/Livestock: Beau Peterson
ARC/PLC/NAP/Disaster: Laura Heinrich
Farm Loan Programs: Mary Sue Ohlhauser
Price Support: Brian Haugen
Outreach/Communication Coordinator: Cierra Hauck
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