USDA - Missouri State Office Newsletter - October 25, 2024.
In This Issue:
USDA Updates Farm Loan Programs to Increase Financial Freedom, Resilience and Profitability for Agricultural Producers
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced changes to the Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) Farm Loan Programs, effective Sept. 25, 2024 — changes that are intended to increase opportunities for farmers and ranchers to be financially viable. These improvements, part of the Enhancing Program Access and Delivery for Farm Loans rule, demonstrate USDA’s commitment to improving farm profitability through farm loans designed to provide important financing options used by producers to cover operating expenses and purchase land and equipment.
Farm loan policy changes outlined in the Enhancing Program Access and Delivery for Farm Loans rule, are designed to better assist borrowers to make strategic investments in the enhancement or expansion of their agricultural operations.
The three most notable policy changes include:
- Establishing a new low-interest installment set-aside program for financially distressed borrowers. Eligible financially distressed borrowers can defer up to one annual loan installment per qualified loan at a reduced interest rate, providing a simpler and expedited option to resolve financial distress in addition to FSA’s existing loan servicing programs.
- Providing all eligible loan applicants access to flexible repayment terms that can increase profitability and help build working capital reserves and savings. By creating upfront positive cash flow, borrowers can find opportunities in their farm operating plan budgets to include a reasonable margin for increased working capital reserves and savings, including for retirement and education.
- Reducing additional loan security requirements to enable borrowers to leverage equity. This reduces the amount of additional security required for direct farm loans, including reducing the frequency borrowers must use their personal residence as additional collateral for a farm loan.
Additional Farm Loan Program Improvements
FSA 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.
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. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.
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USDA is providing much needed support for eligible farmers, livestock producers and landowners
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced that it will begin issuing more than $2.14 billion in payments to eligible agricultural producers, and landowners—providing much needed support through key conservation and safety-net programs. Producers should soon receive payments from USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) for their participation in these programs aimed to conserve natural resources and keep family farms economically viable.
Specifically, program participants are expected to receive more than $1.7 billion through the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and CRP Transition Incentive Program (CRP TIP) and more than $447 million through the Agriculture Risk Coverage and Prices Loss Coverage (ARC/PLC) programs. Additionally, FSA is announcing an investment of $21 million for projects to better measure the effectiveness of CRP.
Conservation Reserve Program Payments
FSA is issuing more than $1.7 billion in annual rental payments to agricultural producers and private landowners through the Conservation Reserve Program and CRP Transition Incentive Program. These annual rental payments are made to eligible farmers and ranchers throughout the country who establish long-term, resource-conserving plant species, such as approved grasses or trees, to control soil erosion, improve water quality and enhance wildlife habitat on cropland taken out of production. The duration of CRP contracts is between 10 and 15 years.
FSA accepted offers for more than 2.2 million acres through this year’s Grassland, General, and Continuous CRP signups, bringing current enrollment to nearly 26 million acres.
These conservation-minded producers help provide invaluable benefits to the nation’s environment and economy.
Top five states for current acreage in CRP:
- Colorado: 2,978,741
- South Dakota: 2,626,430
- Nebraska: 2,423,361
- Texas: 2,225,310
- Kansas: 2,040,412
Investments in CRP Monitoring, Assessment, and Evaluation
FSA invested $21 million in projects to further the monitoring, assessment, and evaluation of the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). Projects funded this year include the adoption of emerging technology to increase knowledge on subjects such as the benefits of wetland restoration to mitigate flooding, contributions of CRP to wildlife habitat, and role CRP plays in strengthening the resiliency of agricultural operations.
FSA originally committed $10 million to the Notice of Funding Opportunity in May, but due to the quality of project proposals submitted FSA awarded more than $20 million. Since 2021, FSA has invested over $70 million into monitoring, assessment, and evaluation efforts.
The monitoring, assessment, and evaluation projects are designed to produce information that enables USDA to better target CRP toward conservation outcomes by improving data, models, and planning tools while supporting USDA’s goal of putting American agriculture and forestry at the center of climate-smart solutions. The land currently enrolled in the program improve water quality, protect soil resources, provide critical wildlife habitat and aid to climate resiliency within agricultural systems. Further quantifying program benefits allows the USDA to better target CRP to achieve continued conservation wins across environmentally sensitive lands while strengthening the program’s modeling and conservation planning resources for all producers.
Signed into law in 1985, CRP is one of the largest voluntary private-lands conservation programs in the United States. It was originally intended to primarily control soil erosion and potentially stabilize commodity prices by taking marginal lands out of production. The program has evolved over the years, providing many conservation and economic benefits.
Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage Programs
USDA has started to issue payments to producers of 2023 crops that are estimated at more than $447 million through the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs. ARC and PLC provide financial protections to farmers from substantial drops in crop prices or revenue and are vital economic safety nets for most American farms. ARC and PLC program and crop specific data is available online and through your local FSA county office.
Authorized by the 2014 farm bill they can provide a cushion for farmers during tough economic conditions and fluctuating market prices.
More Information
For more information on available FSA programs, contact your local USDA Service Center.
USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit usda.gov.
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.
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USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service can help you conserve water and build resilience to drought, through conservation practices that improve irrigation efficiency, boost soil health, and manage grazing lands.
Irrigation Efficiency
USDA helps you improve your irrigation efficiency to ensure each drop of water is used wisely. Saving water on your farm can help during drought and can offset rising water costs; reduce expenditures for energy, chemicals, and labor; and enhance revenues through higher crop yields and improved crop quality. Funded conservation practices include conversion to more efficient irrigation systems, such as micro-irrigation or subsurface drip irrigation, installation of irrigation pipeline, irrigation water management, structures for water control, and flow meters. Tools like drip irrigation, which provides water precisely where and when it’s needed, can achieve greater precision with flow meters and soil moisture sensors.
Soil Health
In addition, soil health conservation practices, such as reduced- or no-till, cover crops, mulching and residue management can help to make your soil, and the plants you grow or animals you raise, healthier. Healthier soil can absorb and retain more water for longer periods of time, making your farm or ranch more resilient to drought. Using soil health practices, you can conserve water by increasing your soil’s water-holding capacity and use conservation tillage to keep the ground covered, reducing water loss through transpiration and evaporation.
And soil health practices increase organic matter, and each pound of organic matter can hold up to 20 pounds of water. Every 1% increase in organic matter results in as much as 25,000 gallons of soil water per acre. Each 1% increase in organic matter can also provide up to 30 pounds of more available nitrogen per acre. That means less money and time spent on inputs like water and fertilizer, which make your operation more profitable.
Rotational/Prescribed Grazing, Water Sources for Livestock
Drought also impacts grazing lands, and NRCS works with you to increase the resilience of your livestock operation. Ranchers can adapt to dry conditions in two main ways: increasing the availability and suitability of forage and ensuring that cattle have an adequate and reliable source of water. For forage, rotational or prescribed grazing (rotating cattle among pastures) can relieve pressure on stressed vegetation and ensure a more consistent supply of forage for animals. NRCS conservationists can also work with you to plant more drought-tolerant forage species, plants best suited to local soils and conditions. For reliable sources of water, NRCS can help you with installing watering facilities, water wells, or water pipeline for livestock. Having available forage and water for livestock can make a big difference in difficult drought conditions.
USDA and NRCS are here for you, helping you recover from drought and prepare for the next one. For more information on drought recovery assistance at farmers.gov/protection-recovery/drought#recovery. For more information on conservation practices to make your operation more resilient to drought in future years, go to www.nrcs.usda.gov.
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.
Impact of Section 22006 of the Inflation Reduction Act Assistance
USDA conducted an Economic Impact Analysis on the $2.2 billion in payments previously provided to distressed Farm Loan Program borrowers through Section 22006 of the Inflation Reduction Act. Key findings show these payments will:
- Generate or support nearly 49,000 jobs.
- Increase household income by $2.471 billion.
- Contribute $3.556 billion to the United States gross domestic product.
- Increase gross revenues from total sales of final goods and services by $5.663 billion.
While the economic impacts of these payments will diminish over time as the economy returns to a steady state, the one-time payments are expected to strengthen local economies and potentially improve resilience and growth prospects. View the additional estimated economic impacts in this fact sheet.
Since fiscal year 2021, USDA foreclosures have significantly decreased, with only 12 farm foreclosures initiated directly by FSA, compared to a 10-year average of 51 annually. Chapter 12 farm bankruptcies have dropped from an average of 493 annually to 139 in 2023. Inflation Reduction Act assistance has brought 1,904 farmers facing foreclosure current and prevented the initiation of foreclosures for 3,970 farmers. Around 82% of direct loan borrowers who received assistance remain current on their loans.
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.
MU Extension wants to sincerely thank all who participated in the 2024 Missouri Farmland Values Opinion Survey. Your participation helped shape insights in land value trends used by farmers, lenders and other stakeholders across Missouri as they make informed farm management decisions. This survey is one of MU Extension’s most widely used resources for insights into farmland values and complements USDA estimates.
Results from the survey, including regional data and historical comparisons, can be downloaded for free at https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/g401.
For questions about the survey results, please contact MU Extension assistant professor Juo-Han Tsay at 573-882-3891 or tsayjh@missouri.edu.
Agriculture offers a major potential to support water quality improvements nationwide. At USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), we deliver science and data, one-on-one technical support, and cost share opportunities to ensure this potential is realized.
This blog by Chief Terry Cosby details some of the key ways NRCS supports producers and conservation partners in improving water quality and strengthening agricultural operations through voluntary conservation.
Read Chief Cosby’s Blog
If you’re interested in starting a career with USDA, subscribe to receive free email alerts on select positions within the USDA Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Risk Management Agency and Farm Production and Conservation Business Center.
All federal job vacancies within USDA are posted on usajobs.gov. In order to further promote employment opportunities, we are going to start sending emails that highlight select positions.
If you want to keep up with vacancy announcements via email, you can subscribe to “Careers” by visiting farmers.gov/subscribe and completing the following steps.
- Select “email” as your subscription type
- Enter your email address
- Click “submit”
- Select the “Careers” topic under “Connect with us”
- Click “submit” to verify your subscription topic choice at the bottom of the page
Not all job vacancy announcements will be shared via email, but you can view a current list of all job openings at any time by visiting usajobs.gov.
For additional information or assistance with your subscription, contact your local USDA Service Center by visiting farmers.gov/service-center-locator.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
As Missouri begins harvest season, the Farm Service Agency wants to remind producers about the Marketing Assistance Loan (MAL) Program.
FSA offers a wide range of low-interest loans that can meet the financial needs of any farm operation for just about any purpose. One type of loan producers can utilize is the Marketing Assistance Loan.
USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) routinely provides agricultural producers with marketing assistance loans that provide interim cash flow without having to sell the commodities when market prices are at harvest time lows. The loans allow you to store and delay the sale of the commodity until more favorable market conditions emerge, while also providing for a more orderly marketing of commodities throughout the marketing year.
Producers can use eligible commodities as loan collateral and obtain a 9-month loan while the crop is in storage. Eligible commodities include wheat, corn, grain sorghum, barley, oats, upland cotton, extra-long staple cotton (eligible for MAL only), long grain rice, medium grain rice, soybeans, other oilseeds (including sunflower seed, rapeseed, canola, safflower, flaxseed, mustard seed, crambe and sesame seed), dry peas, lentils, small chickpeas, large chickpeas, graded and nongraded wool, mohair, honey and peanuts.
Eligible producer requirements include:
- Comply with conservation and wetland protection requirements.
- Submit an acreage report for all cropland on all farms as applicable.
- Have and retain beneficial interest in the commodity until the MAL is repaid or CCC takes title to the commodity.
- Meet adjusted gross income limitations
Interest rates for MAL’s can be found here. USDA Announces 2024 Marketing Assistance Loan Rates for Wheat, Feed Grains, Oilseeds, Rice, and Pulse Crops
FSA asks interested borrowers to submit their requests early so they can be timely processed. For more information, consider reviewing the Marketing Assistance Loan fact sheet or contact your local USDA Service Center.
MU Extension wants to sincerely thank all who participated in the 2024 Missouri Cash Rental Rate Survey. Your insights and contributions to the state’s only publicly available source of rental date data helps all Missourians! This data is used by landowners and tenants, as well as farmers, ranchers and recreational property owners as they make informed decisions for their operations. Results from the survey, and information about leasing agreements, can be downloaded for free at https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/g427.
For questions about the survey results, please contact MU Extension economist Ben Brown at 573-882-6527 or bpbrown@missouri.edu.
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is announcing the launch of the Distressed Borrowers Assistance Network, an initiative designed to provide personalized support to financially distressed farmers and ranchers across the nation. Through a series of Cooperative Agreements, this national network will connect distressed borrowers with individualized assistance to help them stabilize and regain financial footing. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) made this announcement today at the Farm Aid Festival in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
Network partners include Farm Aid, Rural Advancement Foundation International, the University of Arkansas, the Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers Policy Center at Alcorn State University, and the University of Minnesota. Through this initiative, we are collaborating with community-based organizations to better serve financially distressed producers. Network partners will provide farm loan policy training to the community-based organizations so the organizations can work alongside FSA to help producers understand financing available through FSA, ensuring that when they visit an FSA office, the partner organization representative and FSA staff can better assist.
FSA, in collaboration with farm support organizations and land-grant institutions, will facilitate this network, which will provide the technical resources and guidance of USDA partners to experts from distressed and underserved communities. The network's approach includes integrating knowledgeable service providers to deliver one-on-one support to borrowers so they can best make plans and understand options to overcome their financial challenges.
The Distressed Borrowers Assistance Network will address the immediate needs of distressed borrowers and provide comprehensive, wraparound services aimed at addressing the unique challenges faced by financially distressed producers. Once stabilized financially, these borrowers will be better positioned to access new opportunities and continue contributing to the agricultural economy. These investments will also build a system of service providers that can better support agricultural communities for years to come. Investing in a network of agricultural financing service providers to help bridge access to FSA loans is a benefit for rural and agricultural communities.
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 Sept. 25, 2024, are designed to expand opportunities for borrowers to increase profitability and be better prepared to make strategic investments in enhancing or expanding 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 meaningful 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 fit 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 making 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.
FSA helps America’s farmers, ranchers and forest landowners invest in, improve, protect and expand their agricultural operations through the delivery of agricultural programs for all Americans. FSA implements agricultural policy, administers credit and loan programs, and manages conservation, commodity, disaster recovery and marketing programs through a national network of state and county offices and locally elected county committees. For more information, visit fsa.usda.gov.
USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit usda.gov.
Applications accepted from Sept. 30 to Nov. 29
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced $58 million available for assistance to dairy producers through the Organic Dairy Marketing Assistance Program (ODMAP) 2024. ODMAP 2024 helps mitigate market volatility, higher input and transportation costs, and unstable feed supply and prices that have created unique hardships in the organic dairy industry. Specifically, through ODMAP 2024, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is assisting organic dairy operations with projected marketing costs in 2024 calculated using their marketing costs in 2023. FSA will begin accepting ODMAP 2024 applications on Sept. 30. Eligible producers include certified organic dairy operations that produce milk from cows, goats, and sheep.
ODMAP 2024 Program Improvements
Dairy producers who participate in ODMAP 2024 will benefit from improvements to provisions outlined in the program. Specifically, ODMAP 2024 provides for an increase in the payment rate to $1.68 per hundredweight compared to the previous $1.10 per cwt. Additionally, the production cap has increased to nine million pounds compared to the previous five million pounds.
How ODMAP 2024 Works
FSA is providing financial assistance for a producer’s projected marketing costs in 2024 based on their 2023 costs. ODMAP 2024 provides a one-time cost-share payment based on marketing costs on pounds of organic milk marketed in the 2023 calendar year or estimated 2024 marketing costs for organic dairy operations that have increased milk production.
ODMAP 2024 provides financial assistance that immediately supports certified organic dairy operations during 2024 keeping organic dairy operations sustainable until markets return to more normal conditions.
How to Apply
FSA is accepting applications from Sept. 30 to Nov. 29. To apply, producers should contact FSA at their local USDA Service Center. To complete the ODMAP 2024 application, producers must certify to pounds of 2023 milk production, show documentation of their organic certification, and submit a completed application form.
Organic dairy operations are required to provide their USDA certification of organic status confirming operation as an organic dairy in 2024 and 2023 along with the certification of 2023 milk production or estimated 2024 milk production in hundredweight.
ODMAP 2024 complements other assistance available to dairy producers, including Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC), with more than $36 million in benefits paid for the 2024 program year to date. Learn more on the FSA Dairy Programs webpage.
More Information
To learn more about USDA programs, producers can contact their local USDA Service Center. Producers can also prepare maps for acreage reporting as well as manage farm loans and other programs by logging into their farmers.gov account. If you don’t have an account, sign up today.
FSA helps America’s farmers, ranchers and forest landowners invest in, improve, protect and expand their agricultural operations through the delivery of agricultural programs for all Americans. FSA implements agricultural policy, administers credit and loan programs, and manages conservation, commodity, disaster recovery and marketing programs through a national network of state and county offices and locally elected county committees. For more information, visit fsa.usda.gov.
USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit usda.gov.
Findings from recent Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) studies can help landowners get the most “buzz” from their pollinator habitat conservation choices. Virginia Tech collaborated on a first-of-its-kind study to evaluate the impacts of NRCS’s voluntary conservation practices on pollinator habitat nationwide. This study identifies 51 NRCS conservation practices that benefit pollinators and provides insight on the best areas to target pollinator habitat to maximize those benefits. A regional study in the southeastern U.S. by Auburn University assessed the attractiveness of native wildflower species to bees and found there are three clear favorites.
Learn More
Acreage Reports Are Eligibility Requirement for Many USDA Programs
Urban and innovative agriculture producers will be able to more easily participate in U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs as a result of acreage reporting improvements. These improvements, implemented by USDA’s Farm Service Agency, provide more flexibility for reporting acreage on a smaller scale and identifying innovative planting practices like multi-level planting or vertical farming practices.
An acreage report documents crops and where they are grown on a farm or ranch along with the intended use of the crop. Filing an accurate and timely acreage report for all crops and land uses, including failed acreage and prevented planted acreage, can prevent the loss of program benefits.
Acreage Reporting Improvements
FSA’s acreage reporting software previously allowed acreage to be reported down to .0001 acres, approximately a four-square foot area. Producers will now be able to report acreage-based crops at a minimum size of .000001 acre, approximately a 2.5-inch by 2.5-inch area.
Additional improvements will distinguish alternate growing methods such as crops grown within multiple levels of a building, or crops grown using multi-level or multi-layer growing structures such as panels or towers within a container system. This change allows the distinction of vertical farming practices. Urban and innovative producers will also have the option to report plant inventory along with their acreage-based report, allowing producers to better report the full scope of their operation. Producers can contact FSA at their local USDA Service Center for acreage reporting deadlines that are specific to their county.
USDA Urban Service Centers
USDA is committed to working with farms of all sizes and in all locations, including those in urban areas. USDA works with agricultural producers through a network of more than 2,300 Service Centers nationwide. To better serve urban farmers, USDA is establishing 17 new Urban Service Centers.
The Urban Service Centers are staffed by FSA and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) employees and offer farm loan, conservation, disaster assistance and risk management programs.
To find exact locations and contact information for these Urban Service Centers or to learn how to prepare for a USDA Service Center appointment, producers can visit farmers.gov/your-business/urban-growers/urban-service-centers.
For questions, producers should call their FSA county office. Urban operations that are not located near one of the Urban Service Centers can contact one of the more than 2,300 Service Centers across the country by visiting farmers.gov/service-locator.
More Information
The new acreage reporting improvements and Urban Service Centers are part of a broad USDA investment in urban agriculture and innovative production. Other efforts include:
- Investing $9 million in funding to local organizations that will conduct outreach, education and technical assistance to urban producers and support the urban service centers in 10 cities.
- Organizing 27 FSA urban county committees to make important decisions about how FSA farm programs are administered locally. Urban farmers who participate in USDA programs in the areas selected are encouraged to participate by nominating and voting for county committee members.
- Investing $5.2 million for Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (UAIP) competitive grants in fiscal year 2024
- Administering the People’s Garden Initiative, which celebrates collaborative gardens across the country and worldwide that benefit their communities by growing fresh, healthy food and supporting resilient, local food systems using sustainable practices and providing greenspace.
- Creating and managing a Federal Advisory Committee for Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production to advise the Secretary on the development of policies and outreach relating to urban agriculture. The committee will hold a virtual public meeting on Oct. 23 learn more here.
- Providing cooperative agreements that develop and test strategies for planning and implementing municipal compost plans and food waste reduction plans.
- Investing in risk management education to broaden the reach of crop insurance among urban and innovative producers.
- Partnering with the Vermont Law and Graduate School Center for Agriculture and Food Systems to develop resources that help growers understand and work through local policies.
Additional resources include:
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MISSOURI - USDA
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Service Center Locator
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FARM SERVICE AGENCY (FSA)
601 Business Loop 70 West, Suite 225 Columbia, MO 65203
Phone: 573-876-0925
Fax: 855-830-0680
fsa.usda.gov
State Executive Director
Joe Aull
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NATURAL RESOURCE CONSERVATION SERVICE (NRCS)
601 Business Loop 70 West, Suite 250 Columbia, MO 65203
Phone: 573-876-0901
Fax: 855-865-2188
nrcs.usda.gov
State Conservationist
Scott Edwards
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USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
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