Ohio FSA State Newsletter - October 21, 2024
In This Edition of the Ohio FSA State Newsletter:
Unfortunately, dry conditions have persisted across many areas of the state, FSA does offer multiple programs and loan options for producers to consider while working through this drought. View the factsheet, to learn more about the US Drought Monitor and USDA drought programs. An additional FSA drought related article is provided below.
As of October 18, 2024, there are 49 Ohio counties declared primary disaster counties, with additional contiguous counties. View Ohio FSA’s Secretarial disaster designations on Aug. 30, Sept. 3, Sept. 18, Sept. 23, Oct. 2, Oct. 8, & Oct. 21 for additional details on each. As future drought designations occur, visit the Ohio FSA website for additional designation information.
For those of you who are planting, your FSA office will be ready to take your acreage certification information as you finish getting your fall-seeded crops in the ground. You can start the process now by contacting your FSA office to schedule your certification appointment. Some already are in the process of sending out maps for you to complete as you plant. Please note you also can certify any newly planted cover crop acres at this time.
FSA is in the process of issuing Conservation Reserve Program rental payments. Most folks receive these payments electronically, so in order to facilitate this process, please contact your FSA County office if you have closed your bank account, changed accounts or banks, or if your bank has been purchased by another financial institution. Payments can be delayed if we are not aware of these changes.
FSA provides organic producers and handlers with financial assistance to reduce the cost of organic certification. FSA will cover up to 75% of the costs associated with organic certification, up to $750 per category, through the Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP). FSA encourages organic agricultural producers and handlers to apply for OCCSP by Oct. 31, 2024, for expenses incurred from Oct. 1, 2023, through Sept. 30, 2024. To apply, Ohio producers and handlers should contact their County FSA office. As part of completing the OCCSP application, producers and handlers will need to provide documentation of their organic certification and eligible expenses. Organic producers and handlers may also apply for OCCSP through participating state departments of agriculture.
FSA reminds producers who are interested in the 2025 Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP), of the need to apply for coverage by November 20, 2024, as this is the application deadline for 2025 NAP coverage on apples, asparagus, blueberries, caneberries, cherries, chestnuts, forage for hay and pasture, grapes, nectarines, peaches, pears, plums, strawberries, honey, maple sap and hops. NAP provides coverage on losses from natural disasters on crops for which no permanent federal crop insurance is available. With the ongoing drought this year, producers are encouraged to consider applying for NAP coverage as NAP is available for forage for hay and pasture. The deadline for NAP coverage is November 20, 2024. Please review the article below to learn more about NAP and contact your FSA County office soon to apply.
Dairy producers are reminded about the Organic Dairy Marketing Assistance Program (ODMAP), as FSA will accept applications through November 29, 2024. ODMAP helps to mitigate market volatility, higher input and transportation costs, and unstable feed supply and prices that have created unique hardships in the organic dairy industry. Eligible producers include certified organic dairy operations that produce milk from cows, goats, and sheep. To apply, producers should contact their FSA County office.
We would also like to offer a big “thank you” to our County Committee (COC) members. They provide guidance to help with decisions necessary to administer FSA programs in their respective counties. They are locally elected farmers and producers who are taking time from their own operations to provide leadership and direction for our agency. FSA will be releasing the 2024 COC election ballots in early November. We strongly encourage you to get involved in the election process as COC members are representing you!
Additional program details and more in-depth information is provided in our newsletter. Please don’t hesitate to contact your County FSA office for questions about our programs, loans and information that is included in this newsletter edition.
Meeting will take place October 23, 2024, 2:00 – 5:00 p.m. ET
We’re inviting urban producers, innovative producers, and other stakeholders to virtually attend a public meeting of the Federal Advisory Committee for Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production on October 23, 2024, from 2:00 – 5:00 p.m. Eastern.
Meeting details can be viewed in the Federal Register Notice. Written comments can be submitted via UrbanAgricultureFederalAdvisoryCommittee@usda.gov by November 6, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. The Committee will deliberate and vote on proposed recommendations and address public comments during the meeting. USDA will share the agenda between 24 to 48 hours prior to the meeting on the Committee’s webpage.
The Committee is managed by the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production and was established through the 2018 Farm Bill and is part of a broad USDA investment in urban agriculture.
Organic Producers and Handlers are Encouraged to apply for the Organic Certification Cost Share Program that can help cover up to 75% or organic certification costs
Through the Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP), 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.
Eligible Applicants, Expenses and Categories
OCCSP provides cost-share assistance to producers and handlers of organic agricultural commodities for expenses incurred obtaining or maintaining organic certification under USDA’s National Organic Program. Eligible OCCSP applicants include any certified organic producers or handlers who have paid organic certification fees to a USDA-accredited certifying agent.
Cost share assistance covers expenses including application fees, inspection costs, fees related to equivalency agreement and arrangement requirements, inspector travel expenses, user fees, sales assessments and postage. OCCSP pays a maximum of $750 per certification category for crops, wild crops, livestock, processing/handling, and state organic program fees (California only).
How to Apply
To apply, producers and handlers should contact FSA at their local USDA Service Center and be prepared to provide documentation of organic certification and eligible expenses. OCCSP applications can also be submitted through participating state departments of agriculture. For more information, visit the OCCSP webpage.
More Information
USDA offers other assistance for organic producers, including the Organic Transition Initiative (OTI), which includes direct farmer assistance for organic production and processing and conservation. For more information on organic agriculture, visit farmers.gov/organic. To learn more about FSA programs, producers can contact their local USDA Service Center.
USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) offers multiple programs and loan options for producers to consider will working through this drought.
Livestock producers who suffered grazing losses for covered livestock due to drought on privately owned or cash leased land may be eligible for the 2024 Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP). To participate in LFP producers must own, cash or share lease, or contract grow eligible livestock, provide pasture or grazing land to eligible livestock on the beginning date of the qualifying drought, certify that they suffered a grazing loss due to drought, and submit an acreage report to the Farm Service Agency (FSA) for all grazing land for which a grazing loss is being claimed. FSA maintains a list of counties eligible for LFP and makes updates each Thursday.
The Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP) provides eligible producers with compensation for above normal costs of hauling water and feed to livestock as well as transporting livestock to forage or other grazing acres. For ELAP, producers are required to complete a notice of loss and a payment application to their local FSA office no later than the annual program application deadline, Jan. 30, 2025, for 2024 calendar year losses. ELAP also assists commercial apiarists who experience a loss of feed due to drought conditions that may need to purchase short-term feed to sustain the honeybees until additional natural feedstock becomes available.
Additionally, eligible orchardists and nursery tree growers may be eligible for cost-share assistance through the Tree Assistance Program (TAP) to replant or rehabilitate eligible trees, bushes or vines. For TAP, a program application must be filed within 90 days of the disaster event or the date when the loss of the trees, bushes or vines is apparent.
NAP provides coverage on losses from natural disasters on crops for which no permanent federal crop insurance is available. FSA reminds producers who are interested in the 2025 Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP), of the need to apply for coverage by November 20, 2024, as this is the application deadline for 2025 NAP coverage on apples, asparagus, blueberries, caneberries, cherries, chestnuts, forage for hay and pasture, grapes, nectarines, peaches, pears, plums, strawberries, honey, maple sap and hops. With the ongoing drought this year, producers are encouraged to consider applying for NAP coverage as NAP is available for forage for hay and pasture.
FSA also offers a variety of direct and guaranteed farm loans, including operating and emergency farm loans, to producers unable to secure commercial financing. Producers in counties with a primary or contiguous disaster designation may be eligible for low interest emergency loans to help them recover from production and physical losses. Loans can help producers replace essential property, purchase inputs like livestock, equipment, feed and seed, cover family living expenses or refinance farm-related debts and other needs. Additionally, FSA offers several loan servicing options available for borrowers who are unable to make scheduled payments on their farm loan programs debt to the agency because of reasons beyond their control.
Producers who have risk protection through Federal Crop Insurance or FSA’s NAP should report crop damage to their crop insurance agent or FSA office. If they have crop insurance, producers should provide a notice of loss to their agent within 72 hours of initial discovery of damage and follow up in writing within 15 days.
For NAP covered crops, a Notice of Loss (CCC-576) must be filed within 15 days of the loss becoming apparent, except for hand-harvested crops, which should be reported within 72 hours.
FSA’s Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) can assist landowners with financial and technical assistance to implement emergency water conservation measures.
Due to the drought conditions in Ohio, the National FSA office has recently authorized emergency haying and grazing authority in all counties throughout the state that are not otherwise eligible for emergency haying and grazing in accordance with 2-CRP paragraph 681. Through this authority CRP participants (except those who are enrolled in CREP contracts) may donate emergency haying and grazing rights to livestock producers affected by severe drought (D2 or greater on the U.S. Drought Monitor) through March 15, 2025. This allows the affected livestock producer to have access to feed sources from areas less impacted by drought conditions that are limited because of an active CRP contract to emergency hay and graze acres. To ensure emergency haying and grazing is only being utilized by those producers whose livestock operations were adversely impacted by severe drought (D2 or greater on the U.S. Drought Monitor), livestock producers must file a CCC-576 (Notice of Loss) or provide a written certification documenting the impact to their operation.
With concurrence from Ohio SAFE partners, the National FSA office has agreed to waive emergency haying and grazing restrictions set forth in all Ohio SAFE projects for this specific drought event and authorizes CRP participants to donate emergency haying and grazing rights to livestock producers whose farming operation is affected by severe drought (D2 or greater on the U.S. Drought Monitor) on a one-time basis.
Requests for emergency haying and grazing must be approved by FSA before the activity commences.
FSA has developed an on-line disaster assistance discover tool which allows producers to learn the USDA assistance programs which might fit their operation due to this year’s drought. This easy-to-use tool can be accessed at: https://www.farmers.gov/protection-recovery/disaster-tool
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) can help farmers make their operation more resilient in the face of drought in future years. Through conservation planning and practices that will improve soil health and water conservation, farmers can reduce future crop loss due to drought and enhance resiliency to changing climatic conditions. Financial help for implementing conservation practices may be available through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program.
For those agricultural producers that have not worked with the USDA FSA office before, make an appointment as the initial meeting with FSA and understand that this will take longer than a typical appointment with FSA. That’s because FSA will need to establish a customer record and a farm record. FSA must also determine program eligibility.
Producers need to evaluate the impact on their operation and contact their local FSA County office to schedule an appointment to timely report all crop, livestock and farm infrastructure damages and losses. To expedite FSA disaster assistance, producers will likely need to provide documents, such as farm records, herd inventory, receipts and pictures of damages or losses. For assistance with a crop insurance claim, producers and landowners should contact their crop insurance agent.
The Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) has established a shared resource for those impacted by the extreme drought.
You can add your information to the Ohio Hay Directory using this link. You can view the Ohio Hay Directory using this link.
The directory will be housed on ODA's Drought Resources webpage.
ODA will continue to assess the ongoing impacts of this extreme drought and connect farmers to the appropriate resources and assistance.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) 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 FSA County Office.
FSA reminds producers who are interested in the 2025 Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP), of the need to apply for coverage by the following crop deadline dates. Producers impacted by the drought this year, should consider applying for NAP coverage for hay and pasture.
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November 20, 2024 is the deadline for 2025 NAP coverage on apples, asparagus, blueberries, caneberries, cherries, chestnuts, forage for hay and pasture, grapes, nectarines, peaches, pears, plums, strawberries, honey, maple sap and hops.
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March 15, 2025 is the deadline for 2025 NAP coverage on forage sorghum, oats, potatoes, Soybeans, Sunflowers and all spring planted specialty crops grown for food.
NAP Buy-Up Coverage Option
NAP offers higher levels of coverage, from 50 to 65 percent of expected production in 5 percent increments, at 100 percent of the average market price. Producers of organics and crops marketed directly to consumers also may exercise the “buy-up” option to obtain NAP coverage of 100 percent of the average market price at the coverage levels of between 50 and 65 percent of expected production. NAP basic coverage is available at 55 percent of the average market price for crop losses that exceed 50 percent of expected production. Buy-up coverage is not available for crops intended for grazing.
NAP Service Fees
For all coverage levels, the NAP service fee is the lesser of $325 per crop or $825 per producer per county, not to exceed a total of $1,950 for a producer with farming interests in multiple counties.
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.
To help producers learn more about the NAP program and how it can help them, USDA, offers an online Web tool at www.fsa.usda.gov/nap. The webtool allows producers to determine whether their crops are eligible for coverage and gives producers an opportunity to explore a variety of options and levels to determine the best protection level for their operation.
For more information on NAP coverage or obtain coverage, please contact your FSA County office.
Applications accepted from Sept. 30 to Nov. 29
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) 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.
Marketing Assistance Loans (MALs) and Loan Deficiency Payments (LDPs) provide financing and marketing assistance for wheat, feed grains, soybeans, and other oilseeds, pulse crops, 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. For more information and additional eligibility requirements, contact your FSA County Office.
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.
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.
Farm Operating Loans, Direct -- 4.875%
Farm Ownership Loans, Direct -- 5.375%
Limited Resource Loans -- 5.000%
Farm Ownership Loans, Down Payment -- 1.500%
Farm Ownership – Joint Financing -- 3.3750%
Emergency Loans -- 3.750%
Farm Storage Facility Loan, 3 year -- 3.625%
Farm Storage Facility Loan, 5 year -- 3.500%
Farm Storage Facility Loan, 7 year -- 3.625%
Farm Storage Facility Loan, 10 year -- 3.750%
Farm Storage Facility Loan, 12 year -- 3.875%
Sugar Storage Facility Loans, 15 year -- 4.000%
Commodity Loans -- 5.125%
October 31 ------- Final Date to Apply for Reimbursement through the Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP) for expenses incurred from 10-01-2023 through 09-30-2024.
November 4 ------ County committee ballots mailed to voters.
November 11 ---- Veterans Day Holiday. USDA Service Center is Closed.
November 20 ---- Last day to apply for coverage for asparagus, blueberries, caneberries, cherries, chestnuts, forage for hay and pasture, grapes, nectarines, peaches, pears, plums, strawberries, honey, hops and maple syrup.
November 28 --- Thanksgiving Day Holiday. USDA Service Center is Closed.
December 2 ----- Last day to return voted Ballots in county committee election.
December 16 --- Deadline to report the 2025 Fall Seeded Crops for fall barley, fall wheat and all other fall-seeded small grains.
December 25 --- Christmas Day Holiday. USDA Service Center is Closed.
Top of page
Ohio FSA State Office
200 North High Street, Room 540
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: 614-255-2441
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Visit the Ohio FSA website at: www.fsa.usda.gov/oh
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State Executive Director:
Dr. John Patterson
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Deputy State Executive Director:
Traci Garza
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Administrative Officer:
Vacant
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Conservation Chief:
Brandi Koehler
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Farm Loan Chief:
Darren Metzger
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Price Support Chief:
Trevor Kerr
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Production Adjustment / Compliance and Risk Management Chief:
Matt Kleski
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Ohio FSA State Committee Members
Theodore Finnarn, Chairperson
Fred Deel
Tracy Hundley
Thomas Jackson, Jr.
Mark Mechling
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