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The 2024 Farm Service Agency County Committee Elections will begin on Nov. 4, 2024, when ballots are mailed to eligible voters. The deadline to return ballots to local FSA offices, or to be postmarked, is Dec. 2, 2024.
County committee members are an important component of the operations of FSA and provide a link between the agricultural community and USDA. Farmers and ranchers elected to county committees help deliver FSA programs at the local level, applying their knowledge and judgment to make decisions on commodity price support programs; conservation programs; incentive indemnity and disaster programs for some commodities; emergency programs and eligibility. FSA committees operate within official regulations designed to carry out federal laws.
To be an eligible voter, farmers and ranchers must:
- Be of legal voting age or, if not of legal voting age, supervise and conduct the farming operation of an entire farm.
- Have an interest in a farm or ranch as either:
- An individual who meets one or more of the following:
- Is eligible and capable to vote in one’s own right.
- Is a partner of a general partnership.
- Is a member of a joint venture.
- Is an authorized representative of a legal entity.
- Participate or cooperate in any FSA program that is provided by law. A cooperating producer is someone who has provided information about their farming or ranching operation(s) but may not have applied or received FSA program benefits.
Eligible voters in their Local Administrative Area, who do not receive a ballot can obtain one from their local FSA county office. Customers can identify which LAA they or their farming operation is in by using our GIS locator tool available at fsa.usda.gov/elections.
Newly elected committee members will take office Jan. 1, 2025.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is accepting applications through its updated Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-raised Fish Program (ELAP) to provide financial assistance to eligible dairy producers who incur milk losses due to Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, also known as H5N1infection in their dairy herds. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) expanded ELAP through the rule-making process to assist with a portion of financial losses resulting from reduced milk production when cattle are removed from commercial milking in dairy herds having a confirmed positive H5N1 test. Positive test results must be confirmed through the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL).
“USDA remains committed to working with producers, state veterinarians, animal health professionals, and our federal partners as we continue to detect the presence of H5N1 in dairy herds and take additional measures to contain the spread of the disease,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “When something unexpected, like H5N1, threatens the economic viability of the producers we serve, we are committed to finding ways, where we have the authority to do so, to revisit existing program policies and provide the financial support needed to help producers recover and sustain production.”
ELAP provides emergency relief to eligible producers of livestock, honeybees, and farm-raised fish to assist with losses due to disease, adverse weather, or other conditions, such as wildfires, that are not covered by other FSA disaster assistance programs.
H5N1 infections have been detected in 14 states including California, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, North Carolina, New Mexico, Ohio, South Dakota, Texas and Wyoming. Dairy producers in all states are reminded to stay vigilant and follow established APHIS biosecurity, detection and testing guidelines. In addition to testing, enhanced biosecurity is critical to containing this virus. USDA works closely with state animal health official, producers, and industry organizations to provide guidance and resources for cleaning and disinfection not only on affected farms but for all livestock producers as a part of practicing good biosecurity. APHIS has made available a number of biosecurity documents on its landing page.
ELAP Eligibility
Eligible adult dairy cattle must be:
- Part of a herd that has a confirmed positive H5N1 test from NVSL;
- Initially removed from commercial milk production at some point during the 14-day time period before the sample collection date for the positive H5N1 test date through 120 days after the sample collection date for the positive H5N1 test;
- Milk-producing, currently lactating; and
- Maintained for commercial milk production, in which the producer has a financial risk, on the beginning date of the eligible loss condition.
Applying for ELAP Assistance
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 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, 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.
Calculating ELAP Payments
The per cow milk loss payment due to H5N1 will be determined based on an expected 21-day period of no milk production when a cow is removed from the milking herd, followed by seven days when the cow has returned to milking but produces 50% of the normal amount of production.
ELAP payments are determined using a per head payment rate calculated based on the monthly all-milk price and national milk production published by the National Agricultural Statistics Service and a standard number of days with reduced or no production — (per head payment rate x number of eligible adult dairy cows x producer’s share in milk production x 90%)
To apply, producers should contact the FSA at their local USDA Service Center.
More Information
Details on updated ELAP policy to provide financial assistance for milk loss due H5N1.
USDA continues to work with the Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and State veterinary and public health officials to investigate H5N1 among cattle. APHIS continues to provide confirmatory testing for samples from livestock as well as guidance for producers, veterinarians, and state animal health officials. Learn more at APHIS’ Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Detections in Livestock webpage.
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.
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.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is accepting offers for more than 2.2 million acres from agricultural producers and private landowners through this year’s Grassland, General, and Continuous Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) signups administered by USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA). With these accepted acres, enrollment is very near the 27 million CRP acreage cap.
Grassland CRP
Including the nearly 1.44 million acres recently accepted in Grassland CRP for offers received in 2024, producers will have enrolled more than 10 million acres in this popular working-lands program.
Grassland CRP allows producers and landowners to continue grazing and haying practices while protecting grasslands and further CRP’s impacts. Grassland CRP leverages working lands practices to improve biodiversity and conserve environmentally sensitive land.
Enrolled acres help sequester carbon in vegetation and soil, while enhancing resilience to drought and wildfire. Meanwhile, producers can still conduct common grazing practices, such as haying, mowing or harvesting seed from the enrolled land, which supports agricultural production.
Top states for this year’s Grassland CRP signup include:
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Nebraska with 237,853 acres accepted
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Colorado with 218,145 acres accepted
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New Mexico with 185,619 acres accepted
Additionally, to target conservation in key geographies, USDA prioritizes land within two National Priority Zones: The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and the Dust Bowl area. The 2024 Grassland CRP enrollment has added more than 560,000 acres in the Priority Zones, bringing the total acres to 3.8 million. By conserving working grasslands and other lands that underpin iconic big game migrations, land enrolled in these zones contributes to broader USDA conservation efforts through Working Lands for Wildlife.
General and Continuous CRP
FSA also has accepted nearly 200,000 acres through the General signup, bringing total acres enrolled in General CRP to 7.9 million acres. As one of the largest private lands conservation programs in the United States, CRP offers a range of conservation options to farmers, ranchers and landowners. It has been an especially strong opportunity for farmers with less productive or marginal cropland, helping them re-establish valuable land cover to help improve water quality, prevent soil erosion and support wildlife habitat.
In January 2024, FSA opened enrollment for Continuous CRP. Under this enrollment, producers and landowners can enroll in CRP throughout the year. Offers are automatically accepted provided the producer and land meet the eligibility requirements and the enrollment levels do not exceed the statutory cap. To date, in 2024, more than 565,000 acres have been offered through Continuous CRP bringing the total acres enrolled to 8.5 million.
Producers can still make an offer to participate in CRP through the Continuous CRP signup, which is ongoing, by contacting FSA at their local USDA Service Center.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has technical and financial assistance available to help farmers and livestock producers across California recover from recent wildfires. Producers impacted by wildfires should contact their local USDA Service Center to report losses and learn more about program options available to assist in their recovery from crop, land, infrastructure and livestock losses and damages.
USDA Disaster Assistance for Wildfire Recovery
Producers who experience livestock deaths in excess of normal mortality may be eligible for the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP). To participate in LIP, producers will need to provide documentation of death losses and submit a notice of loss to the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) no later than the annual program payment application date. The LIP payment application and notice of loss deadline is March 3, 2025, for 2024 calendar year losses.
Meanwhile, the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP) provides eligible producers with compensation for feed and grazing losses and transportation cost associated with transporting feed/forage to livestock and livestock to feed. For ELAP, producers are required to complete a notice of loss and a payment application to their local FSA office no later than Jan. 30, 2025, for 2024 calendar year losses.
FSA also offers a variety of direct and guaranteed farm loans, including operating and emergency farm loans, to producers unable to secure commercial financing. Depending on program funding availability, 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.
Conservation
Outside of the primary nesting season, emergency and non-emergency haying and grazing of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres may be authorized to provide relief to livestock producers in areas affected by a severe drought or similar natural disasters. Producers interested in haying or grazing of CRP acres should contact their county FSA office to determine eligibility.
FSA’s Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) can assist landowners with financial and technical assistance to remove debris from farmland such as woody material, sand, rock and materials from collapsed hoop houses/high tunnels on cropland or pastureland. Through the program, FSA can provide assistance toward the restoration or replacement of fences including livestock cross fences, boundary fences, cattle gates or wildlife exclusion fences on agricultural land.
Additionally, the Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP) can assist eligible owners of nonindustrial private forestland to also restore the land by removing debris, repairing forestland roads, and replacing fence. For both programs, farmers and ranchers should check with their local FSA office to find out about sign-up periods, which are set by the FSA County Committee.
More Information
On farmers.gov, the Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool, Disaster Assistance-at-a-Glance fact sheet, and Farm Loan Discovery Tool can help producers and landowners determine program or loan options. For assistance with a crop insurance claim, producers and landowners should contact their crop insurance agent. For FSA and NRCS programs, they should contact their local USDA Service Center.
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.
Additional resources include:
Nationwide, more than 7,700 dedicated members of the agricultural community serve on USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) county committees. The committees are made up of three to 11 members who serve three-year terms. Committee members are vital to how FSA administers disaster assistance, conservation, commodity and price support programs, advises county office employment and addresses other agricultural issues.
To hold office or vote in FSA county committee elections, there are specific provisions for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) citizens.
Watch this video to hear from agricultural producers, current and retired USDA staff and tribal government officials about the importance of tribal participation in FSA county committee elections.
Nominations
Tribal nation leaders and farm and ranch organizations can nominate agricultural producers for County Committees serving tribal lands. Agricultural producers may be nominated for candidacy for the county committee if they:
A cooperating producer is someone who has provided information about their farming or ranching operation to FSA, even if they have not applied or received program benefits. Individuals may nominate themselves or others and qualifying organizations may also nominate candidates.
Voting
Since the 1990s, every member of an American Indian tribe is considered an agricultural landowner if the land on which the tribal member’s voting eligibility is based is tribally owned or held in trust by the United States for the tribe, even if the individual does not personally produce an agricultural commodity on that land. Members of American Indian tribes holding agricultural land are eligible to vote in an FSA county committee election if the tribal member meets the age requirement of 18 years and older. Tribal agricultural landowner voting eligibility applies only to members of federally recognized Tribes.
How to Vote
Tribal agricultural landowners 18 years and older can contact their USDA Service Center to register to vote with FSA. After providing FSA with contact information, including a current mailing address, tribal landowners will be updated as an eligible voter in the FSA county committee election database.
Tribal Engagement
Additionally, FSA can collaborate directly with Tribal Nations to obtain names and addresses of tribal members 18 years and older to get tribal membership registered in the FSA election system. View FSA’s 2024 call for tribal nominations.
Additional Information
USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) and the USDA Office of Communications collaborated with the Blackfeet Tribal Business Council in Montana to highlight FSA opportunities for federally recognized tribal nations to expand USDA service, outreach and education in tribal communities nationwide.
The national outreach and education project includes aerial footage of the 1.5 million-acre Blackfeet Indian Reservation in northwestern Montana and video interviews with agricultural producers, current and retired USDA staff and tribal government officials. This is part one of a two-part video series – part two will be released later in the year.
For more information, including a USDA Tribal Agricultural Landowner Voting Eligibility poster, visit your local USDA Service Centers, fsa.usda.gov/elections and farmers.gov/tribal.
How can technology help expand market opportunities and increase business efficiencies for small farms?
Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF) Tech Hub is here to Help!
Free Consultation services available to small scale farmers, food hubs and farmers markets operating out of California.
Request an appointment at www.caff.org/techsupport
For any questions email Techhub@caff.org or visit www.caff.org/techhub
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California Urban Growers! Alongside our partners, CAFF is distributing $10,000 microgrants funded by the USDA’s Farm Service Agency and the CA Department of Food & Agriculture. The Growing Urban Agriculture microgrants fund projects that may need financial support to implement, and priority will be given to operations that are led by and/or serve urban communities that have been historically underserved.
Application Open October 15th – November 30
Deadline Nov 30 11:59 pm PST
Any grower who is within 25 miles of an urban area of 25,000 or more people is encouraged to apply.
A microgrant can provide up to $10,000 for projects to applicants that operate a business, organization, collective/cooperative, or site dedicated to urban agriculture that may need financial support to implement, such as site development, equipment, technical assistance, practices improving soil quality and conservation, and more. Priority will be given to those operations growing for their communities as well as operations that are led by and/or serve urban communities that have been historically underserved.
Community Alliance with Family Farmers, Agroecology Commons, Food Access Los Angeles, Los Angeles Food Policy Council, Veggielution, and University of California Agriculture & Natural Resources have partnered with FSA to offer Growing Urban Agriculture Microgrants. FSA Microgrants will fund urban producers in Los Angeles, Orange, Santa Clara, San Mateo, San Francisco, Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Solano, Napa, and Sonoma counties who are growing crops for community consumption and utilization. CAFF will be distributing CDFA funded microgrants to priority regions of California that include Fresno, Sacramento, and the Inland Empire.
To Apply
Farmers, are you searching for your future manager or supervisor? Whether you have a current employee who could use some additional training, or are seeking to hire a new team member, The Beginning Farm and Ranch Management Apprenticeship provides a structured pathway for aspiring farm managers to develop the knowledge and skills they need to be successful on your farm. The Center for Land-Based Learning covers all tuition for coursework and provides support for farmers and apprentices. To learn more about training an apprentice, visit https://landbasedlearning.org/apprentice-farmer-mentor
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