North Dakota FSA eNews - November, 2024
In This Issue:
November 15, 2024: 2025 Acreage Reporting Deadline for Fall-Seeded Small Grains
November 15, 2024: 2025 Aronia and June Berries NAP Coverage deadline
November 15, 2024: 2025 Hops NAP Coverage deadline
November 29, 2024: Final Day to Apply for 2024 Organic Dairy Marketing Assistance Program
December 1, 2024: 2025 Grapes NAP Coverage deadline
December 31, 2024: 2025 Honey NAP Coverage deadline
January 2, 2025: 2025 FSA Acreage Reporting Deadline for Report of Bee Colonies
January 30, 2025: Final Day to Apply for 2024 Livestock Forage Program
January 30, 2025: Final Day to Apply for 2024 Emergency Livestock Assistance Program
February 28, 2025: Final Day to Apply for 2024 Livestock Indemnity Program
It’s been a few years since we took family pictures so when we recently spent a weekend with my daughter and her family at their farm near Hettinger, she arranged for a photographer (thanks Kat Weinert Photography), and we headed for the hills. There is such a western feel in that area and the rocks jutting out of the hilltops are perfect places to snap family photos. Enjoying those photos this week reminded me again of how thankful I am for family – certainly appropriate for a month where we celebrate Thanksgiving!
Being thankful is actually a theme this month at FSA. NDSU Extension has a program called the People Project and reached out to us to see if they could present it to our staff. The first module they presented is “practicing gratitude” – something we could all benefit from. There is evidence that having that attitude of gratitude will make us a happier and more contented person. Some things on my gratitude list are the successful completion of harvest, the fires in western ND being 100% controlled, some parts of our state receiving significant moisture, and good health. I am very grateful for the level of coordination and cooperation that I’ve seen between agencies and organizations when it comes to dealing with the repercussions of the wildfires. Ranchers and farmers – make sure and check out our available programs in the newsletter and if you have any questions – don’t hesitate to reach out to your county offices!
I’m including a picture of my five amazing grandkids – I may be a little biased – but I’m truly blessed by each one of them and thankful for their parents who share them with us. I hope that each of you is able to enjoy some family time this Thanksgiving. I know that the employees of ND FSA are grateful for the opportunity to serve you. Until next month,
- Marcy Svenningsen
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USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) offers disaster assistance and low-interest loan programs to assist you in your recovery efforts following wildfires or other qualifying natural disasters.
Available programs and loans include:
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Non-Insured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) - provides financial assistance to producers of non-insurable crops when low yields, loss of inventory, or prevented planting occur due to natural disasters including excessive wind and qualifying drought (includes native grass for grazing).
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Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) - offers payments to eligible producers for livestock death losses in excess of normal mortality due to adverse weather.
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Tree Assistance Program (TAP) – provides assistance to eligible orchardists and nursery tree growers for qualifying tree, shrub and vine losses due to natural disasters including excessive wind and qualifying drought.
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Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP) - provides emergency relief for losses due to feed or water shortages, disease, adverse weather, or other conditions, which are not adequately addressed by other disaster programs.
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Emergency Loan Program – available to producers with agriculture operations located in a county under a primary or contiguous Presidential or Secretarial disaster designation. These low interest loans help producers recover from production and physical losses.
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Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) - provides emergency funding for farmers and ranchers to rehabilitate land severely damaged by natural disasters; includes fence loss.
For more information on these programs, contact your County USDA Service Center or visit fsa.usda.gov/disaster.
In response to devastating wildfires across parts of North Dakota in October, the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has allocated $1 million in special funding to support landowners and operators in rebuilding essential conservation practices lost to the fires. Through an expedited approval process called ACT NOW, NRCS will provide timely assistance to restore impacted areas.
The ACT NOW process allows applications to be preapproved and funded quickly, with eligible projects advancing in the order received. To qualify for this one-time funding opportunity, applicants must submit a separate application and meet all eligibility requirements prior to advancing in the NRCS Protracts system. Field offices will conduct verification of fire-impacted fields, and eligible applications will be promptly ranked for funding consideration.
“NRCS North Dakota is committed to helping producers rebuild and restore the land affected by these severe wildfires,” said State Conservationist Dan Hovland. “This special funding will allow us to deliver immediate support to impacted communities and aid in the recovery of critical conservation practices.”
All applications must meet eligibility standards before they are ranked. If eligibility is not met, the application status will remain as pending or ineligible until requirements are fulfilled. The submission deadline for reviewed applications is January 31, 2025, and ranking will continue through that date.
Approved conservation practices include conservation cover, windbreak/shelterbelt establishment, fencing, pasture and hay planting, range planting, and watering facilities.
For more information, landowners, ranchers, and producers in the affected areas are encouraged to contact their local NRCS Field Office.
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Based on the U.S. Drought Monitor, Producers in Adams, Billings, Bowman, Divide, Golden Valley, Mckenzie, Slope, Stark, and Williams Counties are eligible to apply for 2024 Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) benefits.
LFP provides compensation if you suffer grazing losses for covered livestock due to drought on privately owned or cash leased land or fire on federally managed land.
County committees can only accept LFP applications after notification is received by the National Office of qualifying drought or if a federal agency prohibits producers from grazing normal permitted livestock on federally managed lands due to qualifying fire. You must complete a CCC-853 and the required supporting documentation no later than January 30, 2025, for 2024 losses.
For additional information about LFP, including eligible livestock and fire criteria, contact the local Service Center or visit fsa.usda.gov.
USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) reminds drought-impacted producers in North Dakota that they may be eligible for assistance through the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP).
For eligible livestock in qualifying counties, ELAP provides financial assistance for:
- the transportation of water to livestock;
- the above normal cost of mileage for transporting feed to livestock; and
- the above normal cost of transporting livestock to forage/grazing acres.* *Hauling livestock both ways starting in 2023, one haul per animal reimbursement and no payment for “empty miles.”
Eligible livestock include cattle, bison, goats and sheep, among others, that are maintained for commercial use and located in a county where qualifying drought conditions occur. A county must have had D2 severe drought intensity on the U.S. Drought Monitor for eight consecutive weeks during the normal grazing period, or D3 or D4 drought intensity at any time during the normal grazing period. Producers must have risk in both eligible livestock and eligible grazing land in an eligible county to qualify for ELAP assistance.
Transporting Water
Producers must be transporting water to eligible livestock on eligible grazing land where adequate livestock watering systems or facilities were in place before the drought occurred and where water transportation is not normally required. ELAP covers costs associated with personal labor, equipment, hired labor, and contracted water transportation fees. Cost of the water itself is not covered. ELAP covers $0.07 per gallon to transport water.
Transporting Feed
ELAP provides financial assistance to livestock producers who incur above normal expenses for transporting feed to livestock during drought. The payment formula excludes the first 25 miles and any mileage over 1,000 miles. The reimbursement rate is 60% of the cost above what would normally would have been incurred during the same time period in a normal (non-drought) year.
Livestock feed that is transported to livestock located on land enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is eligible if the producer has an approved conservation plan with acceptable grazing practices developed in coordination with the Natural Resources Conservation Service
The payment rate to transport feed is $6.60/ loaded mile for expenses above what would have normally been incurred.
Transporting Livestock
ELAP provides financial assistance to livestock producers who are hauling livestock to a new location for feed resources due to insufficient feed or grazing in drought-impacted areas. As with transporting feed, the payment formula for transporting livestock excludes the first 25 miles and any mileage over 1,000 miles. The reimbursement rate is 60% of the costs above what would normally have been incurred during the same time period in a normal (non-drought) year.
The payment rate to transport livestock is $6.60/loaded mile for expenses above what would have normally been incurred and covers hauling livestock one-way, one haul per animal reimbursement and no payment for “empty miles.”
An online tool is now available to help ranchers document and estimate payments to cover feed and livestock transportation costs caused by drought.
Reporting Losses
Producers should contact FSA as soon as the loss of water or feed resources are known.
For ELAP eligibility, documentation of expenses is critical. Producers should maintain records and receipts associated with the costs of transporting water to eligible livestock, the costs of transporting feed to eligible livestock, the costs of additional feed purchases, and the costs of transporting eligible livestock to forage or other grazing acres.
More Information
Producers interested in ELAP assistance can contact their local USDA Service Center to learn more or to apply for programs.
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.
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.
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.
The FSFL program provides low-interest financing to build or upgrade storage facilities and to purchase portable (new or used) structures, equipment including on-farm liquified petroleum tanks for eligible commodities for use as fuel storage for grain dryer equipment.
Loans up to $100,000 can be secured by a promissory note/security agreement. Loans or aggregate loan totals exceeding $100,000 require additional security in the form of real estate or an irrevocable letter of credit. Participants are required to provide a down payment of 15 percent, with CCC providing a loan for the remaining 85 percent of the eligible net cost of the storage facility and permanent drying and handling equipment. Loan terms of 3, 5, 7, 10 or 12 years are available depending on the amount of the loan and loan type. Interest rates for each term rate may be different and are based on the rate which CCC borrows from the Treasury Department.
Sign-up for the FSFL program is continuous throughout the year. All requests for FSFL prior to loan approval require a site inspection for an environmental assessment in accordance to National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA) requirements showing no adverse impacts. FSFL policy requires the following actions cannot occur at the proposed FSFL location prior to the environmental assessment being completed:
- Accepting delivery of equipment and/or materials in previously undisturbed areas
- Site preparation or foundation construction in previously undisturbed areas
- No alteration to any structures that are 50 years old or older or within a historic district
If any of the above are completed prior to FSA completing the on-site assessment, the approval of the FSFL may be delayed and/or ineligible.
Producers considering an FSFL loan for the 2025 harvest season are encouraged to contact their local USDA Service Center early to learn more concerning the application processing requirements.
The Non-Insured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) provides financial assistance to producers of non-insurable crops when low yields, loss of inventory, or prevented planting occur due to natural disasters (includes native grass for grazing).
Eligible producers must have purchased NAP coverage for 2024 crops. If a producer has a Socially Disadvantaged, Limited Resource, Beginning and Veteran Farmer or Rancher Certification (form CCC-860) on file with FSA, it also serves as a 2024 application for basic coverage for all eligible NAP crops. These underserved producers have all NAP-related service fees for basic coverage waived.
A notice of loss must be filed on form CCC-576, Notice of Loss, the earlier of 15 days of the occurrence of the disaster or when losses become apparent or 15 days of the final harvest date. Prevented planting acreage must be reported no later than 15 calendar days after the final planting date as established by FSA. Contact your local FSA office for a list of final planting dates by crop.
Producers abandoning or destroying a crop with NAP coverage must notify FSA prior to the destruction of the acreage.
Producers of hand-harvested crops must notify FSA of damage or loss through the administrative County Office within 72 hours of the date of damage or loss first becomes apparent. This notification can be provided by filing a CCC-576, email, fax or phone. Producers who notify the County Office by any method other than by filing the CCC-576 are still required to file a CCC-576, Notice of Loss, within the required 15 calendar days.
Eligible crops must be commercially produced agricultural commodities for which crop insurance is not available, including perennial grass forage and grazing crops, fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, floriculture, ornamental nursery, aquaculture, turf grass, ginseng, honey, syrup, bioenergy, and industrial crops.
For more information on NAP, contact your local FSA office or visit www.fsa.usda.gov/nap.
Producers who received an Emergency Relief Program (ERP) payment need to meet ERP insurance linkage requirements by purchasing crop insurance, or Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) coverage where crop insurance is not available.
Purchase coverage must be at the 60/100 coverage level or higher for insured crops or at the catastrophic coverage level or higher for NAP crops for the next two available crop years, which will be determined from the date you received an ERP payment and may vary depending on the timing and availability of coverage. The insurance coverage requirement applies to the physical location of the county where the crop was located and for which an ERP payment was issued.
Contact your crop insurance agent or local FSA county office as soon as possible to ask about coverage options. Producers who do not obtain the applicable coverage by the sales/application closing date will be required to refund the ERP benefits received on the applicable crop, plus interest. To determine which crops are eligible for federal crop insurance or NAP, visit the RMA website.
For more information, contact your local USDA Service Center or visit fsa.usda.gov.
The term “sodbusting” is used to identify the conversion of land from native vegetation to commodity crop production after December 23, 1985. As part of the conservation provisions of the Food Security Act of 1985, if you’re proposing to produce agricultural commodities (crops that require annual tillage including one pass planting operations and sugar cane) on land that has been determined highly erodible and that has no crop history prior to December 23, 1985, that land must be farmed in accordance with a conservation plan or system that ensures no substantial increase in soil erosion.
Eligibility for many USDA programs requires compliance with a conservation plan or system on highly erodible land (HEL) used for the production of agricultural commodities. This includes Farm Service Agency (FSA) loan, disaster assistance, safety net, price support, and conservation programs; Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) conservation programs; and Risk Management Agency (RMA) Federal crop insurance.
Before you clear or prepare areas not presently under production for crops that require annual tillage, you are required to file Form AD-1026 “Highly Erodible Land Conservation and Wetland Conservation Certification,” with FSA indicating the area to be brought into production. The notification will be referred to NRCS to determine if the field is considered highly erodible land. If the field is considered HEL, you are required to implement a conservation plan or system that limits the erosion to the tolerable soil loss (T) for the predominant HEL soil on those fields.
In addition, prior to removing trees or conducting any other land manipulations that may affect wetlands, remember to update form AD-1026, to ensure you remain in compliance with the wetland conservation provisions.
Prior to purchasing or renting new cropland acres, it is recommended that you check with your local USDA Service Center to ensure your activities will be in compliance with the highly erodible land and wetland conservation provisions.
For additional information on highly erodible land conservation and wetland conservation compliance, contact your local USDA Service Center.
Farmers and ranchers rely on crop insurance to protect themselves from disasters and unforeseen events, but not all crops are insurable through the USDA’s Risk Management Agency. The Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) provides producers another option to obtain coverage against disaster for these crops. NAP provides financial assistance to producers of non-insurable crops impacted by natural disasters that result in lower yields, crop losses, or prevents crop planting.
Commercially produced crops and agricultural commodities for which crop insurance is not available are generally eligible for NAP. Eligible crops include those grown specifically for food, fiber, livestock consumption, biofuel or biobased products, or value loss crops such as aquaculture, Christmas trees, ornamental nursery, and others. Contact your local FSA office to see which crops are eligible in your state and county.
Eligible causes of loss include drought, freeze, hail, excessive moisture, excessive wind or hurricanes, earthquake and flood. These events must occur during the NAP policy coverage period, before or during harvest, and the disaster must directly affect the eligible crop. For guidance on causes of loss not listed, contact your local FSA county office.
Interested producers apply for NAP coverage using FSA form CCC-471, “Application for Coverage,” and pay the applicable service fee at the FSA office where their farm records are maintained. These must be filed by the application closing date, which varies by crop. Contact your local FSA office to verify application closing dates and ensure coverage for eligible NAP crops.
At the time of application, each producer acknowledges they have received the NAP Basic Provisions, which describes NAP requirements for coverage. NAP participants must report crop acreage shortly after planting and provide verifiable or reliable crop production records when required by FSA.
Producers are required to pay service fees which vary depending on the number of crops and number of counties your operation is located in. The NAP service fee is the lesser of $325 per crop or $825 per producer per administrative county, not to exceed a total of $1,950 for a producer with farming interests in multiple counties. Premiums also apply when producers elect higher levels of coverage with a maximum premium of $15,750 per person or legal entity.
A producer’s certification on Form CCC-860 Socially Disadvantaged, Limited Resource, Beginning and Veteran Farmer or Rancher Certification may serve as an application for basic NAP coverage for all eligible crops beginning with crop year 2022. These producers will have all NAP-related service fees for basic coverage waived, in addition to a 50 percent premium reduction if higher levels of coverage are elected.
For more detailed information on NAP, download the NAP Fact Sheet. To get started with NAP, we recommend you contact your local USDA service center.
If you’re enrolled in the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) or Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs, you must protect all cropland and noncropland acres on the farm from wind and water erosion and noxious weeds. By signing ARC county or individual contracts and PLC contracts, you agree to effectively control noxious weeds on the farm according to sound agricultural practices. If you fail to take necessary actions to correct a maintenance problem on your farm that is enrolled in ARC or PLC, the County Committee may elect to terminate your contract for the program year.
 North Dakota FSA implemented a new District Employee of the Quarter award program. We want to recognize those farm loan and farm program employees who go above and beyond to be helpful and have a cheerful, can-do attitude. Our most recent District Employees of the Quarter that were recognized for their outstanding work are:
- District 1: Jessica Hanlan, Rolette County
- District 2: Deb Schlief, Grand Forks County
- District 3: Ashley Schafer, Grant County
- District 4: Ashlee Shaeffer, Sioux County
- District 5: Pam Ressler, Griggs County
Be sure to congratulate these employees when you see them in your county offices! Employees may be nominated by their fellow staff, producers, borrowers, and outside businesses that employees come in contact with. We will have nomination forms available at the county offices but the easiest way to nominate someone is by using this link: https://forms.office.com/g/cy0MHWG9cQ or scanning the QR code above with your cell phone. All employees in the county offices are eligible to be nominated. This is a great opportunity for you to help us recognize those employees you look forward to seeing when you stop into your county office!
Farm Storage Facility Loan, 3-Year Term: 3.750%
Farm Storage Facility Loan, 5-Year Term: 3.750%
Farm Storage Facility Loan, 7-Year Term: 3.750%
Farm Storage Facility Loan, 10-Year Term: 3.875%
Farm Storage Facility Loan, 12-Year Term: 4.000%
Emergency Loan: 3.750%
Commodity Loans: 5.125%
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North Dakota FSA eNews
North Dakota State Office 1025 28th St. South Fargo, ND 58103
Phone: 701-239-5224 Fax: 855-813-6644
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State Office Staff:
State Executive Director: Marcy Svenningsen
Administrative Officer: Amber Briss
Compliance/Payment Limitations: Kristen Knudtson
Conservation/Livestock: Beau Peterson
ARC/PLC/NAP/Disaster: Laura Heinrich
Farm Loan Programs: Mary Sue Ohlhauser
Price Support: Brian Haugen
Outreach/Communication Coordinator: Cierra Hauck
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