Indiana FSA State Newsletter - November 13, 2024
In This Issue:
November – a true month of thanksgiving – for those men and women who have fought for, and many who paid the ultimate sacrifice for, our freedoms as Americans. It is also a time to feel blessed and grateful for the many blessings that come our way in our family and work lives. I am thankful for veterans who have served, for farmers who have faith in the business of agriculture, and for our FSA employees across the state who give of themselves to work in public service.
As we prepare to spend time with family and friends this holiday season, we should all pause and be thankful for all that we have as Americans. I wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday with those closest to you.
In Agriculture,
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State Executive Director
Veterans: Are you returning home to the family farm or starting your own after military service? Transitioning to a new civilian career can be a big adjustment. USDA has resources to help. Learn how our programs can serve you, connect to USDA staff for support, and discover how other veterans have used USDA programs for their operations. Learn how our programs and staff can help.
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Indiana FSA reminds producers of approaching application deadlines for purchasing risk coverage for some crops through the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP). NAP provides financial assistance to producers of non-insurable crops impacted by natural disasters that result in lower yields, crop losses, or prevented crop planting.
NAP covers losses from natural disasters on crops for which no permanent federal crop insurance program is available, including forage and grazing crops, fruits, vegetables, floriculture, ornamental nursery, aquaculture, turf grass and more.
Upcoming application deadlines for NAP coverage in Name County for the 202# production season include:
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November 15 – Perennial Grazing & Forage Crops (Alfalfa, Grass, Mixed Forages, Clover, Etc.)
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November 20 – Apples, Apricots, Aronia (Chokeberry), Asparagus, Blueberries, Caneberries, Cherries, Grapes, Hops, Nectarines, Peaches, Pears, Plums, Strawberries
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December 31 – Hives (Honey) and Maple Sap
To learn more about NAP visit fsa.usda.gov/nap or contact your local USDA Service Center.
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Do you have grain under loan with FSA?
If so, always contact FSA before you haul or feed any grain under loan.
If you take out marketing assistance loans and use the farm-stored grain as collateral, you are responsible for:
- maintaining the quality of the grain through the term of the loan
- requesting authorization prior to disposing of grain
If loan grain has been disposed of through feeding, selling or any other form of disposal without prior written authorization from the county office staff, it is considered unauthorized disposition. The financial penalties for unauthorized dispositions are severe and your name will be placed on a loan violation list for a two-year period.
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Return Ballots by December 2
FSA mailed ballots last week for local county committee elections to all eligible agricultural producers and private landowners across the country. Elections are occurring in certain Local Administrative Areas (LAA) for committee members who make important decisions about how federal farm programs are administered locally.
Producers must participate or cooperate in a USDA program and reside in the LAA that is up for election this year to be eligible to vote in the county committee election. A cooperating producer is someone who has provided information about their farming operation to FSA, even if they have not applied or received program benefits. Additionally, producers who are not of legal voting age, but supervise and conduct farming operations for an entire farm, are eligible to vote in these elections.
Nationwide, more than 7,700 dedicated members of the agricultural community serve on FSA county committees. Each committee has from three to 11 elected members who serve three-year terms, and at least one seat representing a LAA up for election each year. Committee members are vital to how FSA carries out disaster recovery, conservation, commodity and price support programs, as well as making decisions on county office employment and other agricultural issues. They help ensure inclusive representation on committees and equitable administration of FSA farm programs in their jurisdiction.
Producers can identify LAAs up for election through a geographic information system locator tool available at fsa.usda.gov/elections and may confirm their LAA by contacting their local FSA office. Eligible voters who do not receive a ballot in the mail can request one from their local FSA county office.
Ballots must be postmarked or delivered in person to the local FSA office by close of business December 2, 2024, to be counted. Newly elected committee members will take office January 1, 2025.
Visit fsa.usda.gov/elections for more information on county committee elections.
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires Federal agencies to consider all potential environmental impacts for federally funded projects before the project is approved.
For all FSA programs, an environmental review must be completed before site preparation or ground disturbance are approved.
These programs include, but are not limited to, the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP), Farm Storage Facility Loan (FSFL) program and Farm Loans Programs.
If project implementation begins before FSA has completed an environmental review,
the request will be denied.
Although there are exceptions regarding the Stafford Act and emergencies, it’s important to wait until you receive written approval of your project proposal before starting any actions.
Applications cannot be approved until FSA has copies of all permits and plans. Contact your local FSA office early in your planning process to determine what level of environmental review is required for your program application so that it can be completed timely.
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The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) provides for emergency haying and grazing on certain CRP practices in a county designated as D2 or higher on the U.S. Drought Monitor, or in a county where there is at least 40 percent loss in forage production. Emergency use of CRP acreage is available in eligible counties if the stand is in condition to support such activity and is subject to a modified conservation plan. Authorized Emergency Haying & Grazing may be conducted without any reduction to the annual rental payment.
Please note that unauthorized Emergency Haying & Grazing can result in penalties, including payment penalties and possible contract termination.
Modified Conservation Plan
Before CRP acres are declared eligible for haying or grazing, a modified conservation plan developed by NRCS or a technical service provider must be obtained. The modified conservation plan must be site specific, include the authorized duration and reflect local wildlife needs and concerns. The primary purpose must be to maintain vegetative cover, minimize soil erosion and protect water quality and wildlife habitat quality. These plans must prevent long-term damage to the conservation cover. Producers must file a request with their local FSA office prior to completing emergency haying and grazing.
For a map of eligible counties, please visit fsa.usda.gov and click on the MAP-Counties Eligible for Emergency Haying and/or Grazing link under Maps.
Additional information can be found in the Emergency Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Haying and Grazing factsheet.
To ensure compliance and protect program benefits, contact your local USDA Service Center to discuss available assistance and to request a modified conservation plan before initiating haying or grazing on CRP acres.
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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. Written permission from current landowner is required for the release of this information. Written permission from current landowner is required for the release of this information.
Form AD-1026 is available at USDA Service Centers and online at: farmers.gov. Please contact your local USDA Service Center for more information.
Urban and innovative agriculture producers will be able to more easily participate in USDA programs as a result of acreage reporting improvements. These improvements, implemented by FSA, 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 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.
USDA is committed to working with farms of all sizes and in all locations, including those in urban areas. Producers should contact FSA at their local USDA Service Center for acreage reporting deadlines that are specific to their county.
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.
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To claim a Farm Service Agency (FSA) payment on behalf of a deceased producer, all program conditions for the payment must have been met before the applicable producer’s date of death.
If a producer earned an FSA payment prior to his or her death, the following is the order of precedence for the representatives of the producer:
- administrator or executor of the estate
- the surviving spouse
- surviving sons and daughters, including adopted children
- surviving father and mother
- surviving brothers and sisters
- heirs of the deceased person who would be entitled to payment according to the State law
For FSA to release the payment, the legal representative of the deceased producer must file a form FSA-325 to claim the payment for themselves or an estate. The county office will verify that the application, contract, loan agreement, or other similar form requesting payment issuance, was signed by the applicable deadline by the deceased or a person legally authorized to act on their behalf at that time of application.
If the application, contract or loan agreement form was signed by someone other than the deceased participant, FSA will determine whether the person submitting the form has the legal authority to submit the form.
Payments will be issued to the respective representative’s name using the deceased program participant’s tax identification number. Payments made to representatives are subject to offset regulations for debts owed by the deceased.
FSA is not responsible for advising persons in obtaining legal advice on how to obtain program benefits that may be due to a participant who has died, disappeared or who has been declared incompetent.
Coming later this month, Indiana FSA will be publishing a state-wide newsletter via this platform that focuses solely on Farm Loan Programs.
Visit fsa.usda.gov or farmers.gov/loans for FSA's online resources to help producers understand our Farm Loan Programs.
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2025 North Central Region - Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (NCR-SARE) Farmer Rancher Grant “Call for Proposals” is now available.
Proposals must be received online or in the NCR-SARE office by mail or e-mail by 4:00 p.m. Central Time on December 5, 2024.
Follow the link below for more information and to apply.
Date – November 22, 2024
Time – 1:00 – 2:30pm Eastern
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November 4 - COC Election Ballots Mailed
November 15 – Final Date to Submit a Prevented Planting Claim for Fall Wheat with a 10/31 Final Plant Date
November 15 – NAP Sales Closing Date for Perennial Grazing & Forage Crops (Alfalfa, Grass, Mixed Forages, Clover, Etc.)
November 20 – NAP Sales Closing Date for Apples, Apricots, Aronia (Chokeberry), Asparagus, Blueberries, Caneberries, Cherries, Grapes, Hops, Nectarines, Peaches, Pears, Plums, Strawberries.
November 28 – Offices Closed in Observance of Thanksgiving Day
November 29 - Organic Dairy Marketing Assistance Program Application Deadline
December 2 – Deadline to Return COC Election Voted Ballots
December 16 – Final Reporting Date for Fall Mint and Fall-Seeded Small Grains December 25 – Offices Closed in Observance of Christmas Day
December 31 – NAP Sales Closing Date for Hives (Honey) and Maple Sap
January 1, 2025 – Offices Closed in Observance of New Year’s Day
January 2, 2025 – Final Reporting Date for Hives (Honey) and Maple Taps
USDA announced loan interest rates for November 2024, which are effective November 1, 2024. USDA’s FSA loans provide important access to capital to help agricultural producers start or expand their farming operation, purchase equipment and storage structures, or meet cash flow needs.
Additionally, FSA provides low-interest financing to producers to build or upgrade on-farm storage facilities and purchase handling equipment and loans that provide interim financing to help producers meet cash flow needs without having to sell their commodities when market prices are low. Funds for these loans are provided through the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) and are administered by FSA.
FSA also offers guaranteed loans through commercial lenders at rates set by those lenders.
Check your eligibility for FSA loans and find the right loans to fit your needs by utilizing the Farm Loan Assistance Tool.
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