In This Issue:
I hope this message finds everyone doing well and you all have finished up a safe and successful harvest for 2024. I have heard average to very good crop yields depending on where you are in the state. I am certainly thankful for a bountiful harvest
November is a time to be thankful! Thankful first for our freedom, not only on Veterans Day, but every day! We are so ever grateful and thankful for our veterans and active-duty military service men and women for their countless hours of sacrifice. For leaving their families and spending their lives protecting our country, so we can remain safe and sound every day! Their bravery will never be forgotten, nor will the luxuries we enjoy, because of their many sacrifices. Thank you to each one of you! Especially to the families of those who lost their lives fighting for our freedom!
I am very pleased to announce that FSA has implemented a new position. Every state has or soon will have a Deputy State Executive Director. In Illinois, Jean French has been promoted to this position. On January 20th she will become acting SED until a new SED is appointed and takes their oath of office. This new role will provide continuity of service as well as support the new SED as they begin their leadership. DSED French will also provide additional capacity to Illinois FSA to partner with Agricultural groups, community leaders, and fellow government agencies at the local, state, and federal levels.
Jean has more than 20 years of experience with Illinois FSA. She started as a County Office employee at the Sangamon County FSA Office and then moved into the Assistant Administrative Officer position, then to the Chief Administrative Officer position before being promoted to the DSED. Prior to her career with FSA, Jean worked for Consolidated Grain and Barge for eleven years. Jean is looking forward to meeting many of you as well as FSA’s partnership organizations and agencies leadership teams in the near future.
I would like to mention that recently USDA mailed ballots for the Farm Service Agency (FSA) to all eligible agricultural producers and private landowners across the country. Ballots must be returned to the FSA county office or postmarked by December 2, 2024. Eligible voters must contact their local FSA county office before the final date if they did not receive a ballot.
Who Can Vote
Agricultural producers of legal voting age may be eligible to vote if they participate or cooperate in any FSA program. 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. A person who is not of legal voting age but supervises and conducts the operations of an entire farm also may be eligible to vote. Members of American Indian tribes holding agricultural land are eligible to vote if voting requirements are met.
More information about voting eligibility requirements can be found in the FSA fact sheet titled “FSA County Committee Election - Eligibility to Vote and Hold Office as a County Committee Member,” located at fsa.usda.gov/elections. Newly elected committee members will take office January 1, 2025.
Producers may contact their local FSA county office for more information. To find your local FSA county office, visit farmers.gov/ .
The month of November is recognized for Veterans Day and Thanksgiving Day. However, there are many other special days observed in the month of November also, such as:
National Native-American Heritage Month
American Diabetes Month National Adoption Month
National Family Caregivers Month
National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week (November 3-9)
National Hunger & Homeless Awareness Week (November 18-26)
Dear Santa Letter Week (November 10-16)
November 1st - International Pet Groomer Appreciation Day
November 3rd - Daylight Savings Ends
November 6th - National Stress Awareness Day
November 13th - World Kindness Day
Important reminders I have this month are:
November 28, 2024 – Thanksgiving Day Holiday – FSA Offices will be Closed
November 29, 2024 - Organic Dairy Marketing Assistance Program Application Deadline December 2, 2024 – Deadline to Submit COC Ballots – Must be postmarked by December 2nd if mailing them in to the office
In closing, I am also so very thankful for my family (Sarah, Ty, Grace, Cale, my father and mother along with my brother and sister’s families, as well as my in-laws). They make it possible for me to be serving in this position and doing what I love doing every day.
The Holiday season is a time to be thankful and a time of joy. This is the time to reflect on the past year and enjoy spending time with family and friends. For some it is a time of sadness and stress. Please take time to check in with family, friends, neighbors and acquaintances because the world around us is full of so many unknowns that create additional stress. I would like to again mention that if any of you or anyone you know is experiencing a great deal of stress, please share the following information.
Free - Confidential - 24/7 Staffed - Farm Crisis Lifeline CALL OR TEXT 1-833-FARM-SOS (1-833-327-6767)
Illinois Agricultural Mental Health Voucher Program - University of Illinois Extension Illinois Agricultural Mental Health Voucher Program
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Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, enjoy your families, and as always, please stay safe!
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Scott Halpin
State Executive Director
Illinois Farm Service Agency
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: ·
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 September 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 September 30 to November 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 offers direct farm ownership and direct farm operating loans to producers who want to establish, maintain, or strengthen their farm or ranch. Direct loans are processed, approved and serviced by FSA loan officers.
Direct farm operating loans can be used to purchase livestock and feed, farm equipment, fuel, farm chemicals, insurance, and other costs including family living expenses. Operating loans can also be used to finance minor improvements or repairs to buildings and to refinance some farm-related debts, excluding real estate.
Direct farm ownership loans can be used to purchase farmland, enlarge an existing farm, construct and repair buildings, and to make farm improvements.
The maximum loan amount for direct farm ownership loans is $600,000 and the maximum loan amount for direct operating loans is $400,000 and a down payment is not required. Repayment terms vary depending on the type of loan, collateral and the producer's ability to repay the loan. Operating loans are normally repaid within seven years and farm ownership loans are not to exceed 40 years.
Please contact your local FSA office for more information or to apply for a direct farm ownership or operating loan.
Using the correct signature when doing business with FSA can save time and prevent a delay in program benefits.
The following are FSA signature guidelines:
· Married individuals must sign their given name.
· Example—Mary Doe and John Doe are married. When signing FSA forms, each must use their given name, and may not sign with the name of their spouse. Mrs. Mary Doe may not sign documents as Mrs. John Doe. For Farm Loan Purposes, spouses may not sign on behalf of the other as an authorized signatory, a signature will be needed for each. For a minor, FSA requires the minor's signature and one from the minor’s parent. There are certain exceptions where a minor’s signature may be accepted without obtaining the signature of one of the parents. Despite minority status, a youth executing a promissory note for a Youth Loan will incur full personal liability for the debt and will sign individually.
Note: By signing a document with a minor, the parent is liable for actions of the minor and may be liable for refunds, liquidated damages, or other penalties, etc.
When signing on one’s behalf the signature must agree with the name typed or printed on the form or be a variation that does not cause the name and signature to be in disagreement. Example - John W. Smith is on the form. The signature may be John W. Smith or J.W. Smith or J. Smith. Or Mary J. Smith may be signed as Mrs. Mary Joe Smith, M.J. Smith, Mary Smith, etc.
FAXED signatures will be accepted for certain forms and other documents provided the acceptable program forms are approved for FAXED signatures. Producers are responsible for the successful transmission and receipt of FAXED information.
Examples of documents not approved for FAXED signatures include:
· Promissory note
· Assignment of payment
· Joint payment authorization
· Acknowledgement of commodity certificate purchase
Spouses may sign documents on behalf of each other for FSA and CCC programs in which either spouse has an interest, unless written notification denying a spouse this authority has been provided to the county office.
Spouses cannot sign on behalf of each other as an authorized signatory for partnerships, joint ventures, corporations or other similar entities. Likewise, a spouse cannot sign a document on behalf of the other in order to affirm the eligibility of oneself.
Any member of a general partnership can sign on behalf of the general partnership and bind all members unless the Articles of Partnership are more restrictive. Spouses may sign on behalf of each other’s individual interest in a partnership, unless notification denying a spouse that authority is provided to the county office. Acceptable signatures for general partnerships, joint ventures, corporations, estates, and trusts must consist of an indicator “by” or “for” the individual’s name, individual’s name and capacity, or individual’s name, capacity, and name of entity.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is issuing almost $92 million in payments to livestock producers, nationwide, who faced increased supplemental feed costs as a result of forage losses due to 2022 qualifying drought and wildfire. The payments for livestock producers are through the Emergency Livestock Relief Program (ELRP) 2022 and are a second round of payments to producers using remaining funds in the program.
ELRP support came from the Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023 (P.L. 117-328), signed by President Biden that provides financial assistance for agricultural producers impacted by wildfires, droughts, hurricanes, winter storms and other eligible disasters occurring in calendar year 2022.
The almost $92 million in ELRP payments for 2022 losses build on more than $465 million in payments made to eligible livestock producers in September 2023 who suffered qualifying losses due to drought or wildfire in 2022. Learn more on the Emergency Relief webpage.
 FSA guaranteed loans allow lenders to provide agricultural credit to farmers who do not meet the lender's normal underwriting criteria. Farmers and ranchers apply for a guaranteed loan through a lender, and the lender arranges for the guarantee. FSA can guarantee up to 95 percent of the loss of principal and interest on a loan. Guaranteed loans can be used for both farm ownership and operating purposes.
Guaranteed farm ownership loans can be used to purchase farmland, construct or repair buildings, develop farmland to promote soil and water conservation or to refinance debt.
Guaranteed operating loans can be used to purchase livestock, farm equipment, feed, seed, fuel, farm chemicals, insurance and other operating expenses.
FSA can guarantee farm ownership and operating loans up to $2,236,000. Repayment terms vary depending on the type of loan, collateral and the producer's ability to repay the loan. Operating loans are normally repaid within seven years and farm ownership loans are not to exceed 40 years.
For more information on guaranteed loans, contact your local County USDA Service Center or visit fsa.usda.gov.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) reminds foreign investors with an interest in agricultural land in the United States that they are required to report their land holdings and transactions to USDA.
The Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act (AFIDA) requires foreign investors who buy, sell or hold an interest in U.S. agricultural land to report their holdings and transactions to the USDA. Foreign investors must file AFIDA Report Form FSA-153 with the FSA county office in the county where the land is located. Large or complex filings may be handled by AFIDA headquarters staff in Washington, D.C.
According to CFR Title 7 Part 781, any foreign person who holds an interest in U.S. agricultural land is required to report their holdings no later than 90 days after the date of the transaction.
Foreign investors should report holdings of agricultural land totaling 10 acres or more used for farming, ranching or timber production, and leaseholds on agricultural land of 10 or more years. Tracts totaling 10 acres or less in the aggregate, and which produce annual gross receipts in excess of $1,000 from the sale of farm, ranch, forestry or timber products, must also be reported. AFIDA reports are also required when there are changes in land use, such as from agricultural to nonagricultural use. Foreign investors must also file a report when there is a change in the status of ownership.
The information from AFIDA reports is used to prepare an annual report to Congress. These annual reports to Congress, as well as more information, are available on the FSA AFIDA webpage.
Assistance in completing the FSA-153 report may be obtained from the local FSA office. For more information regarding AFIDA or FSA programs, contact the FSA office at phone or visit farmers.gov.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced the selection of 27 new members to its Task Force on Agricultural Air Quality Research. The Task Force examines the intersection of agricultural production and air quality, and advises the secretary on scientifically sound, cost-effective, federally supported agricultural solutions that can help improve air quality. The Task Force members are from diverse backgrounds, including agricultural producers, agricultural industry representatives, researchers, scientists and members of health and regulatory organizations, who have an interest and expertise with agriculture air quality issues. The newly selected members will serve a term of up to two years.
“USDA’s Task Force on Agricultural Air Quality Research continues to benefit from the expert guidance of local farmers, ranchers, academia and other environmental professionals to advance air quality and climate-smart agriculture,” said USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Chief Terry Cosby. “Minimizing agriculture’s impact on air quality is a collective interest of Task Force members, which enables us to harness the full capacity and resources brought to the table to confront air pollution and produce tangible solutions for emerging and existing air quality challenges.”
The Task Force on Agricultural Air Quality Research continues to promote USDA research efforts and identifies cost-effective ways the agriculture industry can improve air quality. Focus areas of the Task Force may include:
· Providing recommendations for needed research related to agricultural air quality issues.
· Ensuring that implementation of USDA practices, programs and research for air quality and climate change promote environmental justice goals and exploring opportunities for improving the environment for all.
· Addressing reactive nitrogen emissions, including ammonia from agricultural sources, especially in relation to nitrogen deposition, greenhouse gas impacts and ammonia’s role as a precursor to fine particulate matter formation.
· Discussing agricultural greenhouse gas and carbon sequestration topics, including climate-smart agriculture and forestry options and sustainable solutions.
· Providing guidance and recommendations to the secretary regarding the impact on agriculture from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rules and research, including the National Ambient Air Quality Standards and emissions estimating methodologies for livestock and poultry operations.
· Discussing state and local air quality regulations related to agriculture and the potential impact on agricultural operations in those areas.
Created by the 1996 Farm Bill, the Task Force on Agricultural Air Quality Research works to address agricultural air quality issues. It also helps better coordinate activities and resources among USDA agencies and other federal partners, including the Environmental Protection Agency.
Chaired by USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service Chief, this is the 12th Task Force since its launch in 1997.
Equal opportunity practices, in line with the USDA policies, were followed in all appointments.
Members of the 2024-2026 task force are:
· Kevin Abernathy – Tennessee
· Robert Burns – Tennessee
· Brian Cochrane – Washington
· Manuel Cunha – California
· Iris Feng – North Dakota
· Daniel Fields – Michigan
· Kelley Green – Texas
· Thomas Haren – Colorado
· Maia Hutt – North Carolina
· Jimmy Kinder – Oklahoma
· April Leytem – Idaho
· Hong Li – Delaware
· Sheryl Magzamen – Colorado
· Chris McGlothlin – California
· Frank Mitloehner – California
· Lara Moody – Maryland
· Paul Ollerton – Arizona
· Sally Shaver – North Carolina
· Bryan Shaw – Texas
· Samir Sheikh – California
· Philip Silva – Kentucky
· Rick Stowell – Nebraska
· Marguerite Tan – Arizona
· Rod Venterea – Minnesota
· Lingjuan Wang-Li – North Carolina
· D’Ann Williams – Maryland
· Joseph Wolfgang – Pennsylvania
More Information:
More information about the Task Force is available on the AAQTF webpage.
USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. Under 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 https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/il.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking public input by December 23, 2024, on how to improve conservation practice standards to maximize climate change mitigation and adaptation benefits, as supported by peer-reviewed scientific literature. Conservation practices providing climate benefits are delivered through existing USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) conservation programs popular with producers, like the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP), and Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) as well as NRCS technical assistance. The Inflation Reduction Act, part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, and Farm Bill provide funding for these programs.
“Agricultural producers are on the front lines of climate change, and we want to hear from the public how we can improve our conservation practice standards to best serve our producers in climate mitigation and adaptation in the years to come,” said NRCS Chief Terry Cosby.
Specifically, NRCS is asking for public input on improvements that can be made to conservation practice standards for:
Mitigation: to maximize climate benefits for practice standards currently considered Climate-Smart Agriculture and Forestry Mitigation Activities as well as on any other practices and innovations; and to support the agency’s estimation of the mitigation benefits associated with the practice standards; and
Adaptation: to assist producers in adapting to and building resilience to current and future climate changes, such as seasonal temperature shifts and extremes, drought, increasing wildfire hazards, sea level rise, movement of invasive species and other issues.
While NRCS welcomes comments on all practices through this request for information, as a priority, the agency is requesting input on several conservation practice standards that are at the beginning of their five-year review process, including:
- Waste Storage Facility;
- Brush Management;
- Herbaceous Weed Treatment;
- Soil Carbon Amendment;
- Prescribed Burning;
- Roofs and Covers;
- Fuel Break;
- Wildlife Habitat Planting;
- Drainage Water Management;
- Nutrient Management;
- Feed Management;
- Waste Separation Facility;
- Restoration of Rare or Declining Natural Communities; and
- Forest Stand Improvement.
The agency also asks for input for the following practices up for review but not currently on the Climate-Smart Agriculture and Forestry Mitigation Activities list:
- Animal Mortality Facility;
- Waste Facility Closure; and
- Denitrifying Bioreactor.
NRCS will use information to identify and prioritize improvements that can be made to the conservation practice standards or associated technical guidance. NRCS will look to identify immediate changes that can be implemented for funding available for fiscal year 2026 and will continue to identify and adopt additional changes in future years.
Comments and Questions
Public comments should be submitted through this Federal Register notice (or through one of the methods listed below) by December 23, 2024.
Comments may also be submitted through one of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal:
- Go to gov and search for Docket ID: NRCS-2024-0015.
- Follow the online instructions for submitting comments .
Mail or Hand Delivery:
- Address your comments to: Ms. Sara del Fierro, Climate Change Mitigation Lead, NRCS Climate Office, Office of the Chief, NRCS, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue, South Building, Room 4613, Washington, DC 20250.
- In your comment, please specify the Docket ID: NRCS-2024-0015.
All comments received will be made publicly available on regulations.gov.
Anyone with questions may contact Dana Ashford-Kornburger, National Climate Coordinator, at 202-205-9434, or email at dana.ashford@usda.gov. Individuals who require alternative means for communication may contact the USDA TARGET Center at (202) 720–2600 (voice and text telephone (TTY)) or dial 711 for Telecommunications Relay service (both voice and text telephone users can initiate this call from any telephone).
More Information
National conservation practice standards contain information on why and where each practice is applied and set forth the minimum planning criteria that must be met during the implementation of that practice for it to achieve its intended purpose. State conservation practice standards are available through the Field Office Technical Guide. If no state conservation practice standard is available in the guide, you should contact the appropriate NRCS State Office or your local USDA Service Center. More information is available about the information contained in conservation practice standards.
To learn more about NRCS programs, producers can contact their local USDA Service Center. Producers can also apply for NRCS programs, manage conservation plans and contracts, and view and print conservation maps by logging into their farmers.gov account. If you don’t have an account, sign up today.
For more than 90 years, NRCS has helped farmers, ranchers and forestland owners make investments in their operations and local communities to improve the quality of our air, water, soil, and wildlife habitat. NRCS uses the latest science and technology to help keep working lands working, boost agricultural economies, and increase the competitiveness of American agriculture. NRCS provides one-on-one, personalized advice and financial assistance and works with producers to help them reach their goals through voluntary, incentive-based conservation programs. Now, with additional funding from the Inflation Reduction Act, NRCS is working to get even more conservation practices on the ground while ensuring access to programs for all producers. For more information, visit nrcs.usda.gov.
USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. Under 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.
· Data collection begins in late November for several projects:
o Quarterly Hogs – results will be released on December 23rd
o Crop Production, Grain Stocks, and Wheat seedings- results will be released on
January 10, 2025.
· November Crop Production was released on October 11th.
o Record high yields are forecasted for corn and soybeans (tie with record high) in Illinois
o Record high yields are also forecasted for corn at the US level.
o US soybean yield is near a record high.
· Wheat county estimates will be published on December 20th.
See https://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/Illinois/index.php
· Many thanks to the farmers that responded to NASS surveys. Individual responses are confidential by law and protected from the freedom Of Information Act (FOIA).
Farm Operating Loans - Direct 4.500%
Farm Ownership Loans - Direct 5.125%
Farm Ownership Loans - Direct, Joint Financing 3.125%
Farm Ownership Loans - Direct Down Payment, Beginning Farmer or Rancher 1.500%
Emergency Loans - 3.750%
Farm Storage Facility Loans
3 years - 3.725%
5 years - 3.750%
7 years - 3.750%
10 years - 3.875%
12 years - 4.000%
Commodity Loans - 5.125%
The Farm Service Agency (FSA) administers two programs that have specific safety net benefits for producers of honeybees and honey. The Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) and the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP) assist producers when disasters impact honey production or damage or destroy colonies, hives or honeybee feed.
NAP is designed to reduce financial losses when natural disasters result in lower yields or crop losses, including honey. NAP coverage is equivalent to catastrophic insurance, meaning it covers up to 50 percent of a producer’s normal yield (must have at least a 50 percent loss) at 55 percent of the average market price. The 2018 Farm Bill reinstates 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.
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.
You must apply for NAP coverage by Dec. 31 prior to the year for which you’re seeking coverage.
ELAP covers colony losses, honeybee hive losses (the physical structure) and honeybee feed losses in instances where the colony, hive or feed has been destroyed by a natural disaster or, in the case of colony losses, because of Colony Collapse Disorder. Colony losses must be in excess of normal mortality.
Both the NAP and ELAP programs require you to report the number of colonies you have in production to FSA by January 2, 2025. You must notify FSA within 30 calendar days of changes in the total number of colonies or when honeybees are moved to another county.
For both programs, you must notify FSA within 15 calendar days of when a loss occurs or from when the loss is apparent. To learn more about programs for honey and honeybee producers, contact your local County USDA Service Center or visit fsa.usda.gov.
 November 28, 2024 – Thanksgiving Day Holiday – FSA Offices will be Closed
November 29, 2024 - Organic Dairy Marketing Assistance Program Application Deadline
December 2, 2024 – Deadline to Submit COC Ballots – Must be postmarked by December 2nd if mailing them in to the office
Ongoing - FSFL Application
Ongoing - Update Your Records
Ongoing - 2024 Crop Year MAL Applications
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