From all of us at the West Otter Tail and Wilkin County FSA offices, Happy New Year! 

Please take a little time to ready over this month’s bulletin to stay up to date with all available programs and deadlines.

Commodity Loans – With harvest complete, FSA offers a 9-month commodity loan for grain in storage which is a great tool to receive cash up front to help finance your operation. If you have 2024 grain in the bin, marketing assistance loans provide producers interim financing at harvest time to meet cash flow needs without having to sell their commodities when market prices are typically at harvest-time lows. Allowing producers to store production at harvest facilitates more orderly marketing of commodities throughout the year. 

Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (MASC):  The Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (MASC) program provides financial assistance to specialty crop producers to help them expand domestic markets or develop new markets for their crops. Signup started on December 10, 2024, and ends on January 10, 2025. See the related article below for additional information.  

Farm Records & Other Changes – If you are making any changes to your farming operation (land sold/purchased, renting new land, or dropping land) please notify FSA immediately after these changes occur. Updating your records now will save you time when signing up for ARCPLC, reporting your acres, and ensuring maps are ready. FSA is not notified by the County Recorder’s Office of these sales. In addition, notify FSA if your bank account has changed.

Wool Loan Deficiency Payments (LDP) – Shearing season is just around the corner or already here, please remember to contact our office to make sure you have page 1 of the CCC-633EZ submitted before you lose interest in the wool. For wool, these forms are tied to the calendar year, so if you plan on shearing after the 1st of the year, make sure you have submitted a 2025 CCC-633EZ, Page 1, to avoid losing out on potential wool LDPs.

Livestock Reminder – A reminder for all livestock producers to keep records throughout the year. It becomes essential to have inventory and loss records when applying for our Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) due to eligible adverse weather events. LIP provides disaster assistance to livestock owners who experience livestock deaths, in excess of normal mortality, caused by eligible events for calendar year 2024. See the article below for more information on the program.

Farm Loan Program (FLP):  The Credit Team that works with our farm loan programs (annual operating and farm ownership loans) encourages everyone that may need assistance from the FSA office to apply sooner than later. The earlier you apply the less chance of funding limitations as we get closer to the 2025 planting season. The Credit Team members, which service Wilkin and West Otter Tail, can be reached at the USDA Service Center in Fergus Falls at 218-739-4694.

Commodity Loans:  FSA offers a 9-month commodity loan for grain in storage which is a great tool to help finance your operation. If you have 2024 grain in the bin, marketing assistance loans are able to provide interim financing following harvest time to meet cash flow needs without having to sell commodities when market prices are typically at harvest-time lows. Allowing producers to store production at harvest facilitates and allowing for orderly marketing of commodities throughout the year. A commodity loan is also a great end of year tax planning tool. Once you are ready to sell the grain or prior to loan maturity, you can pay off the loan.

Farm Storage Facility Loan:  As you are wrapping up the 2024 crop year and preparing for the 2025 crop year - Did you know FSA’s Farm Storage Facility Loan Program (FSFL) can help you with your storage and handling needs? 

During harvest, were you thinking that you really could use a truck, grain cart, sugar beet cart, auger, or another piece of equipment to meet your handling needs? Do you need additional storage, grain dryer, or improved grain handling? Are interest rates at your local lender holding you back from making that purchase?  Then why don’t you give our FSFL program a chance to help you:

• Acquire new or used storage and handling trucks;
• Acquire portable or permanently affixed storage and handling equipment;
• Acquire new or used storage facilities.

A variety of structures, handling equipment, and trucks are eligible under this loan, including new and used - dryers, augers, trucks, grain trailers (hopper, live bottom, end dump), including semi tractors, baggers, bale wrappers, grain carts, sugar beet carts, forklifts and skid steers, bulk tanks, propane tanks, hay barns, facilities for cold storage, storage, drying, & handling facilities, and many more options available.

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.

Leon Johnson, CED

Important Dates and Deadlines:
January 9 - USDA Service Center closed in observance of National Day of Mourning for President James Earl Carter Jr.
January 10 - Deadline to apply for Marketing Assistance Specialty Crop Program (MASC)
January 15 - Grant County Committee Meeting
January 20 - USDA Service Center closed in observance of Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday
January 31 - Deadline to request Loan Deficiency Payment (LDP) for prior year wool, mohair, and unshorn pelts.
February 1 - Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) closing date for onions

January Interest Rates

Commodity Loan Interest Rate:  5.250%

Farm Loan Program - Interest Rates:
5.125% - Farm Operating Loans, Direct
5.625% - Farm Ownership Loans, Direct
3.625% - Farm Ownership, Joint Financing
1.650% - Farm Ownership Loans, Beginning Farmer Down Payment

Farm Storage Facility Loan Program Interest Rates:
4.125% - Farm Storage Facility Loans, 3-Year
4.125% - Farm Storage Facility Loans, 5-Year
4.250% - Farm Storage Facility Loans, 7-Year
4.250% - Farm Storage Facility Loans, 10-Year
4.375% - Farm Storage Facility Loans, 12-Year

Are you getting TEXT messages from FSA?:  If not, keep Connected with FSA. With all of the existing programs and new programs becoming available to assist you, I don’t want you to miss out on any of these deadlines.  I highly encourage you to sign up for our text message alerts.  FSA provides text message alerts (no more than 2 per month) for important reminders and deadlines.  Don’t miss out on getting these important reminders! Let’s get you signed up right now!

1. Take out your cell-phone
2. Create a new text message, send:  MNWestOtterTail to 372-669 
   or  MNWilkin to 372-669
3. Press send

If you did these 3 easy steps, you are signed up to receive text alerts!

The Farm Loan team in West Otter Tail County is already working on operating loans for spring 2025 and asks potential borrowers to submit their requests early so they can be timely processed. The farm loan team can help determine which loan programs are best for applicants.

FSA offers a wide range of low-interest loans that can meet the financial needs of any farm operation for just about any purpose. The traditional farm operating and farm ownership loans can help large and small farm operations take advantage of early purchasing discounts for spring inputs as well expenses throughout the year.

Microloans are a simplified loan program that will provide up to $50,000 for both Farm Ownership and Operating Microloans to eligible applicants. These loans, targeted for smaller and non-traditional operations, can be used for operating expenses, starting a new operation, purchasing equipment, and other needs associated with a farming operation. Loans to beginning farmers and members of underserved groups are a priority.

Other types of loans available include:

Marketing Assistance Loans allow producers to use eligible commodities as loan collateral and obtain a 9-month loan while the crop is in storage. These loans provide cash flow to the producer and allow them to market the crop when prices may be more advantageous.

Farm Storage Facility Loans can be used to build permanent structures used to store eligible commodities, for storage and handling trucks, or portable or permanent handling equipment. A variety of structures are eligible under this loan, including bunker silos, grain bins, hay storage structures, and refrigerated structures for vegetables and fruit. A producer may borrow up to $500,000 per loan.

Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops deadline extended to Jan. 10.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reminds specialty crop producers to apply for assistance for marketing expenses. Specifically, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is providing an additional $650 million in funding for the new Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (MASC) program and extending the MASC application deadline to Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. With a total of $2.65 billion available, MASC helps specialty crop producers expand markets and manage higher costs. FSA is also increasing the MASC payment limit from $125,000 to $900,000.

Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops  

MASC helps specialty crop producers meet higher marketing costs related to:   

• Perishability of specialty crops like fruits, vegetables, floriculture, nursery crops and herbs.   
• Specialized handling and transport equipment with temperature and humidity control.   
• Packaging to prevent damage.    
• Moving perishables to market quickly.   
• Higher labor costs.   

Producers can find more information on eligibility, how payments work and how to apply on the MASC program webpage. Interested producers should apply by Jan. 10 at their local USDA Service Center or online. Although Federal government offices, including FSA, will be closed on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, for a National Day of Mourning for President James Earl Carter, Jr., producers can still apply online and will also be able to submit applications in their local FSA office on Friday, Jan. 10. To learn more about the MASC program, producers can view the fact sheet or contact their local USDA Service Center.

The Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) provides assistance to you for livestock deaths in excess of normal mortality caused by adverse weather, disease and attacks by animals reintroduced into the wild by the federal government or protected by federal law.

For disease losses, FSA county committees can accept veterinarian certifications that livestock deaths were directly related to adverse weather and unpreventable through good animal husbandry and management.

For 2024 livestock losses, you must file a notice and provide the following supporting documentation to your local FSA office no later than 60 calendar days after the end of the calendar year in which the eligible loss condition occurred.

• Proof of death documentation
• Copy of grower’s contracts
• Proof of normal mortality documentation
• Livestock beginning inventory documentation

USDA has established normal mortality rates for each type and weight range of eligible livestock, i.e. Adult Beef Cow = 1.5% and Non-Adult Beef Cattle = 5%. These established percentages reflect losses that are considered expected or typical under “normal” conditions.

In addition to filing a notice of loss, you must also submit an application for payment by March 3, 2025.

For more information, contact the West Otter Tail County USDA Service Center at 218-739-4694, Wilkin County USDA Service Center at 218-643-1536, or visit fsa.usda.gov.

FSA is cleaning up our producer record database and needs your help. Please report any changes of address, zip code, phone number, email address or an incorrect name or business name on file to our office. You should also report changes in your farm operation, like the addition of a farm by lease or purchase. You should also report any changes to your operation in which you reorganize to form a Trust, LLC or other legal entity. 

FSA and NRCS program participants are required to promptly report changes in their farming operation to the County Committee in writing and to update their Farm Operating Plan on form CCC-902.

To update your records, contact your West Otter Tail County USDA Service Center at 218-739-4694 or Wilkin County USDA Service Center at 218-643-1536.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) works to help farmers, ranchers and forest landowners invest in their operations and local communities to keep working lands working, boost rural economies, increase the competitiveness of American agriculture and improve the quality of our air, water, soil and wildlife habitat.

Simply put – NRCS helps America’s farmers, ranchers and forestland owners make conservation work for them.

Our Conservation Technical Assistance (CTA) program enables every acre of voluntary conservation applied through every program NRCS administers. It is the foundation of our financial and technical assistance delivery system.

Every farm and acre is unique and requires tailored management; and every decision maker has different management concerns and needs. Our technical assistance is one-on-one, personalized advice and support to help producers make the best decisions for their lands – and is offered free of charge.

This personalized assistance provides producers with the science-based data and tools to make informed decisions about where to target efforts to get the greatest return on their investment and ensure the long-term sustainability of American agriculture.

A comprehensive conservation plan is the first step to managing all the natural resources on a farm. NRCS walks the farm with the producer and develops options to address that producer’s needs. Our toolbox includes aerial photos, soil surveys, engineering solutions and individual science-based analysis customized for the producer’s property. The plan we develop with the producer combines existing production methods with recommended conservation practices to best manage that farm’s unique natural resources, while allowing the producer to grow sustainably and productively. Supported by our expert analysis and recommendations, the producer chooses which option best meets their needs. These decisions become the producer’s conservation plan, a step-by-step guide to reach their objectives.

This planning process also makes it easier to identify how and when the farmer, rancher or forest landowner could qualify for Farm Bill financial assistance to help them install conservation systems or receive incentives for trying new ones. We have the expertise to see our customers through this process. Because identifying when, where and how to implement practices is not plug and play.

The final plan provides a roadmap for the producer to meet their natural resource conservation goals. It includes helpful information on each of the producer’s practices, such as how they benefit the farm, how to maintain them, and how they help the soil, water and wildlife.

By developing a conservation plan and adding conservation to the land, farmers, ranchers and forest landowners can protect the land’s ability to provide for their family and future generations.

With offices in communities nationwide, NRCS staff provide the information, tools and delivery systems necessary for producers – in every state and territory – to conserve, maintain and improve their natural resources.

Contact your local USDA service center to find out more.