South Dakota USDA Newsletter - January 17, 2025
In This Issue:
Greetings from the South Dakota State FSA Office,
As we enter a new year, it is a good time to reflect on the previous year and look forward to 2025. Last year, like every other year, was filled with challenges. Certainty can go a long way in making those challenges seem less daunting.
The American Relief Act, 2025 provides some of the certainty needed to navigate what lies ahead with an extension of many Farm Bill-authorized programs for another year. Enrollment periods for several key safety-net programs - Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) Programs as well as Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) – will begin soon. Our safety-net programs provide critical financial protections against commodity market volatilities, so don’t delay enrollment. The ARC/PLC enrollment period is January 21 to April 15. The DMC enrollment period is January 29 to March 31.
USDA also offers a variety of programs to help farmers, ranchers, communities, and businesses that have been hard hit by natural disaster events. Learn about USDA disaster assistance programs that might be right for you by completing five simple steps in the Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool.
As we move into 2025, I would like to thank Steve Dick for his service to South Dakota FSA as State Executive Director the last three years. Thank you, Steve, for your leadership and service to South Dakota’s farmers and ranchers!
Please contact me with any questions or concerns at 605-352-1160.
Sincerely,
Ryan Vanden Berge
Acting State Executive Director
USDA - Farm Service Agency
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Greetings,
Although the dormant months of winter have arrived in South Dakota, the NRCS field staff are far from dormant. This is the time of year that our team works one-on-one with customers to finish developing site specific conservation plans and financial assistance agreements. Producers with current NRCS program applications should work closely with their local NRCS field staff to navigate their workload and detailed plan of activities.
Know that the lack of a new Farm Bill does not prevent us from continuing most of our NRCS services and programs. We continue to serve our conservation customers as usual.
I am looking forward to the next Tribal Conservation Advisory Council meeting scheduled for January 23 at Fort Yates, ND hosted by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. These meetings are another opportunity to share tribal conservation efforts and encourage collaboration. Contact State Tribal Liaison, Nate Grueb, for more information: nathan.grueb@usda.gov
Thank you to all South Dakota farmers, ranchers, land managers, landowners, and NRCS partners who are moving the needle of conservation in our state.
Sincerely,
Tony Sunseri
State Conservationist
USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service
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January 20, 2025 - Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday - USDA Service Centers CLOSED
January 21, 2025 - Enrollment begins for 2025 Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage Programs
January 23, 2025 – NRCS Tribal Conservation Advisory Council meeting (Fort Yates, ND and virtual)
January 23, 2025 – NRCS Internship and Career Opportunities Webinar
January 29, 2025 - Enrollment begins for 2025 Dairy Margin Coverage
January 31, 2025 - Deadline to submit application and eligibility documents for Marketing Assistance Loan (MAL) and Loan Deficiency Payment (LDP) for Wool, Mohair and Unshorn Pelts for calendar year 2024
January 31, 2025 - Application Deadline for 2024 Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops (FSCSC) Program
February 5, 2025 - USDA Open House Event for the Next Generation of Beginning Farmers and Ranchers at Black Hills Stock Show (details below)
February 5, 2025– Financial Assistance Opportunities for Women in Ag at Black Hills Stock Show (contact emily.rohrer@usda.gov)
February 12-13, 2025 - South Dakota FSA State Committee Meeting (details below)
February 14, 2025 - Beginning Farmer & Rancher Resources: USDA's Technical and Financial Assistance Event at Watertown Winter Farm Show (details below)
February 17, 2025 - Washington's Birthday Holiday-USDA Service Centers CLOSED
March 3, 2025 - Deadline to submit Livestock Indemnity Program notice of loss and payment application for 2024 program year
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the 2025 enrollment periods for key safety-net programs – Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) as well as Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC). Agricultural producers can submit applications to USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) for ARC and PLC for the 2025 crop year from Jan. 21 to April 15 and for DMC for the 2025 coverage year from Jan. 29 to March 31.
ARC and PLC provide financial protections to farmers from substantial drops in crop prices or revenues and are vital economic safety nets for most American farms. Meanwhile, DMC provides producers with price support to help offset milk and feed price differences.
The American Relief Act, 2025 extended many Farm Bill-authorized programs for another year, including ARC and PLC as well as DMC.
Producers can elect coverage and enroll in ARC-County (ARC-CO) or PLC, which provide crop-by-crop protection, or ARC-Individual (ARC-IC), which protects the entire farm. Although election changes for 2025 are optional, producers must enroll through a signed contract each year. Also, if a producer has a multi-year contract on the farm it will continue for 2025 unless an election change is made.
If producers do not submit their election revision by the April 15 deadline, their election remains the same as their 2024 election for commodities on the farm from the prior year. Farm owners cannot enroll in either program unless they have a share interest in the cropland.
Covered commodities include barley, canola, large and small chickpeas, corn, crambe, flaxseed, grain sorghum, lentils, mustard seed, oats, peanuts, dry peas, rapeseed, long grain rice, medium grain rice, safflower seed, seed cotton, sesame, soybeans, sunflower seed and wheat.
USDA also reminds producers that ARC and PLC elections and enrollments can impact eligibility for some crop insurance products including Supplemental Coverage Option, Enhanced Coverage Option and, for cotton producers, the Stacked Income Protection Plan (commonly referred to as STAX).
DMC is a voluntary risk management program that offers protection to dairy producers when the difference between the all-milk price and the average feed price (the margin) falls below a certain dollar amount selected by the producer.
DMC offers different levels of coverage, even an option that is free to producers, minus a $100 administrative fee. The administrative fee is waived for dairy producers who are considered limited resource, beginning, socially disadvantaged or a military veteran.
DMC payments are calculated using updated feed and premium hay costs, making the program more reflective of actual dairy producer expenses. These updated feed calculations use 100% premium alfalfa hay. For more information on DMC, visit the DMC webpage.
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reminds specialty crop producers that the deadline to enroll in the Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops (FSCSC) program for 2024 expenses is Jan. 31, 2025. The program has been expanded to include medium-sized businesses in addition to small businesses. Eligible specialty crop growers can apply for assistance for expenses related to obtaining or renewing a food safety certification. For program year 2025, the application period starts Jan. 1, 2025, and runs through Jan. 31, 2026.
Program Details
FSCSC covers a percentage of the specialty crop operation’s cost of obtaining or renewing its on-farm food safety certification, as well as a portion of related expenses.
Eligible FSCSC applicants must be a specialty crop operation; meet the definition of a small or medium-size business and have paid eligible expenses related to certification.
- A small business has an average annual monetary value of specialty crops sold by the applicant during the three-year period preceding the program year of no more than $500,000.
- A medium size business has an average annual monetary value of specialty crops the applicant sold during the three-year period preceding the program year of at least $500,001 but no more than $1,000,000.
Specialty crop operations can receive the following cost assistance:
- Developing a food safety plan for first-time food safety certification.
- Maintaining or updating an existing food safety plan.
- Food safety certification.
- Certification upload fees.
- Microbiological testing for products, soil amendments and water.
- Training.
FSCSC payments are calculated separately for each eligible cost category. Details about payment rates and limitations are available at farmers.gov/food-safety.
Applying for Assistance
Interested applicants have until Jan. 31, 2025, to apply for assistance for 2024 eligible expenses. FSA will issue payments as applications are processed and approved. For program year 2025, the application period begins Jan. 1, 2025, and runs through Jan. 31, 2026. FSA will issue 50% of the calculated payment for program year 2025 following application approval, with the remaining amount to be paid after the application deadline. If calculated payments exceed the amount of available funding, payments will be prorated.
Specialty crop producers can apply by completing the FSA-888-1, Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops Program (FSCSC) for Program Years 2024 and 2025 application. The application, along with the AD-2047, Customer Data Worksheet and SF-3881, ACH Vendor/Miscellaneous Payment Enrollment Form, if not already on file with FSA, can be submitted to the FSA county office at any USDA Service Center nationwide by mail, fax, hand delivery or via electronic means. Producers with an eAuthentication account can apply for FSCSC online. Producers interested in creating an eAuthentication account should visit farmers.gov/sign-in.
Visit farmers.gov/food-safety for additional program details, eligibility information and application forms.
More Information
To learn more about FSA programs, producers can contact their local USDA Service Center. Producers can also prepare maps for acreage reporting as well as manage farm loans and view other farm records data and customer information by logging into their farmers.gov account. Producers without an account can sign up today.
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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 your local County FSA office or visit farmers.gov.
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When changes in farm ownership or operation take place, a farm reconstitution is necessary. The reconstitution — or recon — is the process of combining or dividing farms or tracts of land based on the farming operation.
To be effective for the current fiscal year, farm combinations and farm divisions must be requested by August 1 of the fiscal year for farms subject to the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) program. A reconstitution is considered to be requested when all of the required signatures are on FSA-155 and all other applicable documentation, such as proof of ownership, is submitted.
Total Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and non-ARC/PLC farms may be reconstituted at any time.
The following are the different methods used when doing a farm recon:
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Estate Method — the division of bases, allotments and quotas for a parent farm among heirs in settling an estate
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Designation of Landowner Method — may be used when (1) part of a farm is sold or ownership is transferred; (2) an entire farm is sold to two or more persons; (3) farm ownership is transferred to two or more persons; (4) part of a tract is sold or ownership is transferred; (5) a tract is sold to two or more persons; or (6) tract ownership is transferred to two or more persons. In order to use this method, the land sold must have been owned for at least three years, or a waiver granted, and the buyer and seller must sign a Memorandum of Understanding
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DCP Cropland Method — the division of bases in the same proportion that the DCP cropland for each resulting tract relates to the DCP cropland on the parent tract
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Default Method — the division of bases for a parent farm with each tract maintaining the bases attributed to the tract level when the reconstitution is initiated in the system.
For questions on your farm reconstitution, contact your local County USDA Service Center.
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Farm Service Agency (FSA) is committed to providing our farm loan borrowers the tools necessary to be successful. FSA staff will provide guidance and counsel from the loan application process through the borrower’s graduation to commercial credit. While it is FSA’s commitment to advise borrowers as they identify goals and evaluate progress, it is crucial for borrowers to communicate with their farm loan staff when changes occur. It is the borrower’s responsibility to alert FSA to any of the following:
- Any proposed or significant changes in the farming operation
- Any significant changes to family income or expenses
- The development of problem situations
- Any losses or proposed significant changes in security
If a farm loan borrower can’t make payments to suppliers, other creditors, or FSA on time, contact your farm loan staff immediately to discuss loan servicing options.
For more information on FSA farm loan programs, contact your local County USDA Service Center or visit fsa.usda.gov.
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Farm Service Agency (FSA) loans require applicants to have a satisfactory credit history. A credit report is requested for all FSA direct farm loan applicants. These reports are reviewed to verify outstanding debts, see if bills are paid timely and to determine the impact on cash flow.
Information on your credit report is strictly confidential and is used only as an aid in conducting FSA business.
Our farm loan staff will discuss options with you if you have an unfavorable credit report and will provide a copy of your report. If you dispute the accuracy of the information on the credit report, it is up to you to contact the issuing credit report company to resolve any errors or inaccuracies.
There are multiple ways to remedy an unfavorable credit score:
- Make sure to pay bills on time
- Setting up automatic payments or automated reminders can be an effective way to remember payment due dates.
- Pay down existing debt
- Keep your credit card balances low
- Avoid suddenly opening or closing existing credit accounts
FSA’s farm loan staff will guide you through the process, which may require you to reapply for a loan after improving or correcting your credit report.
For more information on FSA farm loan programs, contact your local County USDA Service Center or visit fsa.usda.gov.
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Our lives are dependent on healthy soil. Healthy soil gives us clean air and water, bountiful crops and forests, productive grazing lands, diverse wildlife and beautiful landscapes. It’s the reason why USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service experts are in your community and across the nation.
Soil is composed of air, water, organic matter and minerals. A community of organisms – functioning as a soil food web – lives all or parts of their lives in soil. More individual organisms are in a teaspoon of soil than there are people on earth. Increasing soil organic matter typically improves soil health, since organic matter improves several critical functions of soil.
To improve the health of their soil, more and more farmers and ranchers are keeping soil covered, reducing disturbance activities such as tilling, keeping plants growing throughout the year, and diversifying the crops they’re planting in a rotation. Taking these steps allow farmers and ranchers to help reduce erosion while increasing the soil’s ability to provide nutrients and water to the plant at critical times during the growing season.
When producers focus on improving soil health, they often have larger harvests, lower input costs, optimized nutrient use, and improved crop resilience during drought years like last year. In heavy rainfall years, healthy soil holds more water, reducing runoff that helps avert flooding downstream.
And because healthy soil allows for greater water infiltration and less erosion, nutrients and pesticides stay on the farm where they benefit crops, and are far less likely to be carried off the farm into streams and lakes where they can cause harm.
NRCS helps farmers install conservation practices such as cover crops to maintain and improve soil health – all of which can lead to productive, profitable and sustainable farming and ranching operations for generations to come.
For more information, contact your local County USDA Service Center or visit nrcs.usda.gov.
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is bolstering support for farmers facing crop setbacks by announcing an increase in replant payments for most producers beginning with the 2026 crop year. This initiative aims to provide financial assistance to farmers who need to replant insured crops damaged by early insurable causes of loss.
Replant payment factors have not been updated since they were established in the 1990s.
RMA reviewed replant payment factors to ensure they reflect current replanting costs. The agency determined most small grains and coarse grains crops will receive a significant increase. RMA will consider future updates based on new data, further analysis, and stakeholder feedback from these changes.
RMA plans to announce the new replant payments with additional crop insurance improvements in the summer of 2025.
More Information
Crop insurance is sold and delivered solely through private crop insurance agents. A list of crop insurance agents is available at all USDA Service Centers and online at the RMA Agent Locator. Producers can learn more about crop insurance and the modern farm safety net at rma.usda.gov or by contacting their RMA Regional Office.
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South Dakota FSA State Committee Meeting: February 12-13, 2025, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. CT at Federal Building, 200 4th Street SW, Huron, SD 57350.
- Questions? Contact Jean Wharton at jean.wharton@usda.gov.
- If you need to request an accommodation, please contact Jean Wharton at (605) 352-1160 or jean.wharton@usda.gov by February 5, 2025, to request accommodations (e.g., an interpreter, translator, seating arrangements, etc.) or materials in an alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape – captioning, etc.).
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USDA Open House for Next Generation of Beginning Farmers and Ranchers: Black Hills Stock Show, February 5, 2025, 10:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. MT in Room 206 of The Monument, 444 Mount Rushmore Rd., Rapid City, SD 57701
- Questions? Contact Gail Gullickson at gail.gullickson@usda.gov
- If you need to request an accommodation, please contact Gail Gullickson at (605) 692-8003 Ext. 103 or gail.gullickson@usda.gov by January 29, 2025, to request accommodations (e.g., an interpreter, translator, seating arrangements, etc.) or materials in an alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape – captioning, etc.).
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Beginning Farmer & Rancher Resources: USDA's Technical and Financial Assistance: Watertown Winter Farm Show, February 14, 2025, 2:30 p.m. CT in Codington County Extension Center Classroom B/C, 1910 W. Kemp Avenue, Watertown, SD, 57201
- Questions? Contact Gail Gullickson at gail.gullickson@usda.gov
- If you need to request an accommodation, please contact Gail Gullickson at (605) 692-8003 Ext. 103 or gail.gullickson@usda.gov by February 7, 2025, to request accommodations (e.g., an interpreter, translator, seating arrangements, etc.) or materials in an alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape – captioning, etc.).
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USDA in South Dakota
200 4th Street SW
Huron, SD 57350
FSA Phone: (605) 352-1160
NRCS Phone: (605) 352-1200
RMA Phone: (406) 651-8450
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Get Started at Your USDA Service Center
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Farm Service Agency
Acting State Executive Director:
Ryan Vanden Berge
Administrative Officer:
Theresa Hoadley
Program Managers:
Owen Fagerhaug - Conservation
Logan Kopfmann - Disaster Relief
Donita Garry - Program Delivery
Bridget Weber - Farm Loan Program,
Acting
State Outreach Coordinator:
Gail Gullickson
State Committee:
Troy Knecht, Chair
Peggy Greenway
Larry Olsen
Hank Wonnenberg
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Natural Resources Conservation
Service
State Conservationist:
Tony Sunseri
Assistant State Conservationists:
Jessica Michalski - Ecological Sciences
James Reedy - Engineering
Nathan Jones - Soils
Val Dupraz - Programs
Colette Kessler - Partnerships
Deke Hobbick - Compliance
Denise Gauer - Management & Strategy
Shala Larson - Public Affairs Manager
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South Dakota Farm Service Agency
South Dakota Natural Resources Conservation Service
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