The Osceola Service Center is open to the public. Please call the office at 641-342-2162 to let us know you are coming in and the reason. This is highly encouraged!

Customer service is our number one goal!

County Committee Meeting: February 19 @ 10:00 a.m.

SWCD Commissioners Meeting: February 12 @ 4:00 p.m.

COC and SWCD meeting dates and times are subject to change. 

Please contact us at 641-342-2162 or by email at iaosceola-fsa@usda.gov. 

February 14, 2025 - EQIP Round 1 Ranking Deadline

February 17, 2025 - President's Day - Office Closed

March 31, 2025 - DMC Signup Deadline

April 15, 2025 - ARCPLC Signup Deadline

USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is accepting enrollments and elections for the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) for 2025 from January 21 to April 15.  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. The American Relief Act, 2025 extended many Farm Bill-authorized programs for another year, including ARC and PLC.  

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).  

For more information on ARC and PLC, producers can visit the ARC and PLC webpage or contact your Clarke-Decatur County USDA Service Center at 641-342-2162.

USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is accepting applications for  Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) for the 2025 coverage year from Jan. 29 to March 31. 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. The American Relief Act, 2025 extended many Farm Bill-authorized programs for another year, including DMC.  

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 or contact your Clarke-Decatur County USDA Service Center at 641-342-2162.

Theme: Home is Where the Habitat Is

If you have a student in grades K-12 that would be interested in submitting a poster for the Conservation District of Iowa's poster contest, please contact the Clarke SWCD or Connie at connie.harmsen@ia.nacdnet.net for more information or an entry form. 

Posters must reflect and include the title of this year’s contest theme. Don’t use any other phrase. Regional & state winners will receive cash awards.

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.

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 $2,251,000. 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 Clarke-Decatur County USDA Service Center at 641-342-2162 or visit fsa.usda.gov.

To receive news from your Clarke-Decatur FSA Office, as well as, up-to-the-minute federal farm program information, please visit: www.fsa.usda.gov/subscribe to subscribe to FSA’s GovDelivery electronic news service. Printed copies of electronic newsletters are available at your local FSA office.

Producers can also text IACLARKE or IADECATUR to FSANOW (372-669) to subscribe to text message alerts. Standard text messaging rates apply. Contact your wireless carrier for details associated with your data plan. Participants may unsubscribe at any time.