Ohio FSA State Newsletter - May 13, 2025
In This Edition of the Ohio FSA State Newsletter:
The USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) has recently announced several Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) enrollment opportunities for agricultural producers and landowners. FSA is accepting offers for both the General and Continuous CRP beginning today through June 6, 2025. CRP provides landowners with annual rental payments for putting environmentally sensitive acres into resource-conserving practices. The FSA will announce the dates for Grassland CRP signup in the near future. Additional information is available in the newsletter and producers and landowners may contact your FSA County office for additional information about the CRP process.
Though farmers have been able to make some planting progress, Mother Nature has limited fieldwork for many producers around our state. As a reminder, acreage reporting is required to establish or maintain FSA program eligibility, so we need you to reach out to your local FSA County office soon after you finish planting to timely report by the mid-July deadline.
Your county FSA office will work with you to complete your acreage reporting. Please note we also need to know about any acres you are unable to plant due to weather circumstances. Updated records will also help this process run smoothly. Please contact your office as soon as possible, if you have had changes in your farming operation, such as renting new acreage for 2025, dropping farms, ownership changes, breaking out new land, and changes to your operation. Updated farm records are important to maintain the accuracy and integrity of programs administered by FSA. Please remember to follow the acreage reporting process outlined by your county FSA office and get in touch with them as soon as you finish planting.
We are asking for your help so our staff can continue to provide the best service to you. If you have changed your home phone number, cell phone number or email address be sure to provide your FSA County office with the updated contact information. This will allow our staff an opportunity to keep producers informed of program announcement and deadlines, reporting requirements and other important updates. Our staff can send short SMS messages and emails to producers, to keep you updated on programs. To subscribe, visit farmers.gov/subscribe to sign-up and receive emails and text messages. Producers can also ask our staff for assistance to subscribe for these services.
Please remember to call ahead to schedule an in-person or phone appointment, so staff can be most effective with your time. Our staff can also work with producers via phone, email and through Box and OneSpan, our electronic options for sharing and signing FSA forms. To conduct business, please contact your FSA County office.
Additional program details and more in-depth information is provided in our newsletter. Please don’t hesitate to contact your County FSA office for questions about our programs, loans and information that is included in this newsletter edition.
Register for a free webinar series for military veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses on how to work with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to prepare for a career in agriculture. This webinar series is designed to provide information about USDA Beginning Farmer and Rancher programs and resources for the military community.
- May 14, 2025 at 2 – 4:30pm Eastern
- May 15, 2025 at 2 – 4:00pm Eastern
Producers planning to use the commodity loan program for their 2024 crops are reminded that May 31, 2025, is the deadline for filing applications for the following 2024 crops: corn, dry peas, grain sorghum, lentils, mustard, safflower, chickpeas, soybeans and sunflowers. These loans carry a nine-month maturity and can be repaid with cash at disbursement to loan maturity. To be eligible, producers must have produced an eligible loan commodity for the applicable crop year, complied with annual program requirements, maintain beneficial interest (have title to the commodity and retain control of the commodity), request MAL on or before the final loan availability date for a specific commodity, and, if required, submit lien waivers for any liens existing on the crop for which a Marketing Assistance Loan (MAL) is being requested. Producers interested in a commodity loan on the above listed commodities should contact their local County FSA office staff prior to the May 31 deadline.
To comply with FSA program eligibility requirements, all producers are encouraged to contact their FSA office to file an accurate crop certification report by the applicable deadline.
The following acreage reporting dates are applicable for Ohio:
May 31, 2025 --- Report Nursery Crop Acreage.
July 15, 2025 --- Report all your Burley Tobacco, Cabbage (Planted 3/19/25-5/31/25), Corn, Grain Sorghum, Hybrid Corn Seed, Spring Oats, Popcorn, Potatoes, Soybeans, Sugar Beets, Tomatoes and all other crops. Report Perennial Forage Crops. Report Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acreage.
Aug. 15, 2025 --- Report Cabbage (Planted 6/1/25-7/20/25).
Sept. 30, 2025 --- Report Aquaculture.
Dec. 15, 2025 ---- Report Fall-Seeded 2026 crops, Barley, Fall Wheat, and all other Fall-Seeded Small Grains.
The following exceptions apply to the above acreage reporting dates:
- If the crop has not been planted by the above acreage reporting date, then the acreage must be reported no later than 15 calendar days after planting is completed.
- If a producer acquires additional acreage after the above acreage reporting date, then the acreage must be reported no later than 30 calendars days after purchase or acquiring the lease. Appropriate documentation must be provided to the county office.
Producers should also report crop acreage they intended to plant, but due to natural disaster, were unable to plant. Prevented planting acreage must be reported on form CCC-576, Notice of Loss, no later than 15 calendar days after the final planting date as established by FSA and USDA’s Risk Management Agency.
Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) policy holders should note that the acreage reporting date for NAP covered crops is the earlier of the dates listed above or 15 calendar days before grazing or harvesting of the crop begins.
If you have applied for organic certification and do not receive it before the acreage reporting deadline, you may provide the necessary documentation to FSA immediately upon receipt from the certifying agent.
FSA offers continuous certification for perennial forage. This means after perennial forage is reported once and the producer elects continuous certification, the certification remains in effect until a change is made. Check with your FSA office for more information on continuous certification.
New Option to View, Print and Label Maps on Farmers.gov
Producers with a login.gov account (formerly eAuth) linked to their USDA customer record can now access their FSA farm records, maps and common land units by logging into farmers.gov. A new feature will allow producers to export field boundaries as shapefiles and import and view other shapefiles, such as precision agriculture boundaries. This will allow producers to view, print and label their own maps for acreage reporting purposes.
Producers who have authority to act on behalf of another customer as a grantee via form FSA-211 Power of Attorney, Business Partner Signature Authority, along with other signature types, or as a member of a business can now access information in the farmers.gov portal.
Producers can learn how to use the farmers.gov Farm Records Mapping functionality with this fact sheet and these video tutorials.
For questions regarding crop certification and crop loss reports, please contact your County FSA office.
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 County FSA office.
Administered by USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA), ECAP will help agricultural producers mitigate the impacts of increased input costs and falling commodity prices.
Authorized by the American Relief Act, 2025, these economic relief payments are based on planted and prevented planted crop acres for eligible commodities for the 2024 crop year. To streamline and simplify the delivery of ECAP, FSA will begin sending pre-filled applications to producers who submitted acreage reports to FSA for 2024 eligible ECAP commodities soon after the signup period opened on March 19, 2025. Producers do not have to wait for their pre-filled ECAP application to apply. They can visit fsa.usda.gov/ecap to apply using a login.gov account or contact their local FSA office to request an application once the signup period opens.
Eligible Commodities and Payment Rates
The commodities below are eligible for these per-acre payment rates:
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Wheat - $30.69
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Eligible oilseeds:
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Corn - $42.91
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Canola – $31.83
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Sorghum - $42.52
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Crambe – $19.08
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Barley - $21.67
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Flax - $20.97
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Oats - $77.66
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Mustard - $11.36
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Upland cotton & Extra-long staple cotton - $84.74
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Rapeseed -$23.63
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Long & medium grain rice - $76.94
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Safflower - $26.32
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Peanuts - $75.51
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Sesame - $16.83
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Soybeans - $29.76
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Sunflower – $27.23
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Dry peas - $16.02
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Lentils - $19.30
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Small Chickpeas - $31.45
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Large Chickpeas - $24.02
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Producer Eligibility
Eligible producers must report 2024 crop year planted and prevented planted acres to FSA on an FSA-578, Report of Acreage form. Producers who have not previously reported 2024 crop year acreage or filed a notice of loss for prevented planted crops must submit an acreage report by the Aug. 15, 2025, deadline. Eligible producers can visit fsa.usda.gov/ecap for eligibility and payment details.
Applying for ECAP
Producers must submit ECAP applications to their local FSA county office by Aug. 15, 2025. Only one application is required for all ECAP eligible commodities nationwide. ECAP applications can be submitted to FSA in-person, electronically using Box and One-Span, by fax or by applying online at fsa.usda.gov/ecap utilizing a secure login.gov account.
If not already on file for the 2024 crop year, producers must have the following forms on file with FSA:
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Form AD-2047, Customer Data Worksheet.
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Form CCC-901, Member Information for Legal Entities (if applicable).
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Form CCC-902, Farm Operating Plan for an individual or legal entity.
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Form CCC 943, 75 percent of Average Gross Income from Farming, Ranching, or Forestry Certification (if applicable).
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AD-1026, Highly Erodible Land Conservation (HELC) and Wetland Conservation (WC) Certification.
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SF-3881, Direct Deposit.
Except for the new CCC-943, most producers, especially those who have previously participated in FSA programs, likely have these forms on file. However, those who are uncertain and want to confirm the status of their forms or need to submit the new Form-943, can contact their local FSA county office.
If a producer does not receive a pre-filled ECAP application, and they planted or were prevented from planting ECAP eligible commodities in 2024, they should contact their local FSA office.
ECAP Payments and Calculator
ECAP payments will be issued as applications are approved. Initial ECAP payments will be factored by 85% to ensure that total program payments do not exceed available funding. If additional funds remain, FSA may issue a second payment.
ECAP assistance will be calculated using a flat payment rate for the eligible commodity multiplied by the eligible reported acres. Payments are based on acreage and not production. For acres reported as prevented plant, ECAP assistance will be calculated at 50%.
For ECAP payment estimates, producers are encouraged to visit fsa.usda.gov/ecap to use the ECAP online calculator.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reminds specialty crop producers that the application period for the Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops (FSCSC) program for program year 2025 opened Jan. 1, 2025, and runs through Jan. 31, 2026. 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.
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
For program year 2025, the application period began 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.
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 County FSA office.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced on April 29, 2025, a second round of payments coming that week for specialty crop producers through the Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (MASC) program, providing up to $1.3 billion in additional program assistance. U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) already delivered just under $900 million in first round payments to eligible producers.
About MASC
First announced in December 2024, MASC authorized $2 billion in Commodity Credit Corporation funds to assist specialty crop growers with rising input costs and aid in the expansion of domestic markets. In January 2025, in response to stakeholder feedback and program demand, funding for MASC was increased to $2.65 billion. The MASC application period closed on Jan. 10, 2025.
MASC is designed to help 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; and
- higher labor costs.
MASC covers the following commercially marketed specialty crops:
- fruits (fresh, dried);
- vegetables (including dry edible beans and peas, mushrooms, and vegetable seed);
- tree nuts;
- and other specialty crops.
Farm Operating Loans, Direct -- 5.125%
Farm Ownership Loans, Direct -- 5.625%
Limited Resource Loans -- 5.000%
Farm Ownership Loans, Down Payment -- 1.625%
Farm Ownership – Joint Financing -- 3.625%
Emergency Loans -- 3.750%
Farm Storage Facility Loan, 3 year -- 3.875%
Farm Storage Facility Loan, 5 year -- 4.000%
Farm Storage Facility Loan, 7 year -- 4.125%
Farm Storage Facility Loan, 10 year -- 4.250%
Farm Storage Facility Loan, 12 year -- 4.375%
Sugar Storage Facility Loans, 15 year -- 4.625%
Commodity Loans -- 5.000%
May 12 ---- USDA Opens General and Continuous CRP Enrollment for 2025.
May 26 ----- Memorial Day Holiday. USDA Service Centers Closed.
May 31 ----- Deadline to apply for 2024 commodity loans and LDP's on feed grains, soybeans, pulse crops.
June 6 ----- FSA is accepting offers for both the General and Continuous CRP beginning today through June 6, 2025.
June 15 --- County Committee Nomination Period begins.
June 19 --- Juneteenth National Independence Day. USDA Service Center Closed.
July 4 ------ Independence Day Holiday. USDA Service Center Closed.
July 15 ---- End of primary nesting season for CRP program purposes.
July 15 ---- Final certification date to report burley tobacco; cabbage planted through May 31; corn, grain sorghum, hybrid corn seed, spring oats, potatoes, popcorn, sugar beets, tomatoes and other crops. Report perennial forage crops. Report Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acreage.
July 15 ----- Final Date to Report Production for the preceding Crop Year for Farms Enrolled in ARC-IC.
August 1 --- Last day to file County Committee Nomination forms.
August 1 --- Deadline to Request farm reconstitutions and transfers for 2024.
August 15 – Deadline for producers to submit applications for ECAP.
Top of page
Ohio FSA State Office
200 North High Street, Room 540
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: 614-255-2441
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Visit the Ohio FSA website at: www.fsa.usda.gov/oh
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State Executive Director:
Vacant
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Deputy State Executive Director:
Traci Garza
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Administrative Officer:
Stephanie Moran
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Conservation Chief:
Brandi Koehler
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Farm Loan Chief:
Andrew Huey
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Price Support Chief:
Trevor Kerr
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Production Adjustment / Compliance and Risk Management Chief:
Matt Kleski
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Ohio FSA State Committee Members
Theodore Finnarn, Chairperson
Fred Deel
Tracy Hundley
Thomas Jackson, Jr.
Mark Mechling
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