Carroll County USDA Service Center - June 20, 2025
In This Issue:
June Interest Rates
Important Dates/Deadlines:
June 16, 2025 - COC nomination period begins
June 19, 2025 - Offices closed: Juneteenth National Independence Day
July 4, 2025 - Offices closed: Independence Day
July 15, 2025 - Acreage reporting deadline: all other crops, perennial forage, & CRP
August 1, 2025 - COC nomination period ends
August 15, 2025 - Primary nesting season ends
August 15, 2025 - Acreage reporting deadline for beans: all types (except limas)
August 15, 2025 - Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (ECAP) sign-up deadline
September 1, 2025 - Offices closed: Labor Day
September 15 - Application deadline for Emergency Loan (see February 2025 Bulletin) November 25 - Application deadline for Emergency Loan
Check with NRCS concerning their program deadlines.
Check with RMA concerning their deadlines for insurance coverage and loss claims.
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) will open nominations for county committee members on June 16, 2025 and encourages all farmers, ranchers, and FSA program participants to take part in the Carroll County Committee election nomination process.
Elections will occur in certain Local Administrative Areas (LAA) for members. LAAs are elective areas for FSA committees in a single county or multi-county jurisdiction. For Carroll County, elections will take place in LAA #2, which consists of the northeast section of the county from the county line going as far west following Stone Road, as Silver Run and Mount Pleasant areas and following Carrollton Road, as far south as Raven Run and Southwood areas. Customers can identify which LAA they or their farming or ranching operation is in by using our GIS locator tool available at fsa.usda.gov/elections.
County committee members make important decisions about how Federal farm programs are administered locally. All nomination forms for the 2025 election must be postmarked or received in the local FSA office by Aug. 1, 2025.
Agricultural producers who participate or cooperate in a USDA program and reside in the LAA that is up for election this year, may be nominated for candidacy for the county committee. A cooperating producer is someone who has provided information about their farming or ranching operation to FSA, even if they have not applied or received program benefits.
Individuals may nominate themselves or others and qualifying organizations may also nominate candidates. USDA encourages minority producers, women, and beginning farmers or ranchers to nominate, vote and hold office.
Nationwide, more than 7,700 dedicated members of the agricultural community serve on FSA county committees. The committees are made up of 3 to 11 members who serve three-year terms. Committee members are vital to how FSA carries out disaster programs, as well as conservation, commodity and price support programs, county office employment and other agricultural issues.
For more information on FSA county committee elections, including fact sheets, nomination forms and FAQs, visit fsa.usda.gov/elections.
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Producers in Carroll County are eligible to apply for 2025 Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) benefits on long season small grain, native pasture, and improved pasture.
LFP provides compensation if you suffer grazing losses for covered livestock due to drought on privately owned or cash leased land or fire on federally managed land.
County committees can only accept LFP applications after notification is received by the National Office of qualifying drought or if a federal agency prohibits producers from grazing normal permitted livestock on federally managed lands due to qualifying fire. You must complete a CCC-853 and the required supporting documentation no later than March 2, 2026, for 2025 losses.
For additional information about LFP, including eligible livestock and fire criteria, contact the Carroll County USDA Service Center at 410-848-2780 x2 or visit fsa.usda.gov.
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Each year, state committees review and approve or disapprove county committee recommended changes or additions to specific combinations of crops.
Double-cropping is approved when two specific crops have the capability to be planted and carried to maturity for the intended use, as reported by the producer, on the same acreage within a crop year under normal growing conditions. The specific combination of crops recommended by the county committee must be approved by the state committee.
The following double-cropping combinations are approved in Carroll County:
Barley to Snap Beans Barley to Soybeans Barley to Sweet Corn Barley (FG) to Corn (GR) Barley (FG) to Corn (SL) Barley (FG) to Soybeans (GR) Oats to Snap Beans Oats to Soybeans Oats to Sweet Corn Peas to Corn Peas to Snap Beans Peas to Sorghum Peas to Soybeans Pease to Sweet Corn Rye to Snap Beans Rye to Sweet Corn Rye (FG) to Corn (GR) Rye (FG) to Soybeans (GR) Triticale (FG) to Corn (GR) Triticale (FG) to Corn (SL) Triticale (FG) to Soybean (GR) Triticale (GR) to Corn (GR) Triticale (GR) to Corn (SL) Triticale (GR) to Soybean (GR) Wheat (FG) to Corn (GR) Wheat (FG) to Corn (SL)) Wheat (FG) to Soybean (GR) Wheat to Snap Beans Wheat to Soybeans Wheat to Sweet Corn
A crop following a cover crop terminated according to termination guidelines is approved double cropping and these combinations do not have to be approved by the state committee.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is extending the prevented planting crop reporting deadline for producers affected by spring flooding, excessive moisture, or qualifying drought.
Producers who intended to plant this spring, but were unable due to weather conditions, now have until the acreage reporting deadline for the applicable crop being claimed as prevented planting. July 15 is a major deadline for most crops, but acreage reporting deadlines vary by county and by crop.
Producers need to report prevented planting acres to retain eligibility for FSA program benefits. Normally, the prevented planting reporting deadline is 15 calendar days after the final planting date for a crop as established by FSA and the Risk Management Agency (RMA). The prevented planting reporting deadline extension only applies to FSA and does not change any RMA crop insurance reporting deadline requirements.
The extension does not apply to crops covered by FSA’s Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP). Producers should check with their local FSA office regarding prevented planting provisions for NAP-covered crops.
Producers are encouraged to contact their local FSA office as soon as possible to make an appointment to report prevented planting acres and submit their spring crop acreage report. To locate your local FSA office, visit farmers.gov/service-locator.
The USDA Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) Direct Farm Ownership loans are a resource to help farmers and ranchers become owner-operators of family farms, improve and expand current operations, increase agricultural productivity, and assist with land tenure to save farmland for future generations.
There are three types of Direct Farm Ownership Loans: regular, down payment and joint financing. FSA also offers a Direct Farm Ownership Microloan option for smaller financial needs up to $50,000.
Direct Farm Ownership Loans can be used to construct, purchase or improve farm dwellings, service buildings or other facilities, and to make improvements essential to an operation.
Applicants must provide FSA with an estimate of the total cost of all planned development that completely describe the work, prior to loan approval and must show proof of sufficient funds to pay for the total cost of all planned development at or before loan closing. In some instances, applicants may be asked to provide certified plans, specifications or contract documents. The applicant cannot incur any debts for materials or labor or make any expenditures for development purposes prior to loan closing with the expectation of being reimbursed from FSA funds.
Construction and development work may be performed either by the contract method or the borrower method. Under the contract method, construction and development contractors perform work according to a written contract with the applicant or borrower. If applying for a direct loan to finance a construction project, the applicant must obtain a surety bond that guarantees both payment and performance in the amount of the construction contract from a construction contractor.
A surety bond is required when a contract exceeds $100,000. An authorized agency official determines that a surety bond appears advisable to protect the borrower against default of the contractor or a contract provides for partial payments in excess of the amount of 60 percent of the value of the work in place.
Under the borrower method, the applicant or borrower will perform the construction and development work. The borrower method may only be used when the authorized agency official determines, based on information from the applicant, that the applicant possesses or arranges to obtain the necessary skill and managerial ability to complete the work satisfactorily and that such work will not interfere with the applicant’s farming operation or work schedule.
Potential applicants should visit with FSA early in the initial project planning process to ensure environmental compliance.
For more eligibility requirements and information about FSA Loan programs, contact your Carroll County USDA Service Center at 410-848-2780 x2 or visit fsa.usda.gov.
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Carroll County, MD USDA Service Center
698 Corporate Center Court NRCS - Suite J, FSA - Suite K Westminster, MD 21157
Phone: 410-848-6696 FSA - Ext 2; NRCS - Ext 3 Fax: 855-401-6643 FSA, 855-432-9024 NRCS
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Farm Service Agency
Amy Bange, Acting County Executive Director (CED) amy.bange@usda.gov
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Farm Service Agency - Farm Loan
Sarah Fogle, Farm Loan Manager (FLM) sarah.fogle@usda.gov Frederick County FSA Office Phone: 301-662-1321
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Natural Resources Conservation Service
Samantha Cox, District Conservationist samantha.cox@usda.gov
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FSA Program Analysts (PA)
Patrick Ransom
Danielle Wilson
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FSA County Committee
Evan Staley (LAA3), Chair
D Mark Savage (LAA1), Vice-Chair
Jerry Frock (LAA2), Member
Susie Stonesifer Lawrence, Advisor
Next Meeting: Tuesday, July 22
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Carroll Soil Conservation District
Matt McMahon, District Manager mattd.mcmahon@maryland.gov
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