USDA Montana Newsletter - September 2025
In This Issue:
USDA in Montana reminds agricultural producers of important Farm Service Agency (FSA) program dates. Contact your local service center to apply and with any questions. Visit online at farmers.gov and fsa.usda.gov/mt.
Sept. 30, 2025: Acreage Reporting Date for Value-loss and controlled environment crops (except nursery).
Sept. 30, 2025: NAP application closing date for all annual & perennial grass & mixed forage, fall and spring seeded canola, garlic, rye, speltz, triticale & wheat. Please note that the acreage reporting date for your NAP covered crops is the earlier of the established FSA acreage reporting date for the crop or 15 calendar days before the onset of harvest or grazing of the specific crop acreage being reported.
Oct:13, 2025: Office closure for Columbus Day federal holiday
Nov. 1: Last day of 2025 CRP Summer/Fall Non-Emergency Grazing Period (prior approval required)
Early November: 2025 County Committee Election Ballots to be Mailed to Voters
Nov 11, 2025: Office Closure for the Federal Holiday: Veterans Day
Nov 15: Program Year 2026 Acreage Reporting Deadline for Fall Wheat (Hard Red Winter), and all other Fall Seeded Small Grains. Please note that this is the final date that FSA can accept late-filed Program year 2025 reports for these crops.
Dec. 1, 2025: Voted FSA County Committee Election Ballots to be returned to the FSA County Office or post-marked.
Dec. 25, 2025: Office Closure for the Christmas Federal Holiday
Dec. 31, 2025: Program Year 2026 NAP Application for Coverage Deadline for Honey
Jan. 1, 2026: Office Closure for the Federal Holiday: New Year's Day
Jan. 2, 2026: Deadline to report Honeybee Colony Inventory for NAP and ELAP honeybee producers. Please note that producers must notify FSA within 30 calendar days of any changes in the total number of colonies and additional counties to which bees are moved.
*Note: The Acreage Reporting Date for Spring Alfalfa Seed, all other spring seeded crops, Perennial Forage, Hemp, Grazing acreage and CRP acres is 15 days before the onset of harvest or grazing, or July 15, whichever is earlier.
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In mid-August, my wife Mary and I attended a 50-year wedding anniversary celebration of Jim (retired Montana Department of Agriculture) and Darlene (retired teacher) Beck in my hometown of Townsend. Besides wishing the happy couple congratulations, we got to visit with several friends we haven’t seen for a few years, including Ken and Marie Romo, Tom and Alieda Helm, and Julie Diehl, who are prominent members of the large ag community in Broadwater County. That trip was a fun way to spend a Saturday afternoon!
The mention of friends reminds me that there is a documentary I recommend you should watch. The Craig Patrick family farm near Hingham is the focus of a documentary that you can find on the Cowboychannelplus.com website. Look for the documentary on the Patrick Farm.
Craig Patrick was my college roommate and remains a truly great and talented friend all these years later. The documentary highlights the hard work necessary for a family farm to be successful and the challenges and emotions when the operations are turned over to the next generation. It’s well worth watching!
Speaking of the Patricks, many of you may remember Craig’s brother Glenn who held high-level positions in the Montana FSA until he retired about 10 or so years ago. Some of you might even remember Glenn as a star basketball player for the Hingham Rangers (Craig too!) and the Montana Tech Orediggers. Glenn and his wife Carol live and work on their ranch near Cardwell.
As we finish off the summer of 2025, I hope all of you have been treated well with good crops and healthy livestock. The drought conditions, damaging storms, and low prices for grains have made it tough for many of you, but hopefully the FSA has provided a bit of a safety net for you.
I also hope that you have found time this summer to connect with family and friends. It’s easy to get caught up in our work and hobbies, but it’s always special when we can catch up with and enjoy people who have been a positive and even prominent part of our lives.
Our national FSA office is working to address the needs and challenges of farmers and ranchers, and the FSA staff in our local offices are working hard to deliver our programs and provide excellent service. For instance, we have now paid out more than $100 million in Supplemental Disaster Relief Program support to Montana producers.
One new initiative is a streamlining project for our Farm Loan Program. Producers and FSA staff will both benefit from this effort to reduce, modify, and even eliminate some steps in the Farm Loan process that have been identified as redundant, unnecessary, or wasteful. Please contact our Farm Loan personnel to learn how the FSA can be helpful for your financing needs.
In this edition, you’ll see articles about topics such as our disaster programs and outreach efforts. Please read them and stay in touch with your local FSA office.
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37 MT Counties Triggered; U.S. Drought Monitor Updated Weekly on Thursday
LFP provides compensation to eligible livestock producers who suffered grazing losses for covered livestock due to drought on privately owned or cash leased land or fire on federally managed land. For LFP, qualifying drought intensity levels are determined using the U.S. Drought Monitor. Eligible producers can apply for 2025 LFP benefits for grazing losses on small grains, native pasture, improved pasture mixed forage, annual ryegrass, crabgrass or forage sorghum.
FSA County offices can accept LFP applications following issuance of a disaster designation for drought, and if a federal agency prohibits producers from grazing normal permitted livestock on federally managed lands due to qualifying fire.
To date, the following 37 Montana counties have triggered LFP for drought criteria: Beaverhead, Carter, Cascade, Chouteau, Custer, Daniels, Dawson, Deer Lodge, Fallon, Flathead, Gallatin, Garfield, Glacier, Granite, Hill, Lake, Lewis and Clark, Liberty, Lincoln, Madison, McCone, Mineral, Missoula, Park, Phillips, Pondera, Powell, Prairie, Ravalli, Richland, Roosevelt, Sanders, Silver Bow, Teton, Toole, Valley and Wibaux.
To determine eligibility for LFP assistance, producers must complete form CCC-853 application and provide required supporting documentation no later than March 2, 2026, for 2025 losses.
ELAP provides financial assistance for:
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the transportation of water to livestock;
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the above normal cost of transporting feed to livestock; and
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the above normal cost of transporting livestock to forage/grazing acres.* *Hauling livestock both, one haul per animal reimbursement and no payment for “empty miles.”
ELAP-eligible counties: Beaverhead, Big Horn, Broadwater, Carbon, Carter, Cascade, Chouteau, Custer, Daniels, Dawson, Deer Lodge, Fallon, Flathead, Gallatin, Garfield, Glacier, Granite, Hill, Jefferson, Lake, Lewis and Clark, Liberty, Lincoln, Madison, McCone, Mineral, Missoula, Park, Phillips, Pondera, Powder River, Powell, Prairie, Ravalli, Richland, Roosevelt, Rosebud, Sanders, Sheridan, Silver Bow, Teton, Teton, Toole, Valley and Wibaux. Applications for payment and notices of loss must be completed no later than March 2, 2026, for 2025 losses.
The Farm Service Agency (FSA) makes Recourse Marketing Assistance Loans when the commodity offered as collateral does not meet the quality eligibility requirements according to U.S. grading standards.
Recourse loans must be repaid at principal plus interest. The recourse loan commodity cannot be delivered or forfeited in satisfaction of the outstanding loan.
The following are considered recourse loans:
- high moisture corn and grain sorghum
- acquired grain for high moisture corn or grain sorghum loans
- distress loans on any commodity that is not stored in eligible storage (with a loan term of 90 days)
- any commodity otherwise eligible for nonrecourse loan, but the commodity does not meet the quality eligibility requirements according to U. S. grading standards.
Recourse loans are also available for contaminated commodities that remain merchantable at the full loan rate.
A producer may receive a nonrecourse loan for low quality commodities at a reduced loan rate. The reduced loan rate is 20 percent of the applicable base county loan rate.
For more information or to apply contact your local USDA Service Center.
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Using the correct signature when doing business with FSA can save time and prevent a delay in program benefits.
The following are FSA signature guidelines:
- Married individuals must sign their given name.
- Example—Mary Doe and John Doe are married. When signing FSA forms, each must use their given name, and may not sign with the name of their spouse. Mrs. Mary Doe may not sign documents as Mrs. John Doe. For Farm Loan Purposes, spouses may not sign on behalf of the other as an authorized signatory, a signature will be needed for each. For a minor, FSA requires the minor's signature and one from the minor’s parent. There are certain exceptions where a minor’s signature may be accepted without obtaining the signature of one of the parents. Despite minority status, a youth executing a promissory note for a Youth Loan will incur full personal liability for the debt and will sign individually.
Note: By signing a document with a minor, the parent is liable for actions of the minor and may be liable for refunds, liquidated damages, or other penalties, etc.
When signing on one’s behalf the signature must agree with the name typed or printed on the form or be a variation that does not cause the name and signature to be in disagreement. Example - John W. Smith is on the form. The signature may be John W. Smith or J.W. Smith or J. Smith. Or Mary J. Smith may be signed as Mrs. Mary Joe Smith, M.J. Smith, Mary Smith, etc.
FAXED signatures will be accepted for certain forms and other documents provided the acceptable program forms are approved for FAXED signatures. Producers are responsible for the successful transmission and receipt of FAXED information.
Examples of documents not approved for FAXED signatures include:
- Promissory note
- Assignment of payment
- Joint payment authorization
- Acknowledgement of commodity certificate purchase
Spouses may sign documents on behalf of each other for FSA and CCC programs in which either spouse has an interest, unless written notification denying a spouse this authority has been provided to the county office.
Spouses cannot sign on behalf of each other as an authorized signatory for partnerships, joint ventures, corporations or other similar entities. Likewise, a spouse cannot sign a document on behalf of the other in order to affirm the eligibility of oneself.
Any member of a general partnership can sign on behalf of the general partnership and bind all members unless the Articles of Partnership are more restrictive. Spouses may sign on behalf of each other’s individual interest in a partnership, unless notification denying a spouse that authority is provided to the county office. Acceptable signatures for general partnerships, joint ventures, corporations, estates, and trusts must consist of an indicator “by” or “for” the individual’s name, individual’s name and capacity, or individual’s name, capacity, and name of entity.
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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 USDA Service Center or visit farmers.gov.
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Free basic coverage available for new and underserved loan applicants
Producers who apply for Farm Service Agency (FSA) farm loans will be offered the opportunity to enroll in the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP). NAP is available to producers who grow non-insurable crops and is especially important to fruit, vegetable, and other specialty crop growers. New, underserved and limited income specialty growers who apply for farm loans could qualify for basic loss coverage at no cost.
The basic disaster coverage protects at 55 percent of the market price for crop losses that exceed 50 percent of production. Covered “specialty” crops include vegetables, fruits, mushrooms, floriculture, ornamental nursery, aquaculture, turf grass, ginseng, honey, syrup, hay, forage, grazing and energy crops. FSA allows beginning, underserved or limited income producers to obtain NAP coverage up to 90 days after the normal application closing date when they also apply for FSA credit.
Producers can also protect value-added production, such as organic or direct market crops, at their fair market value in those markets. Targeted underserved groups eligible for free or discounted coverage include American Indians or Alaskan Natives, Asians, Blacks or African Americans, Native Hawaiians or other Pacific Islanders, Hispanics, and women.
FSA offers a variety of loan products, including farm ownership loans, operating loans and microloans that have a streamlined application process.
NAP coverage is not limited to FSA borrowers, beginning, limited resource, or underserved farmers. Any producer who grows eligible NAP crops can purchase coverage. To learn more, contact your local USDA Service Center or visit fsa.usda.gov/nap or fsa.usda.gov/farmloans.
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Farm Service Agency (FSA) borrowers with farms located in designated primary or contiguous disaster areas who are unable to make their scheduled FSA loan payments should consider the Disaster Set-Aside (DSA) program.
DSA is available to producers who suffered losses as a result of a natural disaster and relieves immediate and temporary financial stress. FSA is authorized to consider setting aside the portion of a payment/s needed for the operation to continue on a viable scale.
Borrowers must have at least two years left on the term of their loan in order to qualify.
Borrowers have eight months from the date of the disaster designation to submit a complete application. The application must include a written request for DSA signed by all parties liable for the debt along with production records and financial history for the operating year in which the disaster occurred. FSA may request additional information from the borrower in order to determine eligibility.
All farm loans must be current or less than 90 days past due at the time the DSA application is complete. Borrowers may not set aside more than one installment on each loan.
The amount set-aside, including interest accrued on the principal portion of the set-aside, is due on or before the final due date of the loan.
For more information, contact your local USDA Service Center or visit fsa.usda.gov.
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reminds agricultural producers that the final date to apply for or make changes to their existing crop insurance coverage is quickly approaching for fall planted crops. Sales closing dates vary by crop and location, but the next major sales closing date is Sept. 30.
Producers are encouraged to visit their crop insurance agent soon to learn specific details for the 2026 crop year. Crop insurance coverage decisions must be made on or before the applicable sales closing date. The USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA) lists sales closing dates in the Actuarial Information Browser, under the “Dates” tab.
Producers can also access the RMA Map Viewer tool to visualize the insurance program date choices for acreage reporting, cancellation, contract change, earliest planting, end of insurance, end of late planting period, final planting, premium billing, production reporting, sales closing, and termination dates, when applicable, per commodity, insurance plan, type, and practice. Additionally, producers can access the RMA Information Reporting System tool to specifically identify applicable dates for their operation, using the “Insurance Offer Reports” application.
Federal crop insurance is critical to the farm safety net. It helps producers and owners manage revenue risks and strengthens the rural economy. Producers may select from several coverage options, including yield coverage, revenue protection, and area risk plans of insurance.
Crop insurance options include Whole-Farm Revenue Protection and Micro Farm. Whole-Farm Revenue Protection provides a risk management safety net for all commodities on the farm under one insurance policy and is available in all counties nationwide. Micro Farm aims to help direct market and small-scale producers that may sell locally, and this policy simplifies record keeping and covers post-production costs such as washing and value-added products.
Crop insurance is sold and delivered solely through private crop insurance agents. A list of crop insurance agents is available 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. RMA’s Basics for Beginners provides information for those new to crop insurance.
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) made significant enhancements to federal crop insurance programs by expanding benefits for beginning farmers and ranchers, increasing coverage options, and making crop insurance more affordable and accessible across multiple insurance programs.
Putting American Farmers First with Enhanced Support for Beginning Farmers and Ranchers
Beginning farmers and ranchers will receive substantially increased premium support during their first decade of farming operations, making crop insurance more affordable for the next generation of American agricultural producers. The enhanced benefits mean beginning farmers and ranchers will now receive:
- 15 percentage points additional subsidy for the first two crop years
- 13 percentage points for the third crop year
- 11 percentage points for the fourth crop year
- 10 percentage points for years five through ten
These benefits build upon existing support that waives administrative fees and provides base premium subsidies. A beginning farmer or rancher is now defined as an individual who has not actively operated and managed a farm or ranch for more than 10 crop years.
Making Crop Insurance More Accessible with Expanded Coverage Options
Improvements to area-based crop insurance programs include:
- Whole Farm Revenue Protection (WFRP) maximum coverage level increase from 85% to 90%, providing producers with enhanced protection for diversified operations.
- Supplemental Coverage Option (SCO) premium support increase from 65% to 80%, making this valuable gap coverage more affordable. Additionally, producers can now purchase SCO regardless of their Area Risk Coverage (ARC) elections with the Farm Service Agency, dramatically increasing accessibility.
- Enhanced Coverage Option (ECO) and similar programs including Margin Coverage Option (MCO), Hurricane Insurance Protection Wind Index (HIP-WI), and Fire Insurance Protection Smoke Index (FIP-SI) will also receive the increased 80% in premium support, making comprehensive coverage more affordable than ever.
- SCO coverage will also expand to a coverage level of 90% (from 86%). Producers will have access to this option in 2026 via the ECO product, which has identical coverage at the same cost and premium support levels. USDA will then change the SCO policy for the 2027 crop year.
These changes will be effective for all crops with sales closing dates on or after July 1, 2025.
RMA will provide additional guidance on other provisions within the One Big Beautiful Bill Act as implementation details are finalized. Producers should contact their local crop insurance agent or visit the RMA website for more information about how these changes may affect their coverage options.
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USDA NASS conducted the September Agricultural Yield Survey the first week of September. This survey asked producers their current yield expectations for row crops in Montana. Results from the survey will be published on September 12, 2025 in the Crop Production report.
Also in early September, NASS conducted the September Agricultural Survey, asking growers in Montana their acres planted and harvested of winter wheat, Durum wheat, spring wheat, barley, and oats, and the yield and production of each crop. Producers were also asked the amount of grain stocks held on their farming operations as of September 1. Results from this survey will be published on September 30, 2025 in the Small Grains Summary and the Grain Stocks report.
As small grain harvest continues and begins to near the end this year, NASS is visiting grain elevators and producers to collect grain samples for the Montana Wheat and Barley Committee Wheat and Barley Quality Survey.
Thank you to Montana farmers and ranchers for taking the time to respond to NASS surveys. To find results of NASS surveys, please visit https://www.nass.usda.gov.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Rodger Ott, Regional Director, USDA NASS Mountain Regional Field Office, at 1-800-392-3202.
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Montana
USDA Farm Service Agency
PO Box 670
Bozeman, MT 59771
Phone: 406.587.6872
Fax: 855.546.0264
Web: www.fsa.usda.gov/mt
State Executive Director:
MICHAEL FOSTER
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USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
10 East Babcock Street, Room 443
Bozeman, MT 59715-4704
Phone: 406-587-6811
Fax: 855-510-7028
Web: nrcs.usda.gov/montana
Acting State Conservationist:
GAYLE BARRY
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USDA Risk Management Agency-Billings Regional Office
P.O. Box 80114
Billings, MT 59108
Phone: 406-657-6447
Fax: 406-657-6573
Email: RSOMT@usda.gov
Web:www.rma.usda.gov/rmalocal/montana
Acting Regional Director:
ALEXA TALKINGTON
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