Maryland FSA News - December 23, 2025
In This Issue:
As we approach the end of the year and holidays, I want to take a moment to remind you of some upcoming program deadlines. We’re all very busy at this time of year. I want to make sure you’re on the right track when it comes to applying for program assistance.
The Farm Service Agency (FSA) recently announced the new Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) program that provides a one-time bridge payment to American farmers in response to temporary trade market disruptions and increased production costs. This program is based on FSA reported planted acres. Commodity-specific payment rates will be released by the end of December and we’re expecting pre-filled applications to go out to eligible producers during the week of Feb. 23 to meet the target of FBA payments processing by Feb. 28, 2026. We continue to work on FBA policies and provisions for specialty crop producer assistance. We understand you have questions. Producers, including specialty crop producers and stakeholder groups, can submit questions to farmerbridge@usda.gov. I will provide FBA updates as details unfold.
Sign-up is underway for Stage 2 of the Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (SDRP), which covers eligible crop, tree, bush and vine losses that were not covered under Stage 1 program provisions, including non-indemnified (shallow losses), uncovered, and quality losses. Producers have until April 30, 2026, to apply for both Stage 1 and Stage 2 assistance. I strongly encourage you to use the SDRP Stage 2 Pre-Application Checklist to ensure you have the required forms on file with your FSA county office and to help you start gathering supporting documentation that may be required. When you’re ready, please make an appointment with your local FSA office.
For the first time, USDA disaster assistance will cover shallow losses – losses that didn’t trigger a crop insurance or NAP indemnity but still hit the bottom line. We heard loud and clear from producers that this was a gap in previous programs. Stage 2 also covers uninsured losses and quality losses, everything from smoke-damaged fruit to forage that lost nutritional value due to weather extremes. If the crop’s value dropped because of a disaster, we’re going to recognize that loss.
FSA is also delivering additional disaster assistance through the Milk Loss Program (MLP) for dumped milk and the On-Farm Stored Commodity Loss Program (OFSCLP), which both have a Jan. 23, 2026, signup deadline.
2025 Overview – Maryland FSA is Delivering on Our Promise to Put Farmers First
Over the past year, the Trump Administration and FSA have demonstrated our commitment to putting Maryland Farmers First.
Since March 2025, FSA has supported farmers and ranchers in State through supplemental disaster assistance including $36 million through the Emergency Commodity Assistance Program, $.5 million through the Emergency Livestock Relief Program and more than $18.4 million in SDRP Stage 1 payments to date.
Last month FSA provided $5.2 million in Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage (ARC/PLC) payments as well as $9.9 million in Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) annual rental payments to producers and landowners in Maryland These payments came at a critical time as I know many of you are booking inputs and planning for the 2026 crop year.
This year, FSA also provided $3.5 million to producers through the Marketing Assistance Loan (MAL) program, which provides a short-term loan on eligible commodities that gives producers marketing flexibility to sell their crops when prices are more favorable.
In addition to farm program payments, FSA farm loan staff continue to see strong interest in our direct and guaranteed ownership and operating loans, which offer loans with flexible terms and favorable loan rates. Over the last fiscal year FSA obligated a total of $7.9 million in direct loans and $5.8 million in guaranteed loans across Maryland. These loans help borrowers start or expand their agricultural operations, pay family living expenses and fund day-to-day operating expenses.
I’m proud of the support that the FSA staff in Maryland have provided to our producers. We recognize the challenges that producers continue to face and I look forward to working on behalf of the Trump Administration and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins to ensure the success of the agriculture industry across the state.
Read more about how The Trump Administration has been working around the clock since January 20th to put American Farmers First.
As a reminder, all FSA offices will be closed Wednesday, Dec. 24 through Friday, Dec. 26, 2025, in accordance with President Trump’s Dec. 18 Executive Order and in observance of Dec. 25, Christmas Day, an official federal holiday.
It’s an honor to serve the farmers in the great state of Maryland.
Wishing you a safe and happy holiday season.
George M. Turner, Jr.
FSA State Executive Director, Maryland
USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is delivering more than $16 billion in total Congressionally approved disaster relief. FSA is now accepting applications for assistance through the second stage of the Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (SDRP) from agricultural producers who suffered eligible non-indemnified, uncovered or quality crop losses due to qualifying natural disasters in 2023 and 2024.
Stage Two covers eligible crop, tree, bush and vine losses that were not covered under Stage One program provisions, including non-indemnified (shallow loss), uncovered and quality losses. Although the majority of payments from the first stage are already in the hands of producers helping them prepare for and invest in the next crop year, Stage One assistance, announced in July, remains available to producers who received an indemnity under crop insurance or the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) for eligible crop losses due to qualifying 2023 and 2024 natural disaster events.
The deadline to apply for both Stage One and Stage Two assistance is April 30, 2026.
Additionally, FSA is taking applications for assistance from producers who had to dump or remove milk from the commercial market and who incurred losses of eligible farm stored commodities due to qualifying disaster events in 2023 and 2024.
SDRP Stage Two Program Details
SDRP Stage Two provides assistance for eligible crop, tree, bush and vine losses not covered under Stage One, including:
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Non-Indemnified Losses (Including Shallow Losses)
- Insured losses through federal crop insurance that did not trigger a crop insurance indemnity.
- Losses with NAP coverage that did not trigger a NAP payment.
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Uncovered Losses (Uninsured Losses)
- Includes losses that were not insured through federal crop insurance or NAP.
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Quality Losses
- Includes quality losses to commodities indicated by:
- A decrease in value based on discounts due to the physical condition of the crop supported by applicable grading factors
- A decline in the nutritional value of forage crops supported by documented forage tests.
- Producers will certify to an SDRP quality loss percentage.
FSA is establishing block grants with Connecticut, Hawaii, Maine, and Massachusetts that cover crop losses; therefore, producers with losses on land physically located in these states are not eligible for SDRP program payments.
For information on program eligibility and to download an application checklist, visit fsa.usda.gov/sdrp.
More information will be provided in early 2026 regarding a separate enrollment period for quality losses covered by SDRP Stage One as well as for insured producers in Puerto Rico who were not included in Stage One because data was not available when pre-filled applications were mailed.
In this Ask the Expert, Jack Carlile, Farm Loan Manager for the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA), answers questions about farm operating loans and when producers should apply in order to secure funds for the current crop year.
As the Farm Loan Manager for the Cherokee County Service Center, Jack is responsible for managing the loan making and loan servicing activities for five counties in northeast Oklahoma. His office provides services for over 650 farm loan customers. Jack was raised on a cross bred cow/calf operation that his grandparents started. Over the years, each generation has added to the operation by purchasing additional pasture. The operation also grows and bales their own hay. Jack’s agriculture background and degree in agriculture economics from Oklahoma State University help him better understand the financing needs of his producers.
Who can apply for FSA Farm Loans?
Anyone can apply for FSA’s loan programs. Applications will be considered on basic eligibility requirements. To apply for a loan, you must meet the following general eligibility requirements including:
- Be a U.S. citizen or qualified alien.
- Operator of a family farm or ranch.
- Have a satisfactory credit history.
- Unable to obtain credit elsewhere at reasonable rates and terms to meet actual needs.
- Not be delinquent on any federal debts.
To read the full blog visit farmers.gov/blog/ask-the-expert-farm-operating-loan-qa-with-jack-carlile.
The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is a program administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA) to conserve farmland for future generations while providing habitat for wildlife, reducing soil erosion, and improving water quality. Regular maintenance on CRP acres is needed to ensure the acreage continues to provide conservation benefits and remains in compliance with the CRP contract.
Regular Maintenance
Producers with CRP contracts are required to control all weeds, insects, pests, and other undesirable species to the extent necessary to ensure that the approved conservation cover is adequately protected and to ensure there is no adverse impact on surrounding land. Mowing is one of the allowable practices for weed control, but mowing for aesthetic purposes is never permitted. The Conservation Plan states the required weed control methods for each site.
Once a stand has been certified as fully established, participants are required to maintain plant diversity and stand density according to the Conservation Plan and offer (CRP-2) for the life of the contract. Stands that do not meet practice specific plant diversity or density requirements may be considered non-compliant. Refer to your conservation plan or contact FSA if you have any questions or concerns about the vegetative cover requirements.
Maintenance activities cannot occur during the primary nesting season for birds without written prior approval from the local county office. The primary nesting season in Maryland is April 15th through August 15th.
Mid-Contract Management
Regular maintenance for weed and pest control is separate from the Mid-Contract Management (MCM) requirement. MCM ensures plant diversity and wildlife benefits while ensuring protection of the soil and water resources. Such activities are site-specific and are for the purpose of enhancing the approved cover.
MCM must be completed between years four and six of a 10-year contract and between years seven and nine of a 15-year contract. The Conservation Plan will state what year MCM must take place.
Noncompliance with Maintenance Requirements
Failure to adequately maintain the stand may result in noncompliance with the terms and conditions of the CRP contract. Noncompliance can result in adverse actions up to and including termination of the CRP contract. Contracts that are out of compliance are ineligible to re-enroll, unless the stand is brought back into compliance prior to the enrollment deadline.
For general information about CRP, visit the Conservation Reserve Program webpage. For information about specific contracts, reach out to the local FSA office.
Join NRCS Chief Aubrey J.D. Bettencourt as she “Dishes the Dirt” on the U.S. Capitol Christmas tree, “Silver Belle” with Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz. For the past 55 years, a tree from American public lands is harvested and transported to the U.S. Capitol – this year, the tree traveled 3,000-miles from the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest in Nevada.
As an advocate for private forest owners and Christmas tree producers alike, NRCS is proud to be one of the sponsors of this year’s Capitol Christmas tree. Tree farmers can access NRCS financial and technical assistance through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program and Conservation Stewardship Program to implement a number of practices to improve the economic and environmental resilience of their operation.
Watch the video.
Click here for December's lending rates for agriculture producers.
December 24-26, 2025 - Offices Closed: Christmas Holiday
January 1, 2026 - Offices Closed: New Year's Day
January 19, 2026 - Offices Closed: Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.
January 23, 2026 - Milk Loss Program (MLP) and On-Farm Stored Commodity Loss Program (OFSCLP) Sign-Up Deadline
January 31, 2026: Certification Deadline for the Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops Program (FSCSC)
April 15, 2026 - Primary Nesting Season Begins (If you need to spot mow or spot spray invasive or noxious weeds in CRP, please contact your local FSA office to make a request prior to the action)
April 30, 2026 - Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (SDRP) Stage 1 and Stage 2 Sign-up Deadline
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Maryland FSA
2629 Riva Road, Suite 102
Annapolis, MD 21409
Phone: (443)-482-2760
Fax: (855)-401-6638
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FSA State Executive Director
George M. Turner, Jr.
George.Turner@usda.gov
Farm Programs Chief
Robert Wevodau
robert.wevodau@usda.gov
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NRCS State Conservationist
Suzy Daubert
suzy.daubert@usda.gov
Farm Loan Chief
Joseph Scott
joseph.scott@usda.gov
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