Nebraska FSA and NRCS State Office
Electronic Newsletter - January 28, 2026
In This Issue:
It’s been a busy opening to the new year here at Nebraska USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA), and I am excited to share with you some of the highlights as we work to continue administration of programs associated with the Farmers First agenda.
USDA Secretary Brooke L. Rollins has announced the appointment of the Nebraska FSA State Committee. The State Committee is responsible for the oversight of farm programs and county committee operations, resolving program delivery appeals from the agriculture community, maintaining relations with industry stakeholders and keeping producers informed about current FSA programs.
Those appointed to the Nebraska committee include Scott Spilker of Beatrice (chair), Crystal Klug of Columbus, Brent Robertson of Elsie, Rylee Wagner of Winnetoon, and John Walvoord of Waterloo. These producers offer a wide range of agricultural experience and leadership background, and I am excited to welcome them to the Nebraska FSA team.
At the County Office level, the deadline to vote in your FSA County Committee election is fast approaching. All ballots must be in the office or postmarked by close of business Monday, Feb. 2. FSA County Committee members use their judgment and knowledge to help with decisions necessary to administer FSA programs at the county level. These are local producers elected by local producers. If you are in a county Local Administrative Area that was up for election this year, your voting ballot should have arrived in the mail earlier this month.
I know many of you are busy putting your production plan together for the 2026 season. If part of that plan includes the potential need for financing through FSA farm loan programs, I encourage you to reach out to us sooner rather than later to begin the conversation. FSA has both direct loans (you receive financing from FSA) and guaranteed loans (you receive financing from a local credit provider who receives a guarantee on the loan from FSA). Information on all our loan options can be found here. Our FSA current interest rates are at this link and are updated the first of every month.
Please take a moment to review the headlines below for information that may be applicable to your farming or ranching operation. We have a number of important application deadlines approaching.
Please stay safe in this cold weather as you go about your winter activities. I’ll talk to you next month.
There are options for Farm Service Agency loan customers during financial stress. If you are a borrower who is unable to make payments on a loan, contact your local FSA Farm Loan Manager to learn about the options available to you.
Farmers and ranchers also can access assistance through other entities in Nebraska that offer services during financially challenging times. The Rural Response Hotline provides referral and support services for farmers, ranchers and rural residents and their families. The number to call is (800) 464-0258 or visit the website at https://farmhotline.com.
The Nebraska Department of Agriculture manages the Negotiations Program, which offers mediation services for agricultural borrowers, creditors and USDA program participants. Through this program, participants also can access free one-on-one education on agricultural financial and legal matters. For information, call (402) 471-4876 or visit the website at https://negotiations.nebraska.gov/.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the enrollment period for the Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program for the 2026 coverage year, an important safety net program that provides producers with price support to help offset milk and feed price differences. Dairy producers can enroll in DMC from January 12, 2026, to February 26, 2026.
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), signed by President Donald J. Trump on July 4, 2025, reauthorized DMC for calendar years 2026 through 2031 and provided substantial program improvements, including establishing new production history and increasing Tier 1 coverage.
The OBBBA increased DMC’s Tier 1 coverage level from five million pounds to six million pounds. All dairy operations that elect to enroll in DMC for 2026 will establish a new production history.
- Existing dairy operations that started marketing milk on or before January 1, 2023, will use the higher of milk marketings for the years of 2021, 2022, or 2023.
- New dairy operations starting after January 1, 2023, will use their first year of monthly milk marketings, even for a partial year.
- Milk marketing statements or production evidence are required to establish a production history.
- Dairy operations also have the option to lock-in coverage levels for six years (2026-2031) with premium fees discounted by 25%.
DMC offers different levels of coverage, including an option that is free to producers, minus a $100 administrative fee. To determine the appropriate level of DMC coverage for a specific dairy operation, producers can use the online dairy decision tool.
For more information visit the DMC webpage or contact your local USDA Service Center.
Producers in a number of Nebraska counties are eligible to apply for 2025 Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) benefits. The deadline to apply for 2025 losses is March 2, 2026. Producers can determine whether a county triggered for this program by visiting this program eligibility dashboard.
LFP provides compensation for producers who suffer grazing losses for eligible livestock due to drought on privately owned land, leased land where the producer has risk in the grazing or fire on federally managed land.
FSA county committees can only accept LFP applications after notification is provided from FSA headquarters of qualifying drought conditions as determined by the U.S. Drought Monitor or if a federal agency prohibits producers from grazing livestock on normally permitted federally managed lands due to qualifying fire.
Producers must complete a CCC-853 and provide the required supporting documentation before program benefits can be determined and issued.
For additional information about LFP, including eligibility criteria for producers and livestock, and information about how the U.S. Drought Monitor is used to determine county eligibility, contact the appropriate county FSA office or visit fsa.usda.gov/disaster.
Farm Service Agency (FSA) reminds producers of approaching application deadlines for purchasing risk coverage for some crops through the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP). NAP provides financial assistance to producers of non-insurable crops impacted by natural disasters that result in lower yields, crop losses, or prevented crop planting.
NAP covers losses from natural disasters on crops for which no permanent federal crop insurance program is available, including forage and grazing crops, fruits, vegetables, floriculture, ornamental nursery, aquaculture, turf grass and more.
The application closing date is March 16 for 2026 coverage on most annual fruits and vegetables, millet, oats, dry peas, and hemp production and a few others. Contact your county FSA office for details on coverage and deadlines.
NAP basic coverage is available at 55% of the average market price for crop losses that exceed 50% of expected production. Buy-up coverage is available in some cases. NAP offers higher levels of coverage, ranging from 50% to 65% of expected production in 5% increments, at 100% of the average market price. Producers of organic crops and crops marketed directly to consumers also may exercise the “buy-up” option to obtain NAP coverage of 100% of the average market price at coverage levels ranging between 50% and 65% of expected production. Buy-up coverage is not available for crops intended for grazing.
For all coverage levels, the NAP service fee is the lesser of $325 per crop or $825 per producer per county, not to exceed a total of $1,950 for a producer with farming interests in multiple counties. Premiums apply for buy-up coverage.
If a producer has a Socially Disadvantaged, Limited Resource, Beginning and Veteran Farmer or Rancher Certification (form CCC-860) on file with FSA, it may serve as an application for basic coverage for all eligible crops. These producers will have all NAP-related service fees for basic coverage waived. These producers may also receive a 50% premium reduction if higher levels of coverage are elected on form CCC-471, prior to the application closing date for each crop.
To learn more about NAP visit fsa.usda.gov/nap or contact your local USDA Service Center.
Program payments may be limited by direct attribution to individuals or entities. A legal entity is defined as an entity created under Federal or State law that owns land or an agricultural commodity, product or livestock.
Through direct attribution, payment limitation is based on the total payments received by a person or legal entity, both directly and indirectly.
Payments and benefits under certain FSA programs are subject to some or all of the following:
- payment limitation by direct attribution (including common attribution)
- payment limitation amounts for the applicable programs
- substantive change requirements when a farming operation adds persons, resulting in an increase in persons to which payment limitation applies
- actively engaged in farming requirements
- cash-rent tenant rule
- foreign person rule
- average AGI limitations
- programs subject to AGI limitation
No program benefits subject to payment eligibility and limitation will be provided until all required forms for the specific situation are provided and necessary payment eligibility and payment limitation determinations are made. Payment eligibility and payment limitation determinations may be initiated by the County Committee or requested by the producer.
Statutory and Regulatory rules require persons and legal entities, provide the names and Tax Identification Numbers (TINs) for all persons and legal entities with an ownership interest in the farming operation to be eligible for payment.
Payment eligibility and payment limitation forms submitted by persons and legal entities are subject to spot check through FSA’s end-of-year review process. Persons or legal entities selected for end-of-year review must provide the County Committee with operating loan documents, income and expense ledgers, canceled checks for all expenditures, lease and purchase agreements, sales contracts, property tax statements, equipment listings, lease agreements, purchase contracts, documentation of who provided actual labor and management, employee time sheets or books, crop sales documents, warehouse ledgers, gin ledgers, corporate or entity papers, etc.
A finding that a person or legal entity is not actively engaged in farming results in the person or legal entity being ineligible for any payment or benefit subject to the actively engaged in farming rules.
Noncompliance with AGI provisions, either by exceeding the applicable limitation or failure to submit a certification and consent for disclosure statement, will result in payment ineligibility for all program benefits subject to AGI provisions. Program payments are reduced in an amount that is commensurate with the direct and indirect interest held by an ineligible person or legal entity in any legal entity, general partnership, or joint operation that receives benefits subject to the average AGI limitations.
If any changes occur that could affect an actively engaged in farming, cash-rent tenant, foreign person, or average Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) determination, producers must timely notify the County FSA Office by filing revised farm operating plans and/or supporting documentation, as applicable. Failure to timely notify the County Office may adversely affect payment eligibility.
The Farm Service Agency (FSA) assists beginning farmers to finance agricultural enterprises. Under these designated farm loan programs, FSA can provide financing to eligible applicants through either direct or guaranteed loans. FSA defines a beginning farmer as a person who:
- Has operated a farm for not more than 10 years
- Will materially and substantially participate in the operation of the farm
- Agrees to participate in a loan assessment, borrower training and financial management program sponsored by FSA
- Does not own a farm in excess of 30 percent of the county’s average size farm.
Visit this fact sheet for more information on beginning farmer loan programs. For additional details, contact your nearest FSA office or visit fsa.usda.gov.
The Farm Service Agency (FSA) offers two types of set-aside programs to assist FSA direct loan borrowers. The set-aside programs are intended to help distressed borrowers as well as borrowers impacted by natural disasters.
Disaster Set-Aside Program
The Disaster Set-Aside Program (DSA) assists existing FSA direct loan borrowers who have been impacted by natural disasters. The DSA program provides short-term financial relief by allowing eligible borrowers to delay FSA direct loan payments that are due this year or next year (but not both). You may delay up to one full annual payment per loan and the delayed payment will be moved to the end of the loan term. You will not be required to pay this set-aside installment until the loan’s final due date.
The principal portion of the amount set-aside will continue to accrue interest at your loan’s existing interest rate.
To be eligible, borrowers must have operated a farm in a county declared a disaster area or a contiguous county at the time of the disaster. In addition, the borrower’s inability to make their upcoming payment must be due to the disaster.
To apply for DSA, borrowers must provide their local USDA Service Center with a letter requesting DSA, which must be signed by all parties liable for the debt. The letter must be provided to your local Service Center within eight months of the disaster declaration date. The application process also includes providing your actual production, income, and expense records for the last three years. FSA may also request additional information as needed to make an eligibility decision.
To view a listing of disaster designations by state and county, go to this link.
Distressed Borrower Set-Aside Program
FSA Direct Farm Loan Program borrowers whose loans were closed before Sept. 25, 2024, may be eligible for assistance under the Distressed Borrower Set-Aside Program (DBSA). Similar to DSA, DBSA also provides short-term financial relief by allowing eligible borrowers to delay FSA direct loan payments that are due this year or next year (but not both). You may delay up to one full annual payment per loan and the delayed payment will be moved to the end of the loan term. You will not be required to pay this set-aside installment until the loan’s final due date.
An increased benefit with DBSA is that the principal portion of the set-aside will accrue interest at a reduced rate of 0.125% rather than your loan’s existing interest rate.
To be eligible for DBSA, the borrower must demonstrate financial distress, but their inability to make the upcoming payment does not need to be due to a disaster.
The DBSA application process is similar to DSA as borrowers must provide their local USDA Service Center with a letter requesting DBSA, which must be signed by all parties liable for the debt. The application process also includes providing your actual production, income, and expense records for the last three years. FSA may also request additional information as needed to make an eligibility decision.
Important Factors for Both DSA and DBSA:
FSA direct loan borrowers are not able to obtain more than one set-aside per loan. Borrowers also cannot obtain both a DSA and DBSA simultaneously on the same loan. In addition, FSA direct loans with less than two years remaining are not eligible for a DSA or DBSA. Other eligibility requirements apply; we encourage you to contact your local Service Center for more information.
Both DSA and DBSA are intended to provide short-term relief for situations where borrowers anticipate the ability to resume paying their full annual installment(s) in the following year. If you require a more long-term form of financial relief, FSA has other potential options available through primary loan servicing (PLS).
For more information on DSA, DBSA, or PLS, please contact your County Service Center. To find your nearest Service Center, visit farmers.gov.
Additional information, eligibility criteria and program limitations may be found within the Disaster Set-Aside and Distressed Borrower Set-Aside Program fact sheets.
USDA recently announced a $700 million Regenerative Pilot Program to help American farmers adopt practices that improve soil health, enhance water quality, and boost long-term productivity, all while strengthening America’s food and fiber supply.
Administered by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), this new Regenerative Pilot Program delivers a streamlined, outcome-based conservation model—empowering producers to plan and implement whole-farm regenerative practices through a single application.
In FY2026, the Regenerative Pilot Program will focus on whole-farm planning that addresses every major resource concern—soil, water, and natural vitality—under a single conservation framework. USDA is dedicating $400 million through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and $300 million through the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) to fund this first year of regenerative agriculture projects.
Learn more about the Regenerative Pilot Program.
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Feb. 2, 2026 – FSA deadline for producers to apply for an LDP for wool and unshorn pelts
Feb. 2, 2026 – FSA deadline for producers to return County Committee election ballots or be postmarked by that date
Feb. 2, 2026 - Last date to submit 2025 fall-seeded crop acreage report and not incur a late file fee
Feb. 16, 2026 – Offices closed for Federal Holiday
Feb. 26, 2026 – FSA deadline for producers to enroll in Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) Program for 2026
March 2, 2026 – FSA deadline for applications for Livestock Forage Disaster Assistance Program (LFP), Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-raised Fish Program (ELAP), and Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) benefits for 2025 losses
March 16, 2026 – ***FSA application closing date for Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) coverage for 2026 production season for most annual fruits and vegetables, millet, oats, forage sorghum, dry peas, hemp
April 30, 2026 – FSA deadline for applications to the Supplemental Disaster Relief Program, Stages 1 and 2
***Please note any above NAP calendar reference may not be inclusive for all NAP-covered crops; NAP participants should contact their County FSA Office to confirm important program deadlines.
OPERATING/OWNERSHIP
Farm Operating: 4.625%
Farm Ownership: 5.625%
Farm Ownership - Joint Financing: 3.625%
Farm Ownership - Down Payment: 1.625%
Emergency - Actual Loss: 3.75%
FARM STORAGE FACILITY LOAN
3-year term: 3.5%
5-year term: 3.625%
7-year term: 3.875%
10-year term: 4.125%
12-year term: 4.25%
MARKETING ASSISTANCE
Commodity Loan: 4.625%
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Nebraska FSA and NRCS State Office
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Farm Service Agency
1121 Lincoln Mall Suite 330
Lincoln, NE 68508
Phone: (402) 437-5581
Fax: (844) 930-0237
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Natural Resources
Conservation Service
1121 Lincoln Mall Suite 360
Lincoln, NE 68508
Phone: (402) 437-5300
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Hilary Maricle, FSA
State Executive Director
hilary.maricle@usda.gov
FSA State Office
Tim Divis, Deputy SED
Cathy Anderson, Product. & Compliance
Pat Lechner, Price Support & Conserv.
Mark Wilke, Farm Loans
Nick Elting, Administrative Officer
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James Huntwork, NRCS
Acting State Conservationist
james.huntwork@usda.gov
FSA State Committee
Scott Spilker, Chair, Beatrice
Crystal Klug, Member, Columbus
Brent Robertson, Member, Elsie
Rylee Wagner, Member, Winnetoon
John Walvoord, Member, Waterloo
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Find your local USDA Service Center at farmers.gov.
Visit the Nebraska FSA website at www.fsa.usda.gov/ne.
Visit the Nebraska NRCS website at www.nrcs.usda.gov/ne.
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