South Dakota USDA Newsletter - April 16, 2026
In This Issue:
Greetings from the South Dakota FSA State Office,
April showers bring May flowers. This is a statement that I remember from an early age. Many of us across the state have experienced days of rain showers, snow, wind, and cold. Producers statewide are currently lambing or calving and working hard to care for young livestock while working in less-than-ideal conditions. While many dislike the conditions, producers understand that moisture in any form is important as we begin the growing season in South Dakota.
Even with the recent moisture, the Drought Monitor shows drought areas in South Dakota are expanding each week. If the drought worsens, FSA’s Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) offers financial support to livestock producers who experience grazing losses due to qualifying drought conditions. Stay tuned for more information.
FSA offices within South Dakota are here to work and help you again in 2026. I know that it is planting time and the beginning of the new growing season. South Dakota FSA looks forward to working with you through the 2026 growing season. Again, please make sure to practice safety in the yard, on the road, and in the field. I wish you all the best as we move forward into the growing season.
Sincerely,
Roger Chase
State Executive Director, South Dakota FSA
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Spring Greetings,
As the season progresses, producers will begin planting and assessing moisture received over the winter, along with the outlook for summer conditions. The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and its partners have resources available to plan for drought and mitigate drought effects. You cannot control the rain, but you can control your drought plan. Aside from local NRCS offices where specialists are available to assist with your drought plan, consider visiting the South Dakota (SD) NRCS’s Range and Pasture webpage for both current and projected drought status throughout the state, and the SD Grassland Coalition’s drought planning web page for additional tools.
Regenerative agriculture is at the forefront of priorities for NRCS in SD. Spring reveals resource concerns such as soil crusting and wind erosion, while highlighting potential pathways to implement conservation improvements such as the use of cover crops or no till practices. Many farmers may see soil crusting this spring, which is a hard layer that forms on unprotected soil after rain and makes it tough for young plants to break through. While it becomes noticeable during planting, prevention starts much earlier. Practices like keeping residue on the field, reducing tillage, diversifying rotations, and improving soil structure all help protect the soil, reduce compaction, and even cut down on weeds. These simple steps build healthier, more resilient soils that support better emergence, stronger crops, and long‑term productivity. Read more about soil crusting and thoughts from the experts in “Managing Soil Crusting: Why Spring Conditions Highlight an Ongoing Conservation Challenge” below, or by clicking this link.
Thank you to the farmers, ranchers, and foresters who tirelessly work towards moving the needle of conservation in our great state.
Sincerely,
Jessica Michalski
Acting State Conservationist, South Dakota NRCS
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April 17, 2026 - Deadline to submit offers for General Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)
April 17, 2026 - Deadline to apply for Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) Program
April 22, 2026 - Applications for USDA Rural Development Value-Added Producer Grants are accepted for processing from Agricultural Producers from February 17, 2026, through 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET), April 22, 2026.
April 24, 2026 – Deadline to file an acreage report for crop year 2025 specialty crops for the Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers (ASCF) Program
April 30, 2026 - Deadline to apply for Supplemental Disaster Relief Program Stage 1 and Stage 2
May 1, 2026 - Deadline to submit offers for Continuous Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) to be considered for the 2nd batching
April 2026
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Farm Operating Loans — Direct
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4.75% |
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Farm Ownership Loans — Direct
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5.75% |
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Farm Ownership Loans — Direct Down Payment, Beginning Farmer or Rancher
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1.75% |
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Emergency Loans
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3.750% |
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Farm Storage Facility Loans (7 years)
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3.875% |
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that Continuous Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) offers can be submitted during a second batching period that runs through May 1, 2026. Additionally, USDA reminds producers and landowners of the upcoming April 17, 2026, deadline for both the Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) program and the General Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Signup 66. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) has already made over $9.4 billion in FBA payments to row crop producers in response to temporary trade market disruptions and increased production costs. Landowners and producers still have time to submit General CRP offers to convert highly erodible land or environmentally sensitive acreage to vegetative cover to improve water quality, prevent soil erosion and enhance wildlife habitat.
Continuous CRP Signup 65, Second Batching Period
The first Continuous CRP batching period closed on March 20, 2026. Since acreage remains available, FSA is opening a second batching period and will consider Continuous CRP offers submitted by interested agricultural producers and landowners between March 23, 2026, and May 1, 2026. Offers to re-enroll expiring CRP continuous acreage will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. New acreage offered in continuous CRP practices will be considered for acceptance on a first-come, first-serve basis if they support USDA conservation priorities including but not limited to practices that address water quality, such as filter strips and grass waterways, and practices that restore native ecosystems or target specific resource concerns.
Continuous CRP participants voluntarily offer environmentally sensitive lands, typically smaller parcels than offered through General CRP including wetlands, riparian buffers, and varying wildlife habitats. In return, they receive annual rental payments and cost-share assistance to establish long-term, resource-conserving vegetative cover.
CRP is USDA’s flagship conservation program, providing financial and technical support to agricultural producers and landowners who place unproductive or marginal cropland under contract for 10-15 years and who agree to voluntarily convert the land to beneficial vegetative cover to improve water quality, prevent soil erosion and support wildlife habitat. The Continuing Appropriations, Agriculture, Legislative Branch, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Extensions Act, 2026, extends FSA’s authority to administer CRP through Sept. 30, 2026.
Farmer Bridge Assistance
April 17, 2026, is the deadline to submit completed FBA applications. Pre-filled applications are available online to producers with a Login.gov account who timely filed their 2025 crop acreage report for eligible commodities. Producers who have a Login.gov account can access and submit their pre-filled application from fsa.usda.gov/fba. Additionally, producers can also request their pre-filled FBA application from their FSA county office.
General CRP Signup 66
General CRP offers must be submitted by April 17, 2026.
General CRP offers are submitted through a competitive bid process. USDA is close to the 27-million-acre statutory cap with 1.9 million acres available for all CRP enrollments this fiscal year, making enrollment competitive. USDA is focused on accepting the acres that can best deliver real, lasting benefits to soil, water and wildlife.
After the enrollment period closes, General CRP offers are ranked and scored by FSA, using nationally established environmental benefits criteria. USDA will announce accepted offers once ranking and scoring for all offers is completed. In addition to annual rental payments, approved General CRP participants may also be eligible for cost-share assistance to establish long-term, resource-conserving vegetative cover.
Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers
As a reminder, FSA has reopened the 2025 crop acreage reporting period required for specialty crop producers who want to apply for the Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers (ASCF) program. Specialty crop producers now have until April 24, 2026, to report 2025 acres to FSA. Announced by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins on Feb. 13, the ASCF program is designed to help address market disruptions, elevated input costs, persistent inflation, and market losses from foreign competitors engaging in unfair trade practices that impede exports.
To meet upcoming program deadlines, producers should contact their local FSA county office to make an appointment for assistance.
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The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) is reopening the 2025 crop acreage reporting period required for specialty crop producers who want to apply for the Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers (ASCF) program. The ASCF program is designed to help address market disruptions, elevated input costs, persistent inflation, and market losses from foreign competitors engaging in unfair trade practices that impede exports. Specialty crop producers now have until April 24, 2026, to report 2025 acres to FSA.
Eligible Specialty Crops
ASCF-eligible specialty crops include: (A) Almond, Apple, Apricot, Aronia berry, Artichoke, Asparagus, Avocado (B) Banana, Bean (Snap or green; Lima; Dry edible), Beet (Table), Blackberry, Blueberry, Breadfruit, Broccoli (including Broccoli Raab), Brussels Sprouts (C) Cabbage (including Chinese), Cacao, Carrot, Cashew, Cauliflower, Celeriac, Celery, Cherimoya, Cherry, Chestnut (for Nuts), Chive, Citrus, Coconut, Coffee, Collards (including Kale), Cranberry, Cucumber, Currant (D) Date, (E) Eggplant, Endive (F) Feijou, Fig, Filbert (Hazelnut) (G) Garlic, Gooseberry, Grape (including Raisin), Guava (H) Horseradish (K) Kiwi, Kohlrabi (L) Leek, Lettuce, Litchi (M) Macadamia, Mango, Melon (All Types), Mushroom (Cultivated), Mustard and Other Greens (N) Nectarine (O) Okra, Olive, Onion, (P) Papaya, Parsley, Parsnip, Passion Fruit, Pea (Garden; English or Edible Pod; Dry edible), Peach, Pear, Pecan, Pepper, Persimmon, Pineapple, Pistachio, Plum (including Prune), Pomegranate, Potato, Pumpkin (Q) Quince (R) Radish (All Types), Raspberry, Rhubarb, Rutabaga (S) Salsify, Spinach, Squash (Summer and Winter), Strawberry, Suriname Cherry, Sweet Corn, Sweet Potato, Swiss Chard (T) Taro, Tomato (including Tomatillo), Turnip (W) Walnut, Watermelon.
*Dry edible beans and peas covered by the Farmer Bridge Assistance program will not be eligible for ASCF. Commodities covered by FBA will not be eligible for ASCF.
Program Participation
ASCF payments are based on reported 2025 planted acres. Eligible farmers should ensure their 2025 acreage reporting is factual and accurate by Friday, April 24, 2026. USDA will release commodity-specific payment rates soon after the acreage reporting deadline.
Following completion of acreage reporting, producers are encouraged to prepare for the eventual announcement of the ASCF program application period by creating a Login.gov account. Doing so ensures that once FSA starts taking ASCF program applications, those producers who wish to apply online will experience an expedited application and payment process. Assistance will also be available through local FSA county offices.
Login.gov is the public’s one account for government engagement. Producers can use one account and password for secure, private access to participating government agencies, including FSA. Begin the Login.gov process by visiting fsa.usda.gov/fba to create a Login.gov account. Producers who have an existing Login.gov account can work with FSA using their existing account. For assistance creating a login.gov account, visit https://login.gov/help/.
Crop insurance linkage will not be required for the ASCF program. However, USDA strongly urges producers to take advantage of the new One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) risk management tools to best protect against price risk and volatility in the future.
More information on ASCF is available online at www.fsa.usda.gov/fba. Producers can contact their local FSA county office to make an appointment to complete their 2025 crop acreage report.
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FSA is cleaning up our producer record database and needs your help. Please report any changes of address, zip code, phone number, email address or an incorrect name or business name on file to our office. You should also report changes in your farm operation, like the addition of a farm by lease or purchase. You should also report any changes to your operation in which you reorganize to form a Trust, LLC or other legal entity.
FSA and NRCS program participants are required to promptly report changes in their farming operation to the County Committee in writing and to update their Farm Operating Plan on form CCC-902. To update your records, contact your local County USDA Service Center.
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During the last two years of your Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) contract, expiring CRP acreage may be offered through the Transition Incentives Program (TIP).
If you do not plan to re-enroll your CRP acres that expire in 2026 or 2027, TIP may provide up to two additional annual rental payments after the contract expires, if the landowner sells or rents the land to a beginning or veteran farmer or rancher. New landowners or renters must use sustainable grazing or farming methods as they return the land to production. TIP provides an opportunity to support beginning or veteran farmers and ranchers while maintaining conservation benefits.
The deadline to submit a TIP offer is Aug. 14, 2026.
For more information or to submit a TIP offer, please contact your local FSA office or visit the TIP webpage.
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There are options for Farm Service Agency (FSA) 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 your options.
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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.
For more information, contact your local County USDA Service Center or visit fsa.usda.gov.
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As producers look ahead to spring planting, soil scientists and conservationists are revisiting a persistent challenge across midwestern cropland: soil crusting. This issue is often overlooked until emergent problems appear, which have significant implications for crop performance, input costs, and long-term soil health.
Soil crusting occurs when bare soil is left unprotected from raindrop impact. Without residue on the surface, rainfall breaks apart soil aggregates. Once the surface dries, it hardens into a crust. These crusts can crack unpredictably and create serious emergence barriers, particularly for crops like soybeans, whose delicate root architecture makes them vulnerable. For many growers, crusting can mean replanting, which is an expense that not only impacts the bottom line but can also influence crop insurance payouts and taxpayer-funded program costs.
While spring is often when crusting issues become visible, the solutions begin much earlier. Conservation agronomists emphasize that residue cover, improved soil structure, and reduced disturbance are key to preventing crusting before it starts. These strategies also contribute to compaction mitigation, which affects yield in row-crop systems. Compacted soil limits water infiltration, reduces root growth, and increases runoff, often resulting in yield losses. State agronomist Marcia Deneke said, “Implementing conservation practices which improve soil health provides many agronomic benefits, which ultimately support greater profitability.”
Research from long-term no-till studies underscores the wider benefits of maintaining soil cover. According to findings summarized from work by a retired United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) employee, Dr. Randy Anderson, no-till systems not only help reduce crusting but also support major reductions in weed seed emergence over time. In one multi-year comparison, no-till plots showed an eightfold reduction in weed seedling emergence by the third year. Additional crop rotation diversity, especially by incorporating cool season crops like oats or winter wheat, further disrupts weed life cycles.
These insights reinforce a broader message gaining traction across the agricultural community: no single practice is enough on its own. No-till is a critical component, but its success depends on the integration of residue management, rotational diversity, and soil-building practices like cover crops or deeper-rooted crop species.
Producers have several effective options to reduce soil crusting and improve resilience:
- Maintain residue cover to protect soil aggregates. • Utilize no-till to minimize disturbance and enhance natural structure. • Integrate cover crops or organic amendments like manure or compost to promote biological activity. • Implement controlled traffic to avoid compaction, especially in wet field conditions. • Monitor soil conditions and emergence rates to catch issues early.
The economic and agronomic benefits are clear: healthier soils improve crop emergence, water use efficiency, and long-term gains in productivity and profitability. As this spring progresses, experts encourage producers to look beyond immediate field conditions and consider how their management choices today influence soil performance for seasons to come.
Further Reading:
For a deeper dive on Dr. Anderson’s thoughts on soil regeneration, see The Spiral of Soil Regeneration: How Small Changes Boost Profit and Soil Health by Growing Resilience Through Our Soils with Soil Health Labs: https://www.growingresiliencesd.com/post/the-spiral-of-soil-regeneration-how-small-changes-boost-profit-and-soil-health
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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. Sales closing dates vary by crop and location, but the next major sales closing dates are May 1, May 15, July 15 and July 31.
Producers are encouraged to visit their crop insurance agent soon to learn specific details for the 2027 crop year. Crop insurance coverage decisions must be made on or before the applicable sales closing date.
The USDA’s Risk Management Agency 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.
RMA secures the future of agriculture by providing world class risk management tools to rural America through Federal crop insurance and risk management education programs. RMA provides policies for more than 130 crops and is constantly working to adjust and create new policies based on producer needs and feedback. 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.
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April 21, 2026 - SD NRCS will host State Technical Committee Meeting, from 9 a.m. CDT until noon at the Capitol Lake Visitors Center, 650 East Capitol Avenue, Pierre, SD. You also may join virtually or by phone. Meetings are open to the public. For more information or to request a special accommodation, contact the NRCS State Office by sending an email to sm.fpac.nrcs.sd.partnerships@usda.gov, or call the NRCS SD State Office during regular business hours at (605) 352-1200. Individuals needing special accommodation should contact the NRCS SD State Office one week in advance of the meeting date.
April 21, 2026 - USDA Beginning Farmer and Rancher Veterans Webinar Series - Day 1. 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM CDT Register here.
Persons with disabilities who require accommodations should contact Janet Wright at 352-379-4518 or janet.wright@usda.gov by April 17, 2026, or dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunication relay services.
April 22, 2026 - USDA Beginning Farmer and Rancher Veterans Webinar Series - Day 2. 1:00 PM - 3:30 PM CDT Register here.
Persons with disabilities who require accommodations should contact Janet Wright at 352-379-4518 or janet.wright@usda.gov by April 17, 2026, or dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunication relay services.
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USDA in South Dakota
200 4th Street SW
Huron, SD 57350
FSA Phone: (605) 352-1160
NRCS Phone: (605) 352-1200
RMA Phone: (406) 651-8450
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South Dakota Farm Service Agency
South Dakota Natural Resources Conservation Service
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Farm Service Agency
State Executive Director:
Roger Chase
Deputy State Executive Director:
Ryan Vanden Berge
Administrative Officer:
Theresa Hoadley
Program Managers:
Owen Fagerhaug - Conservation
Logan Kopfmann - Disaster Relief
Donita Garry - Program Delivery
Bridget Weber - Farm Loan Program
South Dakota State Committee:
Mark Gross | Chair
Chance Davis | Member
Douglas Noem | Member
Betsy Pravecek | Member
Brian Top | Member
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Natural Resources Conservation
Service
Acting State Conservationist:
Jessica Michalski
Assistant State Conservationists:
Jessica Michalski - Ecological Sciences
James Reedy - Engineering
Nathan Jones - Soils
Val Dupraz - Programs
Colette Kessler - Partnerships
Deke Hobbick - Compliance
Denise Gauer - Management & Strategy
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