USDA Montana Newsletter - May 2026
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.
May 31, 2026: Deadline to apply for Marketing Assistance Loans (MAL) and Loan Deficiency Payments (LDP) for corn, cotton, dry peas, grain sorghum, lentils, mustard seed, rice, safflower seed, chickpeas, soybeans sunflower seed
June 2, 2026: Acreage Reporting Date for Nursery Crops for the ensuing crop year.
June 19, 2025: Office Closure for Federal Holiday: Juneteenth
July 3, 2026: Office closure for Federal Holiday: Independence Day
July 15, 2026: The Acreage Reporting Date for Spring Alfalfa Seed, all other spring seeded crops, Perennial Forage, Hemp, and Grazing acreage are 15 days before the onset of harvest or grazing, or July 15, whichever is earlier. CRP acres must also be reported by July 15th, before annual rental payments can be issued.
Aug. 3, 2026: Deadline to request a farm reconstitution or farm transfer for 2026.
Aug. 12, 2026: Deadline to apply for Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (SDRP) Stage 1 and Stage 2
Sept. 7, 2026: Office Closure for Federal Holiday: Labor Day
Sept. 2, 2026: NAP application closing date for fall and spring seeded Canola and all Value Loss Crops.
September 30, 2026: Acreage Reporting Date for Value-loss and controlled environment crops (except nursery).
Sept. 30, 2026: NAP application closing date for all annual & perennial grass & mixed forage, 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.
*Note:
- The Acreage Reporting Date for your NAP covered crops is the earlier ofthe 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.
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I’m pleased to report that the Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) program has been a great success with over $243 million being distributed to Montana producers. Login.gov benefited FBA applicants, and its usage will hopefully grow.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is maximizing disaster assistance support for producers by issuing a second Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (SDRP) payment to eligible producers who have approved program applications for losses due to natural disasters in calendar years 2023 and 2024. Here in Montana, we continue to work hard on processing applications. Payment distribution continues to progress with over $245 million in SDRP Stage 1 payments and approaching $30 million in SDRP Stage 2 payments to eligible producers. Additionally, USDA has extended the program deadline to give producers and FSA more time to address any program application changes that could impact payments. The original April 30 deadline has been extended to Aug. 12, 2026, for SDRP Stage 1 and Stage 2.
Earlier this year, we had given specialty crop producers, who want to apply for the Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers (ASCF) program, an opportunity to complete their 2025 crop acreage reporting. Specialty crop producers had until April 24, 2026, to report 2025 acres to FSA. With the acreage reporting deadline behind us, producers are now encouraged to prepare for the eventual announcement of the ASCF program application period by creating a Login.gov account. Doing so ensures that once we start taking ASCF program applications, producers who wish to apply online will experience an expedited application and payment process. Assistance will also be available through local FSA county offices.
I spent the first full week in May in Washington, D.C. serving on a national task force with nine of my colleagues from across the country developing proposals for modernizing and simplifying FSA by increasing and improving flexibility, training, communications, and other areas of focus. With a big push from FSA Administrator Bill Beam, I am excited about the positive changes that are coming.
Now that the hiring freeze has been lifted, we are very appreciative to be hiring for high priority positions across Montana. Filling vacancies is important and it reaffirms our commitment to continue to provide great customer service to producers in Montana.
Mike Foster
State Executive Director, Montana FSA
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that agricultural producers and private landowners can enroll in the Grassland Conservation Reserve Program (Grassland CRP) May 4, 2026, through May 29, 2026. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) administers Grassland CRP, a voluntary working lands conservation program that enables participants to conserve grasslands while also continuing most grazing and haying practices.
Grassland CRP emphasizes support for grazing operations, plant and animal biodiversity, and grasslands and land with shrubs and forbs under the greatest threat of conversion.
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.
Currently, more than 26.2 million acres are enrolled in CRP, with nearly 10.3 million acres in Grassland CRP. FSA recently closed the enrollment period for General CRP and Continuous CRP. FSA is reviewing submitted offers and will announce accepted offers at a later date. Due to the 27-million-acre statutory cap, only 1.9 million acres are available for all CRP enrollment this fiscal year.
Producers and landowners interested in participating in CRP should contact their local FSA county office before the May 29 deadline.
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USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) reminds you to report prevented planted and failed acres in order to establish or retain FSA program eligibility for some programs.
You should report crop acreage you intended to plant, but due to natural disaster, were prevented from planting. Prevented planting acreage must be reported on form CCC-576, Notice of Loss, no later than 15 calendar days after the final planting date as established by FSA and the Risk Management Agency (RMA).
Contact your local USDA Service Center for final planting dates.
Additionally, if you have failed acres, you should also use form CCC-576, Notice of Loss, to report failed acres.
For hand-harvested crops and certain perishables, you must notify FSA of damage or loss through the administrative county office within 72 hours of the date of damage or loss first becomes apparent. This notification can be provided by filing a CCC-576, email, fax or phone. If you notify the County Office by any method other than by filing the CCC-576, you are still required to file a CCC-576, Notice of Loss, within the required 15 calendar days.
For losses on crops covered by the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP), you must file a Notice of Loss within 15 days of the occurrence of the disaster or when losses become apparent. You must timely file a Notice of Loss for failed acres on all crops including grasses.
To file a Notice of Loss, contact your local USDA Service Center or visit www.fsa.usda.gov.
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The Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) Farm Storage Facility Loan (FSFL) program provides low-interest financing to help you build or upgrade storage facilities and to purchase portable (new or used) structures, equipment and storage and handling trucks.
Eligible commodities include corn, grain sorghum, rice, soybeans, oats, peanuts, wheat, barley, minor oilseeds harvested as whole grain, pulse crops (lentils, chickpeas and dry peas), hay, honey, renewable biomass, fruits, nuts and vegetables for cold storage facilities, controlled atmosphere storage, floriculture, hops, malted small grains, maple sap, maple syrup, rye, milk, cheese, butter, yogurt, meat and poultry (unprocessed), eggs, and aquaculture (excluding systems that maintain live animals through uptake and discharge of water). Qualified facilities include grain bins, hay barns and cold storage facilities for eligible commodities.
Loans up to $50,000 can be secured by a promissory note/security agreement, loans between $50,000 and $100,000 may require additional security, and loans exceeding $100,000 require additional security.
You do not need to demonstrate the lack of commercial credit availability to apply. The loans are designed to assist a diverse range of farming operations, including small and mid-sized businesses, new farmers, operations supplying local food and farmers markets, non-traditional farm products, and underserved producers.
For more information, contact your local USDA Service Center or visit fsa.usda.gov/pricesupport.
The Farm Service Agency (FSA) has noticed a rise in fraudulent scams that target FSA farm loan customers by obtaining publicly available information about your FSA Farm Program participation or Farm Loan information. These unauthorized contacts are made through email, text messages, phone calls, or social media to gain your personal information so the scammer can access your bank account or gain additional personal information.
Signs of a Scam:
- Emails or messages urging immediate action or requesting personal details.
- Unexpected attachments or links in emails from unknown sources.
- Calls or texts claiming to be from FSA requesting passwords, PINs, Social Security numbers, or credit card information.
- Offers that seem too good to be true, particularly investment or debt relief schemes.
- Messages from unfamiliar social media accounts or door-to-door solicitations related to banking.
How to Protect Yourself:
- Always verify communications are coming from official sources. If you have concerns about a contact being genuine, please reach out to your local FSA Service Center directly.
- Do not click on links or download attachments from suspicious emails or texts.
- Use strong, unique passwords and enable two-factor authentication when available.
- Report suspicious activity to FSA immediately and, if applicable, submit a report to the U.S. General Services Administration here.
If you have questions about your FSA accounts, including your farm loans, contact your local USDA Service Center or visit fsa.usda.gov.
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FSA and NRCS program applicants for benefits are required to submit a completed CCC-902 Farming Operation Plan and CCC-941 Average Gross Income (AGI) Certification and Consent to Disclosure of Tax Information for FSA to determine the applicant’s payment eligibility and establish the maximum payment limitation applicable to the program applicant.
Participants are not required to annually submit new CCC-902s for payment eligibility and payment limitation purposes unless a change in the farming operation occurs that may affect the previous determination of record. A valid CCC-902 filed by the participant is considered to be a continuous certification used for all payment eligibility and payment limitation determinations applicable for the program benefits requested.
Participants are responsible for ensuring that all CCC-902 and CCC-941 and related forms on file in the county office are updated, current, and correct. Participants are required to timely notify the county office of any changes in the farming operation that may affect the previous determination of record by filing a new or updated CCC-902 as applicable.
Changes that may require a new determination include, but are not limited to, a change of:
- Shares of a contract, which may reflect:
- A land lease from cash rent to share rent
- A land lease from share rent to cash rent (subject to the cash rent tenant rule
- A modification of a variable/fixed bushel-rent arrangement
- The size of the producer’s farming operation by the addition or reduction of cropland that may affect the application of a cropland factor
- The structure of the farming operation, including any change to a member's share
- The contribution of farm inputs of capital, land, equipment, active personal labor, and/or active personal management
- Farming interests not previously disclosed on CCC-902 including the farming interests of a spouse or minor child
- Certifications of average AGI are required to be filed annually for participation in an annual USDA program. For multi-year conservation contracts and NRCS easements, a certification of AGI must be filed prior to approval of the contract or easement and is applicable for the duration of the contract period.
Participants are encouraged to file or review these forms within the deadlines established for each applicable program for which program benefits are being requested.
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Farm Service Agency (FSA) loans require applicants to have a satisfactory credit history. A credit report is requested for all FSA direct farm loan applicants. These reports are reviewed to verify outstanding debts, see if bills are paid timely and to determine the impact on cash flow.
Information on your credit report is strictly confidential and is used only as an aid in conducting FSA business.
Our farm loan staff will discuss options with you if you have an unfavorable credit report and will provide a copy of your report. If you dispute the accuracy of the information on the credit report, it is up to you to contact the issuing credit report company to resolve any errors or inaccuracies.
There are multiple ways to remedy an unfavorable credit score:
- Make sure to pay bills on time
- Setting up automatic payments or automated reminders can be an effective way to remember payment due dates.
- Pay down existing debt
- Keep your credit card balances low
- Avoid suddenly opening or closing existing credit accounts
FSA’s farm loan staff will guide you through the process, which may require you to reapply for a loan after improving or correcting your credit report.
For more information on FSA farm loan programs, contact your local USDA Service Center or visit fsa.usda.gov.
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Farm Service Agency (FSA) farm loans are considered progression lending. Unlike loans from a commercial lender, FSA loans are intended to be temporary in nature. Our goal is to help you graduate to commercial credit, and our farm loan staff is available to help borrowers through training and credit counseling.
The FSA team will help borrowers identify their goals to ensure financial success. FSA staff will advise borrowers on developing strategies and a plan to meet your goals and graduate to commercial credit. FSA borrowers are responsible for the success of their farming operation, but FSA staff will help in an advisory role, providing the tools necessary to help you achieve your operational goals and manage your finances.
For more information on FSA farm loan programs, contact your local USDA Service Center or visit fsa.usda.gov.
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The NRCS is committed to placing our farmers first by gathering field-based input on the applicability of conservation practices. This is an informal opportunity for you to share your individual insights. Discussion topics may include new technologies and equipment we should incorporate, how national standards are modified for local conditions, and how specific practices impact your bottom line. Help us ensure the technical assistance we deliver is relevant, flexible, and truly addresses the resource concerns affecting your operations.
Access the survey.
See Conservation Practice Standards offered in Montana for reference.
Your input helps us:
- Improve Conservation Practice Standards development
- Provide effective technical assistance
- Support sustainable land management
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USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) is upgrading the source for rainfall data used in several Federal crop insurance programs, moving from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center (CPC) to the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI). RMA will begin this transition with the Tropical Storm Option on the Hurricane Insurance Protection - Wind Index program on April 30, 2026.
This change will also affect Pasture, Rangeland, Forage (PRF); Annual Forage (AF); Apiculture; and Shellfish insurance programs that use precipitation data to calculate coverage and indemnities. PRF, Apiculture, and Shellfish will transition on August 31, 2026, with AF following on April 30, 2027. RMA will release corresponding producer tools and resources at each contract change date to help explain the new dataset. Producers should work with their crop insurance agent to review impacts on their coverage.
The geographic grids used to measure rainfall and overall structure of the programs will remain the same. Keeping the grids in place helps minimize impacts to producers. With this upgrade, RMA anticipates that final grid index values and indemnity payments will be delivered faster. Historical data shows that overall loss ratios remain nearly identical under the new data source.
Producers and agents have raised concerns about the current data source. The transition to using NCEI data addresses those concerns in three key ways:
- It’s easy to access. NCEI data is available in formats like Microsoft Excel that anyone can open and read. The current CPC data is in a technical format that requires special software to view.
- Potential for data enhancements. RMA is working with NCEI and state climatologists to review options on expanding the number of weather stations used in the data over time which was previously not an option with CPC.
- It comes with better support. RMA has a formal agreement with NCEI that includes dedicated staff to respond to RMA questions, a consistent data release schedule, and a pathway to add more weather stations over time. This supports faster, more predictable indemnity payments.
Contact a crop insurance agent to see how Federal crop insurance can meet the specific needs of your operation. 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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NASS will be conducting the June Agricultural Survey the first two weeks of June, collecting data on crop acres planted and acres to be harvested, including acreage for biotech crops, grain stocks, and the value of sales. Data from this survey will be published on June 30th in the Acreage report and the Grain Stocks report.
The Montana Wheat and Barley Varieties survey was mailed in mid-May and data collection will continue into early July. This survey is funded and produced for the Montana Wheat and Barley Committee.
Thank you to Montana farmers and ranchers for taking 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
State Committee:
Carl Raabe Mattson | Chair
Gene Raymond Curry | Member
Brian Dale Eggebrecht | Member
Constance Ione Iversen | Member
Chaley Harney | Member
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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
State Conservationist:
GAYLE BARRY
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USDA Risk Management Agency-Billings Regional Office
Phone: 406-657-6447
Fax: 406-657-6573
Email: RSOMT@usda.gov
Web:www.rma.usda.gov/rmalocal/montana
Regional Director:
JEREMY NOT AFRAID
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