Nebraska FSA and NRCS State Office
Electronic Newsletter - April 27, 2026
In This Issue:
I try not to open my monthly message on a down note, but I can’t ignore the fact that the extremely dry conditions in a vast majority of the state is a main topic of conversation as I visit with producers. That, coupled with the impacts of major wildfires in western and central Nebraska, is creating stress for our farmers and ranchers as we begin the production season.
Nebraska FSA will do all that we can to assist you through the various programs available to help you recover from these disasters.
We expect a great deal of activity through the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP), which helps address the impacts of drought for producers who have both grazing livestock and grazing land. LFP already has triggered for small grains production in some counties (the program uses the U.S. Drought Monitor as the trigger). LFP also will likely trigger for pasture in many counties on May 1 which, for FSA program purposes, is the start of the Nebraska grazing season. You can review the status of LFP on a county-by-county basis at this link. Those who are interested in applying for LFP should read the articles below regarding LFP and leases, and LFP and acreage certification, and then contact your county office for more information.
Nebraska FSA has partnered with Nebraska Extension and Nebraska Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) over the past few weeks to conduct in-person meetings about resources available to producers who have been impacted by wildfires this spring. I have attended each meeting, and it has been both heart-wrenching and impactful to visit with so many of you regarding these disasters. Please know we are working hard to deliver the resources you need to recover. You can find links to information on available assistance at fsa.usda.gov/ne under the Spotlights section including a link to a recorded webinar highlighting key FSA and NRCS response programs. You'll also note below that we opened an application period for the Emergency Conservation Program in several wildfire-impacted counties. Contact your FSA county office for additional information as each ranch and farm will have different recovery needs.
As I close this month’s column, I want to take a moment to acknowledge the hard work of our FSA team across the state. In addition to addressing drought and wildfire response in many offices, staff also recently completed Farmer Bridge Assistance program work and a General Conservation Reserve Program signup. They now will be turning their attention to one of our biggest annual tasks, spring acreage certification. On the farm loan side, our staff is completing a busy and challenging spring loan renewal season. Our Nebraska FSA employees work extremely hard day in and day out to assist farmers and ranchers across the state. My heartfelt thanks to each and every one of them for their dedication.
Best wishes as you go about your spring chores. Take a moment to smell the earth or marvel at a new baby calf. It’s the best therapy.
Farm Service Agency (FSA) reminds producers that annual acreage reporting is an important eligibility requirement to receive financial benefits through the Livestock Forage Disaster Assistance Program (LFP), as well as several other FSA-administered programs.
The next deadline for annual acreage reporting in Nebraska is July 15, 2026. This includes common spring-planted crops, such as corn, soybeans, wheat, and grain sorghum, but also includes perennial grass (pasture) and Conservation Reserve Program acres.
Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) policy holders should note that the acreage reporting date for NAP-covered crops is July 15, 2026, or 15 calendar days before grazing or harvesting of the crop begins.
Even though the acreage reporting deadline is months away, we are encouraging producers with pasture acres and acres planted for grazing purposes to complete certification of those acres as soon as possible to assist us with preparations for potential LFP implementation.
LFP provides financial assistance to livestock producers and contract growers who also are producers of grazed forage crop acres (native and improved pasture and crops planted specifically for grazing purposes) and who have suffered a loss due to a qualifying drought during the grazing season. Other points regarding LFP and acreage certification:
- Producers must have a risk in the pasture or hay crop acres in order to complete the acreage certification process.
- If a producer applies for LFP they must be able to support their application with either a written lease or an Annual Lease Certification (CCC-855).
- Producers who previously have certified grazing land through a continuous certification may want to contact the county FSA office to ensure that certification remains in place and reflects 2026 producers and shares.
Producers can contact their county FSA office for additional information.
Farm Service Agency is reminding livestock producers who lease or sublease grazing land that written or verbal lease agreements are an important requirement to establish or maintain eligibility for program benefits. This includes financial support available through the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP).
LFP triggers for livestock producer assistance based on qualifying drought conditions, on a county by county basis, during the grazing season. An LFP qualifying drought is determined by using the U.S. Drought Monitor, which is published weekly. The grazing season in Nebraska, for FSA program purposes, begins on May 1 and runs through Oct. 31.
Livestock producers who are leasing or subleasing grazing land, and who want to maintain eligibility for LFP, should ensure they have their lease or sublease, either written or verbal, in place prior to LFP triggering in the county or counties where they graze their livestock. Due to current U.S. Drought Monitor conditions, LFP could trigger in Nebraska as soon as May 1.
Producers are reminded that some leases contain language that prohibit subleasing without the lessor’s prior written consent. In such cases, producers without a timely-approved subleasing agreement may not be eligible for program benefits on those acres. Additionally, verbal agreements must be supported by submitting a CCC-855, Annual Lease Agreement Certification Statement as required supporting documentation.
Producers with questions regarding LFP eligibility should contact the county FSA office.
Farm Service Agency (FSA) began accepting applications on Monday, April 27, for the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) in several Nebraska counties impacted by March wildfires.
ECP has been authorized for implementation in these counties to address damages from these wildfires:
Morrill Fire: Arthur, Garden, Grant, Keith and Morrill
Cottonwood Fire: Dawson and Lincoln
Road 203 Fire: Blaine, Thomas
Anderson Bridge Fire: Cherry
Ashby and Minor Fires: Grant, Garden
ECP provides cost-share and technical assistance to producers to restore farm and ranch land to pre-disaster conditions following a qualifying natural disaster. ECP signup in the above-listed counties begins on Monday, April 27, and ends on Friday, June 26, 2026.
Approved ECP applicants can receive up to 75% of the allowable cost of the approved restoration activity, with a maximum cost share of $500,000 per natural disaster event.
Approved ECP practices include:
ECP cost-share assistance can provide advance payments for up to 25% of the total allowable cost for all ECP practices before the restoration is carried out. The advance payment must be spent within 60 days.
Read the news release at this link.
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. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) has already provided $6.7 billion in SDRP payments to eligible producers. Additionally, USDA is extending 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.
Initial SDRP payments were factored at 35%, but after further analysis, USDA is increasing the payment factor to 70%, meaning producers with approved applications will receive an additional 35% of their calculated SDRP payment. Future SDRP payments will also be made using a 70% payment factor.
Read the full news release at this link.
Designation Opens Emergency Loans for Many Counties
A number of Nebraska counties have been declared either primary or contiguous county disasters due drought and heat using the Secretarial Disaster Designation process. Under this designation, if you have operations in any primary or contiguous county, you are eligible to apply for low interest emergency loans.
Emergency loans help you recover from production and physical losses due to drought, flooding and other natural disasters or quarantine.
To read more, including a listing of the designated counties, please visit this news release.
Farm Service Agency (FSA) is committed to providing our farm loan borrowers the tools necessary to be successful. FSA staff will provide guidance and counsel from the loan application process through the borrower’s graduation to commercial credit. While it is FSA’s commitment to advise borrowers as they identify goals and evaluate progress, it is crucial for borrowers to communicate with their farm loan staff when changes occur. It is the borrower’s responsibility to alert FSA to any of the following:
- Any proposed or significant changes in the farming operation
- Any significant changes to family income or expenses
- The development of problem situations
- Any losses or proposed significant changes in security
If a farm loan borrower can’t make payments to suppliers, other creditors, or FSA on time, contact your farm loan staff immediately to discuss loan servicing options.
Agricultural operations in Nebraska were significantly impacted by recent wildfires. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has technical and financial assistance available to help farmers and livestock producers recover from adverse natural disaster events.
Impacted producers should contact their local USDA Service Center to report losses and learn more about program options available to assist in their recovery from crop, land, infrastructure, and livestock losses and damages.
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is available to provide technical assistance during the recovery process through planning and implementation of conservation practices on farms, ranches and working forests impacted by natural disasters. The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) can also provide financial assistance to help producers implement conservation practices on land impacted by natural disasters. A special emergency sign-up is open for EQIP for those impacted by the wildfires across the state of Nebraska. This signup began March 25, 2026, and goes through May 31, 2026. The core conservation practices offered include: Grazing Management, Cover Crops, Fencing, Mulching, Annual Forages for Grazing Systems, and Emergency Animal Mortality Management. A ranking threshold of 10 or greater must be met for eligible applicants.
Impacted producers are encouraged to contact their local USDA Service Center for program applications and practice requirements.
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April 27, 2026 – FSA opens signup for the Emergency Conservation Program in several wildfire-impacted counties
May 1, 2026 – FSA deadline to apply for Continuous CRP for second batching period
May 25, 2026 – USDA Service Centers closed for federal holiday
May 31, 2026 - NRCS deadline for emergency sign-up for Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) for wildfire-related assistance
June 1, 2026 – 2025 Marketing Assistance Loan availability deadline for corn, dry peas, grain sorghum, lentils, mustard seed, safflower seed, chickpeas, soybeans, sunflower seed
June 26, 2026 – FSA deadline for applications for the Emergency Conservation Program in several wildfire-impacted counties
July 15, 2026 - FSA deadline to report all spring-seeded crops, perennial forage and Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres
Aug. 12, 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: 4.75%
Farm Ownership: 5.750%
Farm Ownership - Joint Financing: 3.750%
Farm Ownership - Down Payment: 1.750%
Emergency - Actual Loss: 3.75%
FARM STORAGE FACILITY LOAN
3-year term: 3.625%
5-year term: 3.750%
7-year term: 3.875%
10-year term: 4.125%
12-year term: 4.375%
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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