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Nevada June USDA Newsletter 

In This Issue:

• Keeping Livestock Inventory Records
• USDA Offers Drought Impacted Nevada Farmers and Ranchers Immediate Disaster Assistance
• Notice of Funding for USDA Conservation Innovation Grants
• Submit Loan Requests for Financing Early
• USDA Offers Wildfire Recovery Assistance
• USDA Announces Colton L. Buckley as Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service
• Creating a Farmers.gov Account Makes Receiving USDA Assistance Easy, Efficient
• Progression Lending from FSA
• NRCS seeking input on Conservation Practice Standards by July 6

Keeping Livestock Inventory Records

Livestock inventory records are necessary in the event of a natural disaster, so remember to keep them updated.

When disasters strike, the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) can help you if you’ve suffered excessive livestock death losses and grazing or feed losses due to eligible natural disasters.

For 2026 losses through the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) and Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-raised Fish Program (ELAP), you must file a notice of loss, provide the following supporting documentation, and application for payment to your local FSA office by March 1, 2027.

You should record all pertinent information regarding livestock inventory records including:

• Documentation of the number, kind, type, and weight range of livestock
• Beginning inventory supported by birth recordings or purchase receipts.

For more information on documentation requirements, contact your County USDA Service Center or visit fsa.usda.gov.

USDA Offers Drought Impacted Nevada Farmers and Ranchers Immediate Disaster Assistance

USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) offers disaster assistance and low-interest loan programs to assist you in your recovery efforts following drought. Available programs and loans include: 

• Non-Insured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) - provides financial assistance to producers of non-insurable crops when low yields, loss of inventory, or prevented planting occur due to natural disasters including qualifying drought (includes native grass for grazing).  
  
  
• Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) – provides compensation to eligible livestock producers who suffered grazing losses for covered livestock due to drought on privately owned or cash leased land  
  
  
• Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) - offers payments to eligible producers for livestock death losses in excess of normal mortality due to adverse weather. Drought is not an eligible adverse weather event, except when associated with anthrax, a condition that occurs because of drought and directly results in the death of eligible livestock.   
  
  
• Tree Assistance Program (TAP) – provides assistance to eligible orchardists and nursery tree growers for qualifying tree, shrub and vine losses due to natural disasters including excessive wind and qualifying drought.  
  
  
• Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP) - provides emergency relief for losses due to feed or water shortages, disease, adverse weather, or other conditions, which are not adequately addressed by other disaster programs.  
  
  
• Emergency Loan Program – available to producers with agriculture operations located in a county under a primary or contiguous Secretarial Disaster designation. These low interest loans help producers recover from production and physical losses. 
  
  
• Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) - provides emergency funding for farmers and ranchers to implement emergency water conservation measures including water systems for livestock and existing irrigation systems for orchards and vineyards.  
  
  
• Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP) - provides landowners and nonindustrial private forest (NIPF) stewards with financial assistance to restore damaged NIPF acres.

To establish or retain FSA program eligibility, you must report prevented planting and failed acres (crops and grasses). Prevented planting acreage must be reported on form FSA-576, Notice of Loss, no later than 15 calendar days after the final planting date as established by FSA and Risk Management Agency (RMA).  

For more information on these programs, contact your local County USDA Service Center or visit fsa.usda.gov/disaster. 

Notice of Funding for USDA Conservation Innovation Grants

USDA announced the availability of $65 million in funding this year for new tools, approaches, practices and technologies to further natural resource conservation on private lands through the Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) program.

For fiscal 2026, NRCS is investing $50 million for CIG On-Farm Trials and $15 million for CIG Classic.

This year’s priorities for CIG On-Farm Trials are:

• Irrigation water management technologies;
• Nutrient management;
• Grazing lands; and
• Soil health demonstration trials.

This year’s priorities for CIG Classic are:

• Water management;
• Conserving ecosystems by managing pest pressure;
• Soil;
• Habitat improvement; and
• Farmer-focused conservation outcomes.

For more information go to https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs-initiatives/conservation-innovation-grants/news/thanks-to-working-families-tax-cuts-act

Submit Loan Requests for Financing Early

The Farm Loan team in Elko County is already working on operating loans for spring 2026 and asks potential borrowers to submit their requests early so they can be timely processed. The farm loan team can help determine which loan programs are best for applicants. 

FSA offers a wide range of low-interest loans that can meet the financial needs of any farm operation for just about any purpose. The traditional farm operating and farm ownership loans can help large and small farm operations take advantage of early purchasing discounts for spring inputs as well expenses throughout the year. 

Microloans are a simplified loan program that will provide up to $50,000 for both Farm Ownership and Operating Microloans to eligible applicants. These loans, targeted for smaller and non-traditional operations, can be used for operating expenses, starting a new operation, purchasing equipment, and other needs associated with a farming operation.  Loans to beginning farmers and members of underserved groups are a priority.

Other types of loans available include:

Marketing Assistance Loans allow producers to use eligible commodities as loan collateral and obtain a 9-month loan while the crop is in storage. These loans provide cash flow to the producer and allow them to market the crop when prices may be more advantageous.  

Farm Storage Facility Loans can be used to build permanent structures used to store eligible commodities, for storage and handling trucks, or portable or permanent handling equipment. A variety of structures are eligible under this loan, including bunker silos, grain bins, hay storage structures, and refrigerated structures for vegetables and fruit. A producer may borrow up to $500,000 per loan. 

USDA Offers Wildfire Recovery Assistance

USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) offers disaster assistance and low-interest loan programs to assist you in your recovery efforts following wildfires or other qualifying natural disasters.

Available programs and loans include:

• Non-Insured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) - provides financial assistance to producers of non-insurable crops when low yields, loss of inventory, or prevented planting occur due to natural disasters including excessive wind and qualifying drought (includes native grass for grazing).
• Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) - offers payments to eligible producers for livestock death losses in excess of normal mortality due to adverse weather.
• Tree Assistance Program (TAP) – provides assistance to eligible orchardists and nursery tree growers for qualifying tree, shrub and vine losses due to natural disasters including excessive wind and qualifying drought.
• Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP) - provides emergency relief for losses due to feed or water shortages, disease, adverse weather, or other conditions, which are not adequately addressed by other disaster programs.
• Emergency Loan Program – available to producers with agriculture operations located in a county under a primary or contiguous Presidential or Secretarial disaster designation. These low interest loans help producers recover from production and physical losses.
• Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) - provides emergency funding for farmers and ranchers to rehabilitate land severely damaged by natural disasters; includes fence loss.

For more information on these programs, contact your County USDA Service Center or visit fsa.usda.gov/disaster

USDA Announces Colton L. Buckley as Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the appointment of Colton L. Buckley as Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the nation’s primary private lands conservation agency. Buckley, who currently serves as Associate Chief of NRCS, brings extensive leadership experience in conservation and agriculture policy to the role.  

As Associate Chief, he has overseen the agency’s financial and technical assistance programs, management and strategy, science and technology, soil science and resource assessment deputy areas, and partnerships division. Previously, he served as Chief of Staff for NRCS and as Chief Executive Officer of the National Association of Resource Conservation and Development Councils. 

Raised on his grandparents’ cattle ranch outside Gatesville, Texas, Buckley has deep roots in production agriculture, and advocacy for practical, producer-led conservation solutions. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Services and Development from Tarleton State University and a Master of Arts in Communication from Liberty University. His career includes roles at national and local conservation organizations, rural economic development entities, and service on multiple advisory boards—including the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents, to which he was appointed by Governor Rick Perry. 

Creating a Farmers.gov Account Makes Receiving USDA Assistance Easy, Efficient

Are you interested in working with USDA to start or grow your farm, ranch, or private forest operation, but don’t know where to start? 

Whether you’re looking to access capital or disaster assistance through USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) or address natural resource concerns on your land with assistance from USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), a great place to start is farmers.gov.

Farmers.gov is a one-stop shop for information about the assistance available from FSA and NRCS. The site also offers many easy-to-use tools for farmers, ranchers, and private forestland owners, whether you are reaching out for the first time or are a long-term customer with a years-long relationship with USDA.

With a farmers.gov account you can:

• Complete an AD-2047, Customer Data Worksheet, prior to your first meeting with FSA and NRCS.
• View farm loan payments history from FSA.
• View cost share assistance received and anticipated from NRCS conservation programs.
• Request conservation assistance from NRCS as well as view and track your conservation plans, practices, and contracts.
• View, print, and export detailed farm records and farm/tract maps for the current year, which are particularly useful when fulfilling acreage reporting requirements.
• Print FSA-156 EZ, Abbreviated Farm Record and your Producer Farm Data Report for the current year.
• Pay FSA debt using the “Make an FSA Payment” feature
• Apply for a farm loan online, view information on your existing loans, and make USDA direct farm loan payments using the Pay My Loan feature.

Learn how to create a farmers.gov account today!

Progression Lending from FSA

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 County USDA Service Center or visit fsa.usda.gov

NRCS seeking input on Conservation Practice Standards by July 6

NRCS seeking input on Conservation Practice Standards by July 6

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is seeking public comments on revising 32 conservation practice standards (CPS) in the National Handbook of Conservation Practices (NHCP). Comments are due July 6, 2026.

The full list of practices and information on how to submit comments are located in the Federal Register Notice (Docket #: NRCS-2026-0034).

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/06/05/2026-11327/proposed-revisions-to-the-national-handbook-of-conservation-practices

FSA/NRCS Contacts

Nevada State Office 

300 Booth Street, Suite 2081 Reno, NV 89509
775-857-8500

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