Nebraska FSA and NRCS State Office
Electronic Newsletter - Aug. 27, 2026
In This Issue:
There’s a certain energy that comes with late August in Nebraska. Schools are back in session, fall sports (both high school and college) are under way, and the Nebraska State Fair is just getting started. I’ve also seen quite a bit of activity on our farms and ranches during my travels. Folks are cutting silage and preparing equipment for harvest. Our livestock producers are doing some weaning of calves and, in some cases, taking an early turn into fall pastures, a consequence of the ongoing drought impact despite some recent rain.
Now that spring acreage certification is complete, many of our offices are busy with drought program implementation. The Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) provides financial support to eligible livestock producers who experience grazing losses due to qualifying drought. Many counties in Nebraska have triggered for LFP. This program can provide critical assistance to producers facing the challenge of finding additional feed resources. Contact your county office for more information on LFP and to determine whether it has triggered for your county.
As we move toward fall, many folks will soon begin hauling grain from storage in order to prepare. Please remember if the grain you are hauling is under a Farm Service Agency Marketing Assistance Loan, you must contact your county FSA office before you move it.
Our farm loan staff is busy this time of year, completing summer visits that are an important part of the overall loan process. Nebraska has one of the larger FSA loan portfolios in the nation, so these visits keep us hopping. We do enjoy stopping by to see our customers in person on their farms and ranches. Please try to have patience and flexibility with our staff if you have been contacted for this review.
That's all for August. Looking forward to seeing harvest start and cooler weather ahead. Good luck with your preparations as you dust off the combines.
--Hilary
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Aug. 31, 2026 – FSA deadline for landowners to review their base acre update allocation summary
Sept. 7, 2026 – USDA Service Centers closed for federal holiday
Sept. 30, 2026 – FSA deadline for applications to the Supplemental Disaster Relief Program, Stages 1 and 2
Sept. 30, 2026 – FSA deadline for Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) applications for coverage for rye, triticale, winter wheat in the 2027 production season
Oct. 26, 2026 – FSA deadline for applications for the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) in several wildfire-impacted counties
***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.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) is again extending the application period for the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) in several Nebraska counties impacted by March wildfires. The ECP application period opened in late April. The deadline to apply for assistance is now Monday, Oct. 26, 2026.
ECP is available to address wildfire damage in the following counties:
Morrill Fire: Arthur, Garden, Grant, Keith, Morrill
Cottonwood Fire: Dawson, 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 event.
Please note additional counties may be implementing ECP for wildfire. Check with your county FSA office for information and application deadlines.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is extending the deadline for farmers to apply for Stages 1 and 2 of the Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (SDRP) to Sept. 30, 2026. Additionally, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is providing greater flexibility for farmers who experienced quality losses on eligible crops.
Now, when applying for this key program, farmers who experienced quality-related discounts can use verifiable and reliable documentation to show quality losses due to natural disasters occurring in 2023 and 2024. Farmers also now have the flexibility to use a quality loss percentage for crops having a final use that is different from their intended use.
SDRP provides more than $16 billion in disaster relief payments to producers who suffered revenue, quality or production losses to crops, trees, bushes, or vines due to qualifying disaster events in calendar years 2023 and 2024. These payments are authorized under the American Relief Act, 2025.
Producers with indemnified losses can apply through SDRP Stage 1, which leverages Federal Crop Insurance or Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) data as the basis for calculating payments. Producers with non-indemnified (including shallow losses), uncovered (uninsured), and quality losses can apply for Stage 2 assistance. Eligible producers can receive SDRP payments for both Stages 1 and 2, if applicable, and for one or both calendar years 2023 and 2024, depending on losses.
The Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) provides assistance for livestock deaths in excess of normal mortality caused by adverse weather events, including qualifying extreme heat events, disease and attacks by animals reintroduced into the wild by the federal government or protected by federal law.
For 2026 livestock losses, you must file a notice of loss and application for payment to your local FSA office by March 1, 2027. The following supporting documentation must be submitted with your application:
- Documentation to support eligible loss condition
- Proof of death documentation
- Copy of grower’s contracts
- Proof of normal mortality loss documentation
- Livestock beginning inventory documentation
USDA has established normal mortality rates for each type and weight range of eligible livestock, i.e. Adult Beef Cow/Bull = 1.5%, Beef Non-Adult 800 lbs. or more = 1.5%, Beef Non-Adult 400-799 lbs. = 5%, Beef Non-Adult less than 400 lbs. = 5%. These established percentages reflect losses that are considered expected or typical under “normal” conditions.
Additionally, the Working Families Tax Cuts Act recently has expanded eligibility for livestock losses. LIP will now apply to unborn livestock losses due to an eligible loss condition. In addition, producers can now provide sales documentation to support and request an alternative market value for their eligible livestock to be used for the payment calculation when it exceeds the national average market price established for eligible covered livestock. FSA is currently implementing policy updates associated with the Working Families Tax Cuts Act changes. For more information, contact your County USDA Service Center or visit fsa.usda.gov.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced eligible landowners have from June 1 until Aug. 31, 2026, to review and consider base acre increases on farms enrolled in the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs, as authorized by provisions included in the Working Families Tax Cuts Act, also known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
The Act provides landowners with the opportunity to increase base acres in preparation for enrollment in ARC and PLC beginning with the 2026 and future crop years. Nationwide, up to 30 million new base acres can be added by eligible farms.
ARC and PLC are cornerstone commodity safety net programs that provide financial protection to farmers when market prices or revenues decline. These programs help producers manage risk and maintain the economic viability of their operations amid challenging market and weather conditions.
FSA began notifying eligible landowners, by direct mail, that Base Allocation Summaries outlining potential base acre increases will be available for review beginning June 1, 2026. These Base Allocation Summaries can be accessed online at fsa.usda.gov/arc-plc using a Login.gov account. Landowners who do not currently have a Login.gov account are encouraged to contact their local FSA county office to obtain their Base Allocation Summary beginning June 1, 2026. The Base Allocation Summary should be reviewed and any necessary actions completed by Monday, Aug. 31, 2026.
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 County USDA Service Center. To find your nearest location visit fsa.usda.gov.
Farm loan borrowers who have pledged real estate as security for their Farm Service Agency (FSA) direct or guaranteed loans are responsible for maintaining loan collateral. Borrowers must obtain prior consent or approval from FSA or the guaranteed lender for any transaction that affects real estate security. These transactions include, but are not limited to:
- Leases of any kind
- Easements of any kind
- Subordinations
- Partial releases
- Sales
Failure to meet or follow the requirements in the loan agreement, promissory note, and other security instruments could lead to nonmonetary default which could jeopardize your current and future loans.
It is critical that borrowers keep an open line of communication with their FSA loan staff or guaranteed lender when it comes to changes in their operation. For more information on borrower responsibilities, read Your FSA Farm Loan Compass.
OPERATING/OWNERSHIP
Farm Operating: 5.250%
Farm Ownership: 6%
Farm Ownership - Joint Financing: 4%
Farm Ownership - Down Payment: 2%
Emergency - Actual Loss: 3.75%
FARM STORAGE FACILITY LOAN
3-year term: 4.125%
5-year term: 4.250%
7-year term: 4.375%
10-year term: 4.5%
12-year term: 4.625%
MARKETING ASSISTANCE
Commodity Loan: 5%
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is putting farmers first and supporting government accountability by providing clear guidance around wetland determinations, which helps inform agricultural producers’ decisions for their operations.
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) published an interim final rule that ensures most determinations made since 1990 are considered certified, and producers can rely on the determinations to work farmland.
Producers rely on certified wetland determinations when making decisions about their agricultural operations, which impacts USDA program eligibility such as farm loans, conservation assistance, crop insurance and commodity programs.
Through this interim final rule, NRCS addressed inconsistencies in how wetland determinations have been certified and issued in the past. It aligns USDA policy with statutory requirements, protects producer reliance interests, and reduces unnecessary administrative burden by preventing the reinterpretation or replacement of previously certified determinations unless the producer asks for a review.
Specifically, the interim final rule ensures all wetland determinations issued after Nov. 28, 1990, are certified if:
- the producer was notified of the determination; and
- the producer was given appeal rights at the time.
Farmers can rely on the decision to install drainage, clear land, and conduct other land alternations without risking USDA program eligibility so long as the determination shows the area is not a wetland in accordance with the Wetland Conservation provisions of the Food Security Act of 1985.
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Top of page
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.
Nick Elting, Administrative Officer
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Robert Lawson, NRCS
State Conservationist
robert.lawson@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.
Find your FSA office and book an appointment online at www.fsa.usda.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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