Arkansas Newsletter - September, 2026.
In This Issue:
As we move into fall, I want to thank the producers who keep Arkansas agriculture strong. No matter the crop you grow or the livestock you raise, your work is the foundation of agricultural communities across the state. Every day, you face changing weather, market uncertainty, rising input costs, and the constant pressure to plan for the next season while managing the challenges of the current one. I want you to know that the Farm Service Agency (FSA) is here to support you through all of it.
Our county offices are working hard to make sure you have access to the programs and tools that can help strengthen your operation. This includes disaster assistance and conservation opportunities to loan programs that support expansion and recovery. We know your time is valuable, and we remain committed to providing clear information, timely service, and a consistent presence when you need answers.
Thanks to the Working Families Tax Cuts Act, producers will benefit from many program improvements that put Farmers First. These improvements impact disaster assistance, commodity loans, safety net assistance and payment eligibility and payment limitation provisions. Whether you’re dealing with drought conditions, preparing for next year’s planting decisions, or exploring ways to make your operation more resilient, our team stands ready to assist.
On the farm loan side, USDA is improving access to credit for farmers and ranchers by making farm loan policy and technology improvements, reducing administrative burdens and strengthening financial security. These updates will increase efficiency by expediting the application process for direct loans, streamlining the process for certain guaranteed lenders who partner with FSA and laying the groundwork for an electronic interface for guaranteed loans. Read the recent news release to learn more about these improvements.
If you haven’t visited your local FSA office recently. I encourage you to check in some time. A conversation can open the door to resources you didn’t know were available.
Thank you for your hard work, your resilience, and the dedication you bring to feeding and supporting communities across Arkansas and beyond. It is an honor to serve you, and I look forward to continuing our work together in the months ahead.
Respectfully,
William (Ty) Davis
State Executive Director
USDA Farm Service Agency
The USDA is launching a new online portal to streamline reporting of transactions involving U.S. agricultural land by foreign persons, which can include businesses and governments, under the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act of 1978 (AFIDA). The new online portal is part of a broader effort to strengthen enforcement and protect American farmland as USDA continues its implementation of the National Farm Security Action Plan.
The new online portal is available at afida.landmark.usda.gov. Users can access the portal with Login.gov, a sign-in service that provides secure online access to participate in certain government programs and reporting requirements.
The new digital portal will gather the same information found on the current form FSA-153 and those subject to filing may still file using the current FSA-153 hard copy form if desired. However, filers should not duplicate filings by using both submission options.
About the National Farm Security Action Plan
One of the key tenets of USDA’s National Farm Security Action Plan (PDF, 1.2 MB) is strengthening processes around disclosure of foreign persons who have an interest in U.S. farmland. This historic plan, announced in July 2025, calls for aggressive implementation of reforms to the AFIDA process including improved verification and monitoring of collected AFIDA data. In addition to the new portal, USDA published an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for AFIDA in December 2025.
About AFIDA
The new portal is part of USDA’s efforts to streamline its process for electronic submission and retention of AFIDA disclosures, as initially required by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023. Today USDA also shared its annual AFIDA reportfor 2024 with Congress, which is available online. The report lists foreign holdings of U.S. agricultural land as 46 million acres, as of December 31, 2024 and includes a section on land held and acquired by China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea in recent years. The data obtained from AFIDA disclosures are used in the preparation of an annual report to Congress, which is published online.
The AFIDA regulations define the term “foreign person” and specifies the information that must be included in the report. AFIDA focuses on foreign persons who hold direct or indirect interest in the agricultural land, provided those foreign persons with an indirect interest have “significant interest or substantial control” in the direct interest holder.
USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) conducts hundreds of surveys every year and prepares reports covering virtually every aspect of U.S. agriculture.
If you receive a survey questionnaire, please respond quickly and online if possible.
The results of the surveys help determine the structure of USDA farm programs, such as soil rental rates for the Conservation Reserve Program and prices and yields used for the Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage programs. This county-level data is critical for USDA farm payment determinations. Survey responses also help associations, businesses and policymakers advocate for their industry and help educate others on the importance of agriculture.
NASS safeguards the privacy of all respondents and publishes only aggregate data, ensuring that no individual operation or producer can be identified.
NASS data is available online at nass.usda.gov/Publications and through the searchable Quick Stats database. Watch a video on how NASS data is used at youtube.com/watch?v=m-4zjnh26io&feature=youtu.be.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) updates to the Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) Farm Loan Programs are officially in effect. These changes, part of the Enhancing Program Access and Delivery for Farm Loans rule, are designed to increase financial flexibility for agricultural producers, allowing them to grow their operations, boost profitability, and build long-term savings.
These program updates reflect USDA’s ongoing commitment to supporting the financial success and resilience of farmers and ranchers nationwide, offering critical tools to help borrowers manage their finances more effectively.
What the new rules mean for you:
- Low-interest installment set-aside program: Financially distressed borrowers can now defer up to one annual loan payment at a reduced interest rate. This simplified option helps ease financial pressure while keeping farming operations running smoothly.
- Flexible repayment terms: New repayment options give borrowers the ability to increase their cash flow and build working capital reserves, allowing for long-term financial planning that includes saving for retirement, education, and other future needs.
- Reduced collateral requirements: FSA has lowered the amount of additional loan security needed for direct farm loans, making it easier for borrowers to leverage their existing equity without putting their personal residence at risk.
These new rules provide more financial freedom to borrowers. By giving farmers and ranchers better tools to manage their operations, we’re helping them build long-term financial stability. It’s all about making sure they can keep their land, grow their business, and invest in the future.
If you’re an FSA borrower or considering applying for a loan, now is the time to take advantage of these new policies. We encourage you to reach out to your local FSA farm loan staff to ensure you fully understand the wide range of loan making and servicing options available to assist with starting, expanding, or maintaining your agricultural operation.
To conduct business with FSA, please contact your local FSA county office.
USDA’s Debt Consolidation Tool allows agricultural producers to enter their farm operating debt and evaluate the potential savings that might be provided by obtaining a debt consolidation loan with USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) or a local lender.
A debt consolidation loan is a new loan used to pay off other existing operating loans or lines of credit that might have higher rates and unfavorable terms. By combining multiple eligible debts into a single, larger loan, borrowers may obtain more favorable payment terms such as a lower interest rate or lower payments. Consolidating debt may also provide farmers and ranchers additional cash flow flexibilities.
The Debt Consolidation Tool is one of many significant additions to FSA’s suite of improvements designed to modernize its Farm Loan Programs. The tool enhances customer service and increases opportunities for farmers and ranchers to achieve financial viability by helping them identify potential savings that could be reinvested in their farming and ranching operation, retirement accounts, or college savings accounts.
Producers can access the Debt Consolidation Tool by visiting farmers.gov/debt-consolidation-tool. The tool is built to run on modern browsers including Chrome, Edge, Firefox, or the Safari browser. Producers do not need to create a farmers.gov account or access the authenticated customer portal to use the tool.
USDA encourages producers to reach out to their local FSA farm loan staff to ensure they fully understand the wide range of loan and servicing options available to assist with starting, expanding, or maintaining their agricultural operation. To conduct business with FSA, please contact your local FSA county office.
Landowners and operators are reminded that in order to receive payments from USDA, compliance with Highly Erodible Land (HEL) and Wetland Conservation (WC) provisions are required. Farmers with HEL determined soils are reminded of tillage, crop residue, and rotation requirements as specified per their conservation plan.
Producers are to notify the USDA Farm Service Agency prior to breaking sod, clearing land (tree removal), and of any drainage projects (tiling, ditching, etc.) to ensure compliance. Failure to update certification of compliance, with form AD-1026, triggering applicable HEL and/or wetland determinations, for any of these situations, can result in the loss of FSA farm program payments, FSA farm loans, NRCS program payments, and premium subsidy to Federal Crop Insurance administered by RMA.
If you have experienced delays in receiving Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) payments, Loan Deficiency Payments (LDPs) and Market Gains on Marketing Assistance Loans (MALs), it may be because you have not filed form CCC-941, Adjusted Gross Income Certification.
If you don’t have a valid CCC-941 on file for the applicable crop year you will not receive payments. All farm operator/tenants/owners who have not filed a CCC-941 and have pending payments should IMMEDIATELY file the form with their recording county FSA office. Farm operators and tenants are encouraged to ensure that their landowners have filed the form.
FSA can accept the CCC-941 for 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026. Unlike the past, you must have the CCC-941 certifying your AGI compliance before any payments can be issued.
Farm Service Agency (FSA) program payments are issued electronically into your bank account. In order to receive timely payments, you need to notify your FSA servicing office if you close your account or if your bank information is changed for any reason (such as your financial institution merging or being purchased). Payments can be delayed if FSA is not notified of changes to account and bank routing numbers.
If the bank account was closed due to the death of an individual or dissolution of an entity or partnership before the payment was issued, please notify your local FSA office as soon as possible to claim your payment.
Irrigation management is a vital part of successful farming, particularly in areas where rainfall is inconsistent or insufficient to meet crop needs. At its core, it is the process of applying the right amount of water at the right time and the right application rate to achieve optimal crop production all while conserving water, energy and protecting soil and water quality. When done properly, this practice supports plant health, reduces input costs and promotes long-term sustainability of agricultural operations.
For farmers, effective irrigation management offers a wide range of benefits. First and foremost, it improves water use efficiency. By tailoring water applications to the specific needs of the crops, taking into account weather conditions, soil types and field variability, farmers can avoid overwatering or underwatering. This leads to healthier crops, reduced disease pressure and ultimately higher yields. Additionally, managing irrigation wisely helps reduce labor costs and energy usage, especially for systems that rely on pumps. Less water applied means less energy needed, which can result in significant cost savings.
Beyond economic gains, good irrigation practices also play an important role in environmental stewardship. Over-irrigation can lead to surface water runoff, which may carry field nutrients, pesticides and sediments into nearby waterbodies. These pollutants can have negative impacts on water quality and aquatic ecosystems. By applying water more efficiently, farmers help protect these natural resources and support the long-term health of the land.
The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) offers valuable support for farmers looking to improve their irrigation systems and water management practices. Through technical and financial assistance, NRCS works directly with producers to assess their current systems and identify opportunities for improvement. Conservation practices like irrigation water management (practice 449), irrigation pipeline (practice 430), micro irrigation (practice 441) and sprinkler system (practice 442) can be personalized to each operation’s needs.
When a farmer partners with NRCS, the process begins with a conservation plan that evaluates soil, water, crops and existing infrastructure. From there, NRCS conservationists can recommend practical steps to optimize irrigation efficiency. These might include adjusting application schedules or pressures, upgrading to a more efficient system or installing tools to monitor soil moisture and weather conditions. In many cases, financial assistance is available through programs such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and the Conservation Stewards Program (CSP), making it more affordable for producers to invest in upgrades that benefit both their bottom line and the environment.
Ultimately, irrigation water management is about making the most out of every drop. As weather patterns become more unpredictable and water resources face increasing environmental pressures, it is now more important than ever for farmers to take a thoughtful, proactive approach to how they water their crops. With the support of NRCS, producers can build more resilient operations while increasing their productivity and protecting their valuable farmland.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is putting farmers first and reaffirming this commitment by updating its strategic priorities, motto and mission and vision statements for the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). These updates complement NRCS’s historic role in providing practical, voluntary, and locally led conservation solutions for producers.
The new NRCS motto and mission and vision statements are:
Motto: Keeping Working Lands in Working Hands
Mission Statement: We deliver practical, voluntary, and locally led conservation solutions that help producers conserve natural resources, strengthen agricultural production, and keep working lands productive for generations to come.
Vision Statement: An America where working lands remain productive, resilient, and in the hands of those who steward them.
NRCS is also updating its strategic priorities to guide agency operations, program delivery, stakeholder engagement and modernization efforts through fiscal year 2026 and beyond.
NRCS’s seven priorities include:
- Preserve and protect agricultural land;
- Shift to outcome-based conservation and farmer empowerment;
- Re-center field engagement and strengthen technical expertise;
- Expand wildlife conservation and outdoor access;
- Strengthen partnerships by streamlining processes and accountability;
- Optimize mission delivery by strengthening workforce culture; and
- Modernize NRCS infrastructure and technology.
Learn more about the priorities at nrcs.usda.gov/about/priorities.
The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) works to help farmers, ranchers and forest landowners invest in their operations and local communities to keep working lands working, boost rural economies, increase the competitiveness of American agriculture and improve the quality of our air, water, soil and wildlife habitat.
Simply put – NRCS helps America’s farmers, ranchers and forestland owners make conservation work for them.
Our Conservation Technical Assistance (CTA) program enables every acre of voluntary conservation applied through every program NRCS administers. It is the foundation of our financial and technical assistance delivery system.
Every farm and acre is unique and requires tailored management; and every decision maker has different management concerns and needs. Our technical assistance is one-on-one, personalized advice and support to help producers make the best decisions for their lands – and is offered free of charge.
This personalized assistance provides producers with the science-based data and tools to make informed decisions about where to target efforts to get the greatest return on their investment and ensure the long-term sustainability of American agriculture.
A comprehensive conservation plan is the first step to managing all the natural resources on a farm. NRCS walks the farm with the producer and develops options to address that producer’s needs. Our toolbox includes aerial photos, soil surveys, engineering solutions and individual science-based analysis customized for the producer’s property. The plan we develop with the producer combines existing production methods with recommended conservation practices to best manage that farm’s unique natural resources, while allowing the producer to grow sustainably and productively. Supported by our expert analysis and recommendations, the producer chooses which option best meets their needs. These decisions become the producer’s conservation plan, a step-by-step guide to reach their objectives.
This planning process also makes it easier to identify how and when the farmer, rancher or forest landowner could qualify for Farm Bill financial assistance to help them install conservation systems or receive incentives for trying new ones. We have the expertise to see our customers through this process. Because identifying when, where and how to implement practices is not plug and play.
The final plan provides a roadmap for the producer to meet their natural resource conservation goals. It includes helpful information on each of the producer’s practices, such as how they benefit the farm, how to maintain them, and how they help the soil, water and wildlife.
By developing a conservation plan and adding conservation to the land, farmers, ranchers and forest landowners can protect the land’s ability to provide for their family and future generations.
With offices in communities nationwide, NRCS staff provide the information, tools and delivery systems necessary for producers – in every state and territory – to conserve, maintain and improve their natural resources. Contact your local USDA service center to find out more.
To ease financial pressures and strengthen risk management options for American farmers, USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) is announcing temporary premium payment flexibilities and the reinstatement of the option to purchase additional 5% prevented planting coverage.
Payment Flexibilities
RMA is authorizing Approved Insurance Providers (AIPs) to provide producers with up to 60 additional days to pay crop insurance premiums, administrative fees, and amounts due under Written Payment Agreements with scheduled premium billing dates between July 1, 2026, and Sept. 30, 2026.
During this extended period, AIPs may waive interest charges. Interest will begin accruing for unpaid premium and administrative fees only after the end of the additional 60-day period or upon reaching the policy’s termination date, whichever occurs first.
To further support these efforts, RMA will defer collection of unpaid producer premiums and administrative fees from AIPs and waive associated interest beginning with the August monthly accounting cycle.
Prevented Planting Coverage
Additionally, RMA is reinstating the option for insured producers to purchase an additional 5% prevented planting coverage beginning with crops associated with the Aug. 31, 2026, filing date for the 2027 and succeeding crop years. This added coverage enhances producers’ ability to manage risk in situations where extreme weather or other conditions prevent normal planting.
These actions underscore RMA’s commitment to supporting farmers and ranchers by providing needed flexibility and strengthening coverage options during a challenging period for American agriculture. AIPs will notify affected policyholders directly regarding these relief measures.
Producers should contact their local crop insurance agent or visit the RMA website for guidance on how these updates may affect coverage options.
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Arkansas USDA-FSA
700 West Capitol Room 3416, Little Rock, Arkansas 72201
State Executive Director – William Ty Davis
FSA Phone: 501-301-3000 | FSA Fax: 855-652-2082
Please contact your local FSA Office for questions specific to your operation or county. To find contact information for your local office visit one of the websites below. www.farmers.gov www.fsa.usda.gov Arkansas Farm Service Agency
Persons with disabilities who require accommodations to attend or participate in this meeting/event should contact Rita Smith-Clay at 501-301-3200 or Federal Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339.
Arkansas USDA-FSA
700 West Capitol Room 3416, Little Rock, Arkansas 72201
FSA State Executive Director – William (Ty) Davis
FSA Phone: 501-301-3000 | FSA Fax: 855-652-2082
www.fsa.usda.gov
www.fsa.usda.gov/state-offices/Arkansas/index
Arkansas USDA-NRCS
700 West Capitol Room 3416, Little Rock, Arkansas 72201
NRCS State Conservationist - Amanda Mathis
NRCS Phone: 501-301-3149
www.nrcs.usda.gov
www.ar.nrcs.usda.gov
USDA-RMA / Jackson, Mississippi Regional Office
803 Liberty Road, Jackson, MS 39232-9000
RMA Regional Director – Roddric Bell
RMA Phone: 601-965-4771 | RMA Fax: 601-965-4517
Jackson, Mississippi | RMA (usda.gov)
Please contact your local Office for questions specific to your operation or county. To find contact information for your local office visit the website below: Get Started at Your USDA Service Center | Farmers.gov
Persons with disabilities who require accommodations to attend or participate in this meeting/event should contact Rita Smith-Clay at 501-301-3200 or Federal Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339.
Service Center Locator
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