Boots to Business Reboot for Veteran Beginning Farmers and Ranchers

The Veterans Business Outreach Center of New England, in partnership with the USDA, invite veterans, service members, and military spouses to Boots to Business Reboot for Veteran Beginning Farmers and Ranchers. This full day workshop will aid those interested in exploring agriculture-based business ownership by leading participants through the key steps for evaluating business concepts and providing foundational knowledge required to develop a business plan.

Deadline Approaching for USDA’s Coronavirus Food Assistance Program

Contact:
FPAC.BC.Press@usda.gov

Application Deadline is Sept. 11

WASHINGTON, Aug. 28, 2020 –U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) reminds farmers and ranchers that the deadline to apply for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) is Sept. 11, 2020. This program provides direct relief to producers who faced price declines and additional marketing costs due to COVID-19.

USDA Updates Farm Loan Programs to Increase Equity

WASHINGTON, March 8, 2022 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is updating its farm loan programs to better support current borrowers, including historically underserved producers. These improvements are part of USDA’s commitment to increase equity in all programs, including farm loans that provide important access to capital for covering operating expenses and purchasing land and equipment.    

USDA Designates 21 Counties as Disaster Areas Due to Drought

A Secretarial Disaster Designation has been issued for five (5) counties in Iowa as primary disaster areas for drought. Additionally, sixteen (16) Iowa counties are contiguous to the disaster area. This determination will allow the Farm Service Agency’s Emergency Loans to be made available to eligible family farmers with qualifying production and physical losses in the primary and the contiguous counties to the declared disaster area.

Secretarial Declaration Number: S5530
Emergency Loan Application Deadline: May 13, 2024

New Federal Advisory Committee for Urban Agriculture to Meet March 23-24

Contact:
FPAC.BC.Press@usda.gov

WASHINGTON, March 8, 2022 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will host the first public meeting of the inaugural Federal Advisory Committee for Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production on March 23-24, 2022.  The public – including urban producers– is encouraged to attend.      

Missouri Disaster Designation Impacts Two Iowa Counties

A Secretarial Disaster Designation has been issued for 15 counties in Missouri as primary disaster areas due to drought. Additionally, two (2) Iowa counties are contiguous to the disaster area. This determination will allow the Farm Service Agency’s Emergency Loans to be made available to eligible family farmers with qualifying production and physical losses in the primary and the contiguous counties to the declared disaster area.

Secretarial Declaration Number: S5437

USDA Reports Record Enrollment in Key Farm Safety-Net Programs

Contact:
FPAC.BC.Press@usda.gov

WASHINGTON, April 21, 2020 – Producers signed a record 1.77 million contracts for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs for the 2019 crop year, which is more than 107 percent of the total contracts signed compared with a 5-year average. USDA also reminds producers that June 30 is the deadline to enroll in ARC and PLC for the 2020 crop year.