USDA Announces Cooperative Agreements for Community Compost and Food Waste Reduction

MADISON, May 19, 2021 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced the availability of up to $2 million for local governments to host Community Compost and Food Waste Reduction (CCFWR) pilot projects for fiscal year 2021. The cooperative agreements support projects that develop and test strategies for planning and implementing municipal compost plans and food waste reduction plans and they are part of USDA’s broader efforts to support urban agriculture.

 Urban Producers, Public Invited to Attend April Meeting of Federal Advisory Committee for Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production 

WASHINGTON, March 30, 2023 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) encourages urban producers, innovative producers and other stakeholders to submit comments for and virtually attend the fifth public meeting of the Federal Advisory Committee for Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (Committee) on April 18, 2023.

USDA Reminds Specialty Crop Growers of Deadline to Apply for Assistance for 2023 On-Farm Food Safety Expenses

WASHINGTON, Dec. 14, 2023 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reminds specialty crop growers that assistance is available for producers who incur eligible on-farm food safety program expenses to obtain or renew a food safety certification through the Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops (FSCSC) program. Producers can apply for assistance on their calendar year 2023 expenses through Jan. 31, 2024.   

USDA Designates 13 Montana Counties as Primary Natural Disaster Areas

This Secretarial natural disaster designation allows the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) to extend much-needed emergency credit to producers recovering from natural disasters through emergency loans. Emergency loans can be used to meet various recovery needs including the replacement of essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganization of a farming operation or the refinance of certain debts.

USDA Offers Disaster Assistance to Farmers in Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa and Wisconsin Impacted by Recent Storms and Tornadoes

LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas, April 13, 2023 – Agricultural operations in Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa and Wisconsin have been significantly impacted by recent tornadoes and severe storms that caused widespread and extensive destruction across those states. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has technical and financial assistance available to help farmers and livestock producers recover in the wake of these disasters.

USDA Designates Lyon and Osceola Counties as Disaster Areas Due to Drought

A Secretarial Disaster Designation has been issued for two (2) counties in Minnesota as primary disaster area for 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.

USDA Announces Grassland Conservation Reserve Program Signup for 2023

SAINT PAUL, Minn., April 17, 2023 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that agricultural producers and private landowners can begin signing up for the Grassland Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) starting today and running through May 26, 2023. Among CRP enrollment opportunities, Grassland CRP is a unique working lands program, allowing producers and landowners to continue grazing and haying practices while conserving grasslands and promoting plant and animal biodiversity as well as healthier soil.  

Winnebago & Worth Counties Designated by USDA as Disaster Areas Due to Drought

A Secretarial Disaster Designation has been issued for 11 counties in Minnesota as primary disaster areas for drought. Additionally, two 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: S5478
Emergency Loan Application Deadline: April 8, 2024