Webinars

Upcoming Webinars:

TBA

Archived Webinars:

T.I.M.E Inc. Urban Farm Outreach Program: Agriculture Community-Based Organization Funding Opportunity 

Monday, March 18, 2024 

To Improve Mississippi Economics (T.I.M.E. Inc) has partnered with the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) to support Urban Farmers in accessing FSA and other USDA programs and services. TIME Inc.'s Urban Farm Outreach Program (UFOP) will develop a National Urban Farmer Demonstration Program that can serve as a model for states to establish similar programs. 

This initiative involves collaborating with stakeholders to educate and train FSA and Urban producers about local food systems. TIME Inc. will lead this effort across 11 pilot Urban County Committee (UCOC) locations throughout the country. T.I.M.E. Inc. will evaluate the effectiveness of FSA programs in urban agriculture and provide policy recommendations to enhance urban agriculture participation in FSA programs.

TIME Inc. will accomplish this using a two-tier approach, with one aspect focused on outreach, training, education, and technical assistance. The other aspect involves managing subaward agreements in FSA Urban County Committee (UCOC) Pilot States through partnerships with various organizations. 

T.I.M.E. Inc.’s role includes guiding cooperators and FSA County Offices in understanding the needs of urban agriculture producers and assessing existing FSA programs in the urban agriculture sector. 

Furthermore, TIME Inc. will also gather feedback from communities to identify successes and challenges. This information will be used to assist FSA and other USDA agencies in developing guidelines to better serve underserved communities, promote cooperative community growers' organizations, and uphold USDA's commitment to equity. 

The project will encompass 11 UCOC locations across the United States, with a kick-off and regional conference scheduled for FY 24 and 25.  Below are proposed 11 UCOC locations:

1. Boston, MA
2. Columbia, SC
3. Denver, CO
4. Houston, TX
5. Jackson, MS
6. Kansas City, MO
7. Las Vegas, NV
8. Little Rock, AR
9. Memphis, TN
10. Pittsburgh, PA
11. Tribal Location TBD

TIME Funding Opportunity Link
Frequently Asked Questions
Webinar Presentation (slides)

Grassland CRP - Working Lands Opportunities on Tribal Lands 

Ensuring a Safe Food Supply: Financial Assistance through USDA's Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops (FSCSC) Program

November 3, 2022, 2:00 -3:00 PM ET

Do you grow specialty crops on your farm or ranch? Have you sold less than $500,000 worth of specialty crops, each year, for the past three years? If so, Farm Service Agency (FSA) has a program to reimburse you for a portion of the expenses associated with obtaining or renewing you on-farm food safety plan! U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is providing up to $200 million in assistance for specialty crop producers who incur eligible on-farm food safety program expenses to obtain or renew a food safety certification in calendar years 2022 or 2023.  Listen to this webinar to learn about Food Safety Certification guidelines for specialty crop growers, as well as program and eligibility details for the FSA Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops (FSCSC) Program to help offset some of the costs associated with food safety certification expenses.

View the recording of the Nov. 3, 2022, webinar. | FSA Outreach Webinar FSCSC

Applying to Become an FSA Intermediary for the Heirs' Property Relending Program 2.0

October 31, 2022 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. EST

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced that Akiptan, Inc., the Cherokee Nation Economic Development Trust Authority (CNEDTA) and the Shared Capital Cooperative have been approved or conditionally approved as intermediary lenders through the Heirs’ Property Relending Program (HPRP). These lenders will help agricultural producers and landowners resolve heirs’ land ownership and succession issues.

With more than $100 million of HPRP funding available for these competitive loans, the USDA is encouraging more intermediary lenders, including cooperatives, credit unions and nonprofit organizations to apply.  Under this program, the USDA provides loan to eligible relenders, who then relend funds to interested producers and/or heirs.

Interested in becoming a re-lender with USDA's Heirs' Property Relending Program? Join the FSA National Office Senior Loan Specialists as they discuss in detail the application process, as well as the requirements and responsibilities of relenders.

View Presentation Slides

Stakeholder Webinar: Increasing Land, Capital and Market Access Program Notice of Funding Opportunity

The Farm Service Agency recently published a Notice of Funding Opportunity on Grants.gov for a new program called the Increasing Land, Capital and Market Access Program. The purpose of the program is to move underserved producers from surviving to thriving through cooperative agreements and grants to partner organizations to fund projects that focus on strengthening land access with at least one of the following areas of concern:

• capital access concerns that affect the ability to access land;
• market access concerns that affect the ability to access land; or
• a combination of one or more of land, capital, and market access concerns.

Projects can range in scope from national to local, with different tiers for funding. The maximum award amount is $40,000,000 and the minimum is $250,000, with a total of up to $300,000,000 available for this program. Projects will be funded for 3-5 years. The deadline for organizations to apply for this funding was extended to November 18, 2022.

More information on this program, including a link to the Notice of Funding Opportunity and Frequently Asked Questions, can be found on the FSA Land Access webpage here: Increasing Land, Capital, and Market Access Program (usda.gov)

View the recording of the Oct. 20, 2022, webinar.

View the recording of the Oct. 11, 2022, webinar. 

September and October Tax Education Webinars

September 2022 Webinar

Most taxpayers working for an employer have FICA and Medicare withheld from their wages. The amount withheld is matched by their employer.  The self-employed individual must pay self-employment (SE) tax to be entitled to similar benefits.

Join USDA and JC Hobbs, Associate Extension Specialist, Department of Agriculture Economics, Oklahoma State University for a producer educational webinar.

Event:  Self-Employment Tax and Farm Optional Self-Employment Tax
Date:   Monday, September 26, 2022
Time:   2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Eastern Time

Webinar Recording | Slides

October 2022 Webinar

When filing an income tax return, it is important to determine if a venture is a business or hobby.  In general, the IRS considers an activity a trade or business, and not a hobby, if it is conducted with a profit motive.

Join USDA and JC Hobbs, Associate Extension Specialist, Department of Agriculture Economics, Oklahoma State University for a producer educational webinar.

Event:  Hobby Losses
Date:   Monday, October 17, 2022
Time:   2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Eastern Time

Webinar Recording

Grassland CRP - Working Lands Conservation

Wednesday, May 3, 2023, 3 pm Eastern Time

May 3, 20232023 Grassland Conservation Reserve ProgramMay 26, 2023Read more in USDA’s news release.2023 Factsheet: CRP Grassland Working Landsand 2023 Factsheet: CRP Grasslands Ranking Factorsfsa.usda.gov/crp

View May 3rd Presentation Slides | Recording Pending

Tuesday, May 2, 2023, 3 pm Eastern Time

Join USDA on May 2, 2023 for a zoom outreach webinar highlighting 2023 Grassland Conservation Reserve Program (Grassland CRP) conservation opportunities on working tribal lands. Tribal Nation leaders, agricultural producers and partners are invited to participate. The Grassland CRP signup period runs from April 17, 2023, to May 26, 2023. Read more in USDA’s news release. For more information, view the 2023 Factsheet: CRP Grassland Working Lands (PDF 522 KB) and 2023 Factsheet: CRP Grasslands Ranking Factors (PDF 650 KB) and visit fsa.usda.gov/crp.

View May 2nd Presentation Slides | View Recording pending

Stakeholder Webinar: Heirs Property Relending Program (HPRP) Producer Educational Webinars

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced the first three lenders for the Heirs’ Property Relending Program. The USDA announced that Shared Capital Cooperative, Akiptan, Inc. and the Cherokee Nation Economic Development Trust Authority (CNEDTA), have been approved or conditionally approved as intermediary lenders through this program.

The HPRP provides an avenue for heirs to receive legal title to their family property – in this case, agricultural land – that has been passed down generations.  The lack of a clear title has historically excluded heirs from government loans, grants, and other assistance. USDA is committed to equity and this relending program is part of a broader effort to improve equity in USDA programs. HPRP is one example of how we are making policies that can meet producers where they are and rebuild trust between USDA and America’s farmers and ranchers. The program’s benefits go far beyond its participants. It will also keep farmland in farming, protect family farm legacies and support economic viability.

Read more in the August 18, 2022 News Release: USDA Announces First Three Lenders for Heirs’ Property Relending Program 

An informational webinar was held on September 8, 2022. 

• Recording Webinar
• PowerPoint Presentation

A tribal leadership webinar was held on September 19, 2022.

• Recording Webinar ----Recording Coming Soon
• PowerPoint Presentation

Stakeholder Webinar: Conservation Reserve Program Transition Incentive Program $4.5 Million Notice of Funding Opportunity

Thursday, August 18, 2022, 2 pm Eastern Time (US and Canada)

FSA is providing $4.5 million to raise awareness among producers with expiring Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) contracts, as well as beginning farmers of the CRP - Transition Incentives Program (TIP). It provides financial incentives to producers with expiring CRP contracts, if they sell or rent the land to a beginning producer or a socially disadvantaged group.

FSA expects to award 15 to 20 partner and stakeholder organizations up to $300,000 for outreach and technical assistance to promote awareness and understanding among agricultural communities, particularly those who are military veterans, new to farming and historically underserved.   

Read more in the August 5, 2022 news release and/or the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). The application deadline is October 21, 2022 at 11:59 pm Eastern Time.

An informational webinar was held on August 18, 2022. 

Recording Webinar | Slides

Stakeholder Webinar: Cotton and Wool Apparel Program (CAWA)

Thursday, May 12, 2022 02:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

The Cotton and Wool Apparel Program (CAWA) will support eligible entities who experienced a decrease of al least 15 percent in 2020 gross sales or consumption of eligible products compared to the applicant’s gross sales in any of calendar years 2017, 2018, or 2019. Payments to eligible entities will be based on their pre-pandemic market share. Additionally, eligible entities must have filed an affidavit for a payment in any year from 2017 to 2021 for the Pima Agriculture Cotton Trust Fund or Agriculture Wool Apparel Manufacturers Trust Fund through USDA’s Foreign Agriculture Service (FAS).

This webinar is for all eligible applicants, and it will cover program eligibility criteria, application instructions, the timeline for the program, and other helpful information. There will also be time within the session for you to ask questions of our CAWA Program Specialists and Outreach Staff.

To learn more about how to apply, visit: https://www.farmers.gov/coronavirus/pandemic-assistance.

Recording | Slides

Stakeholder Webinar: Conservation Reserve Program – State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) Initiative

When: April 26, 2022, 03:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join USDA Farm Service Agency to learn about a signup opportunity available through Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) Initiative. SAFE stores vital habitat in order to meet high-priority state wildlife conservation goals. The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) provides farmers and landowners with several opportunities like this to achieve many conservation goals. Through SAFE, landowners establish wetlands, grasses, and trees. These practices are designed to enhance important wildlife populations by creating critical habitat and food sources. They also protect soil and water health by working as a barrier to sediment and nutrient run-off before they reach waterways.  USDA is currently accepting new and modified proposals from conservation partners for the State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) initiative, part of the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) focused on managing wildlife habitat. Read more in our April 18 SAFE news release.

Recording | Slides

Stakeholder Webinar: Clean Lakes, Estuaries, and Rivers Initiative (CLEAR30) Enrollment Opportunity

Tuesday, April 12, 2022 03:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join USDA Farm Service Agency on April 12, 2022, 3 pm EST, to learn about a signup opportunity available through the Clean Lakes, Estuaries, and Rivers initiative (CLEAR30). CLEAR30 is an option available through Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), which is one of the largest voluntary private-lands conservation programs in the United States.

Landowners and agricultural producers currently enrolled in CRP have an opportunity to enroll in a 30-year contract. The program – a water-quality focused option – was originally introduced as a pilot in 2020 and made nationally available in 2021. Producers may apply for CLEAR30 from April 1 through August 5, 2022. Cropland and certain pastureland currently enrolled in Continuous CRP or CREP, and dedicated to an eligible water quality practice, may be eligible if their contracts are expiring by September 30, 2022. CLEAR30 contracts will be effective October 1, 2022.

CLEAR30 was created by the 2018 Farm Bill to better address water quality concerns. Originally, CLEAR30 was only available in the Great Lakes and Chesapeake Bay watersheds. Now, access is expanded to agricultural producers nationwide.

To learn more or to apply, contact the local USDA Service Center before the August 5 deadline and visit online at fsa.usda.gov/crp.

Registration Link| Presentation Slides

FSA Stakeholder Webinar: Grassland CRP Outreach Training

Tuesday, March 29, 2022, 3 pm Eastern Time

Join USDA Farm Service Agency on March 29, 2022, at 3 pm EST for a Grassland Conservation Reserve Program (Grassland CRP) Outreach Training for conservation partners. 

The Grassland Conservation Reserve Program is part of the CRP program, a federally funded voluntary program that contracts with agricultural producers so that environmentally sensitive agricultural land is not farmed or ranched, but instead used for conservation benefits. FSA provides participants with rental payments and cost-share assistance. Contract duration is 10 or 15 years. Grassland CRP helps landowners and operators protect grassland, including rangeland, and pastureland, and certain other lands, while maintaining the areas as grazing lands. The program emphasizes support for grazing operations, plant and animal biodiversity, and grassland and land containing shrubs and forbs under the greatest threat of conversion. Grassland CRP is reauthorized by the 2018 Farm Bill. The Grassland CRP signup runs from April 4, 2022 to May 13, 2022. Read more in our Jan. 26, 2022 news release.
 

Recording Link | Presentation Slides

Stakeholder Webinar: 2022 Conservation Reserve Program Opportunities

Tuesday, February 15, 2022, 3:00 PM, Eastern Time

Join USDA Farm Service Agency on Feb. 15, 2022, at 3 pm EST to learn about signup opportunities available through the Conservation Reserve Program, one of the world’s largest voluntary conservation programs in existence. This webinar will provide conservation stakeholders with an overview of CRP updates and enrollment options available for agricultural producers and landowners. The long-term goal of the program is to re-establish valuable land cover to help improve water quality, prevent soil erosion, and reduce loss of wildlife habitat. The General CRP signup period is open from Jan. 31 to March 11, 2022, and the Grassland CRP signup dates are April 4 to May 13, 2022. Continuous CRP signup is ongoing. Landowners and producers interested in CRP should contact their local USDA Service Center to learn more or to apply and visit online at fsa.usda.gov/crp.

Meeting Recording

Meeting Presentation Slides

FSA Stakeholder Webinar: 2022 Dairy Margin Coverage and Expanded Supplemental Coverage

Tuesday, Jan 4, 2022 2:00 PM EST

This webinar will provide an overview of USDA Farm Service Agency's Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) Program and the new Supplemental DMC (SDMC) Program that was announced on December 8, 2021. This webinar will focus on how the new Supplemental DMC program works in conjunction with the established Dairy Margin Coverage Program to provide an important safety net for dairy producers, and explain how producers can enroll in DMC and the new Supplemental DMC.

The sign up period for DMC and Supplemental DMC is from December 13, 2021 to *March 25, 2022.

Webinar Recording | Presentation Slides

*Deadline extended from February 18 to March 25

FSA Stakeholder Webinar: USDA Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP)

Tuesday, Jan 4, 2022 3:00 PM EST

Join FSA to learn more about the USDA Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP), a partnership program under the well-known Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), the country’s largest private land conservation program. FSA is expanding CREP in line with the 2018 Farm Bill to partner with non-governmental organizations such as non-profits, private companies, and foundations, in addition to States and Tribes.

This webinar will include an in-depth discussion of the CREP program with a focus on helping organizations determine if partnering with FSA through a CREP agreement may be of interest. 

Meeting Recording
Meeting Presentation Slides

FSA Stakeholder Meeting: Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP)

Monday, December 20, 2021, 4:00 PM EST

This meeting will provide conservation organization stakeholders with an overview of rule changes to the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) and to introduce the regional CREP specialists.

Meeting Recording

Supporting Organic and Transitioning Farmers Through Cost-Share and Conservation Programs

November 18, 2021 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. EST

This webinar will provide an overview of USDA Farm Service Agency's programs that support organic and transitioning farmers through climate and environmentally-friendly farming practices. We will discuss FSA's new Organic and Transitional Education and Certification Program (OTECP), Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP), and Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Organic Buffers. Learn about the needs of organic producers, what types of costs are reimbursed through OTECP and OCCSP, how CRP programs support organic agriculture production, and how to apply for USDA programs. The webinar will also highlight additional USDA resources for organic and transitioning producers.  Webinar Recording | Presentation Slides

Applying to Become an FSA Intermediary for the Heirs' Property Relending Program

September 15, 2021 2:00 - 3:30 p.m. EST

Interested in becoming a re-lender with USDA's new Heirs' Property Relending Program? Join the FSA National Office Senior Loan Specialists as they discuss in detail the requirements and responsibilities of relenders and specifically how to submit an application to become an intermediary lender.  Presentation Slides

CFAP2 Changes Stakeholder Webinar

August 31, 2021 3:00 p.m.  EST

Join FSA to learn of the new provisions recently announced for contract growers and sales based commodity producers.  Register today to hear directly from the program's managers on the requirements of the program and how to apply.  Webinar Recording| Presentation Slides

Heirs' Property Relending Program Overview

August 3, 2021 3:00 p.m.  EST

FSA County Committees and You 

July 29, 2021 3:00 p.m.  EST

Pandemic Assistance for Timber Harvesters and Haulers (PATHH) Stakeholder Webinar

July 22, 2021 12:00 p.m.  EST

Pandemic Assistance for Timber Harvesters and Haulers (PATHH) Stakeholder Webinar (Postponed)

July 21, 2021 3:00 p.m.  EST