Meet Kaitlyn, a determined single mother from rural Louisiana whose dream of owning a home became a reality through the USDA Rural Development's Section 502 Direct Loan Program. Kaitlyn envisioned providing her son, Tyrin, with the comfort and stability of a home of their own after facing the unimaginable loss of her fiancé shortly before Tyrin's birth. Her dream then became even more poignant.

Kaitlyn's journey to homeownership was driven by her desire to offer her son a better life. "I have wanted to own my own home since I knew I was going to be a mother," she shares. "I wanted my son to enjoy a yard and home that was ours." Her dream came true eight months ago when they moved into their new home. The transition from a cramped apartment to a spacious, welcoming house has been transformative for both mother and child.

As we approach this critical election season and remainder of the 118th Congress, there are numerous issues vying for the attention of voters and policymakers alike. Among them, the upcoming farm bill stands out because it holds profound implications for our nation’s agriculture, food security and rural communities.

As a member of the agricultural community, I understand firsthand the essential role this bill plays in sustaining the backbone of our food system and supporting the livelihoods of countless families across the country.

The 2024 Farm Service Agency County Committee Elections will begin on Nov. 4, 2024, when ballots are mailed to eligible voters. The deadline to return ballots to local FSA offices, or to be postmarked, is Dec. 2, 2024.

County committee member4s are an important component of the operations of FSA and provide a link between the agricultural community and USDA.

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced Friday, Aug. 16, that the U.S. Department of Agriculture is funding 160 projects in 26 states to expand access to clean energy systems and increase the availability of domestic biofuels.

Friday’s announcement includes investments in California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is asking for public input on how best to implement the SUSTAINS Act, which authorizes USDA to accept private contributions to channel through several existing USDA conservation programs. The public should submit comments to the Request for Information via the Federal Register by September 16, 2024.

“Agriculture is at the forefront of the nation’s effort to conserve our natural resources, and we want to hear from people on the ground how to implement this legislation to maximize its benefits, promote equity and assist all producers,” said USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Chief Terry Cosby.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced it is awarding nearly $4.1 million to organizations and outreach efforts to educate underserved, small-scale, and organic producers on farm risk management and climate-smart farm practices. The funding from USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) provides assistance through its Risk Management Education Partnerships for organizations, such as nonprofits and land grant universities, to develop training and resources for producers about risk management options.

A new, free program offered by Daitaas and funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency aims to increase productivity and profitability for underserved farmers in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi.

The TEAM Tilley Leaders Program allows qualified farmers to participate in a learn-by-doing program that combines financial and risk management education with robust proprietary technology using the farmers’ own financial data to deliver real results. The program is designed to demonstrate how the decisions farmers make throughout the growing season impact their bottom line and profitability.