More farmers may be seeking USDA Farm Service Agency direct and guaranteed loans this winter because of the financial situations they find themselves in due to multiple years of high input costs, low commodity prices and adverse weather conditions.
For that reason, they need to be aware that FSA administrators have launched several new programs aimed at improving the lending process, including a Farm Loan Assistance Tool designed to help guide them through USDA’s lending programs.
Read MoreThe U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) reminds producers, including dairy producers impacted by H5N1, that the deadline to apply for financial assistance through the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-raised Fish Program (ELAP) is Jan. 30, 2025, for losses due to specific adverse conditions that occurred in 2024.
Read MoreThe U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced that 15 additional states have enrolled in the National Milk Testing Strategy, bringing the total number of states to 28 in roughly one month since the program launched. These 28 states represent nearly 65% of the nation’s milk production. In addition, USDA is sharing updates on its expedited work to support vaccine development for use in poultry and bovine species, as part of a multi-faceted effort to fight the spread of H5N1.
Read MoreThe U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is providing a total of $14.4 million in grants and technical assistance through two separately funded projects to support urban agriculture and innovative production. USDA’s Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (OUAIP) is making available $2.5 million for Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (UAIP) grants, building on $53.7 million invested in UAIP grant projects by OUAIP since 2020.
Read MoreU.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai announced the appointment or reappointment of 53 members to serve on seven agricultural trade advisory committees.
The advisory committee system was created by Congress in 1974 to ensure that U.S. agricultural stakeholders have input and insight into U.S. trade policy and negotiating objectives.
Read MoreThe U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is accepting applications for the USDA 1890 National Scholars Program, which aims to encourage students at 1890 land-grant universities to pursue career paths in food, agriculture, natural resource sciences, or related academic disciplines. The application deadline is March 1, 2025.
Young people around the country are invited to complete and submit their applications online through an e-application.
Read MoreThe U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reminds specialty crop producers to apply for assistance for marketing and food safety certification expenses. Specifically, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is providing an additional $650 million in funding for the new Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (MASC) program and extending the MASC application deadline to Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. Meanwhile, FSA also reminds specialty crop producers of the Jan. 31, 2025, deadline to apply for the Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops (FSCSC) program for 2024 expenses.
Read MoreThe U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced loan interest rates for January 2025, which are effective Jan. 1, 2025. USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) loans provide important access to capital to help agricultural producers start or expand their farming operation, purchase equipment and storage structures or meet cash flow needs.
Read MoreThe U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the final approximately $300 million in assistance to distressed direct and guaranteed farm loan borrowers under Section 22006 of the Inflation Reduction Act. Over the past two years, USDA acted swiftly to assist distressed borrowers in retaining their land and continuing their agricultural operations.
Read MoreAcadia Parish U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced that County Committee elections are over, and the ballots have been counted.
Mr. Ross Thibodeaux was elected to represent local administrative area LAA 1.
Read MoreTensas Parish Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced that Donnie Vandeven of Saint Joseph was elected to represent local administrative area (LAA) # 02.
Sylvester Davis of Saint Joseph will serve as the first alternate.
Read MoreThe U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) welcomes input on the assessment of environmental impacts on two programs – the Tree Assistance Program (TAP) and Farm Storage Facility Loan (FSFL) program. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is accepting comments until Jan. 18 on its draft programmatic environmental assessments. The TAP environmental assessment includes updates to streamline the program and enable a quick response to natural disasters. The FSFL environmental assessment recommends continuing the program as currently administered.
Read MoreCalcasieu-Cameron Parish U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced that County Committee elections are over, and the ballots have been counted.
Robert Denison of Iowa was re-elected to represent local administrative area 1 (LAA 1) and Adam Habetz of Choupique was elected to represent local administrative area 5 (LAA-5).
Read MoreBeauregard-Vernon Parish U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced that County Committee elections are over, and the ballots have been counted.
Joey Andrews of DeRidder was re-elected to represent local administrative area 3 (LAA 3).
Read MoreThe attached Crop Market Update Report for the month of December contains a summary of the markets’ reaction to the latest USDA supply and demand report.
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