Below are some (but certainly not all) of the major headlines from USDA and FSA for the final month of 2020 and planning for next year’s ag. activities.
1. USDA ANNOUNCES CRP CONTINUOUS (NON-CREP) INCENTIVES FOR FY2021
2. CORONAVIRUS FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (CPAF 2 2020) ENROLLMENT DEADLINE IS DECEMBER 11, 2020
- Source: Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2 | Farmers.gov: Resources for Farmers and Producers
- A general fact sheet for CPAF 2 can be found here – CFAP2-GeneralFactSheet-10012020.pdf (farmers.gov)
3. NRCO LAUNCHES “CONSERVATION AT WORK” VIDEO SERIES
- Source: Conservation at Work Video Series | Farmers.gov: Resources for Farmers and Producers
- Short videos regarding conservation practices.
- Current videos:
- Brush Management
- Cover Crop
- Forest Stand Improvement
- Grade Stabilization
- Grassed Waterway
- High Tunnel
- No Till
- Nutrient Management
- Prescribed Grazing
- Pumping Station
- Sprinkler System
- Trails and Walkways
- Waste Storage
- Water & Sediment Control Basin
- Wetland Restoration
- Additional Source: USDA Lubbock County Bulletin
4. UDSA FSA REMINDER OF DECEMBER 11, 2020 DEADLINE FOR DAIRY PRODUCERS’ SAFETY-NET ENROLLMENT
- Source: USDA Reminds Dairy Producers of Dec. 11 Deadline for 2021 Safety-Net Enrollment (govdelivery.com)
5. USDA ANNOUNCES COMMODITY CREDIT CORPORATION LENDING RATES FOR DECEMBER 2020
- Effective December 1-December 31, 2020
- The Commodity Credit Corporation borrowing rate-based charge for December is 0.125%, same as in November.
- The interest rate for crop year commodity loans less than one year disbursed during December is 1.125%, same as in November.
- Interest rates for Farm Storage Facility Loans approved for December are as follows:
- 0.250% with three-year loan terms, up from 0.125 in November;
- 0.375% with five-year loan terms, up from 0.250 in November;
- 0.625% with seven-year loan terms, up from 0.500 in November;
- 0.875% with 10-year loan terms, up from 0.750 in November; and
- 1.000% with 12-year loan terms, up from 0.875 in November.
- The interest rate for 15-year Sugar Storage Facility Loans for December is 1.125%, up from 1.000% in November.
- Source: USDA Announces Commodity Credit Corporation Lending Rates for December 2020
6. FY 2021 CRP SRR’S
- Available on FSA CRP Statistics website – Conservation Reserve Program Statistics (usda.gov)
- Also available on Conservation SDMS – CRP Soils Database Management System
- Local County Office must have rates posted by December 11, 2020.
- Rates are effective for all CRP offers received on or after December 1, 2020.
- Source: Microsoft Word – crp_745.docx (usda.gov)
7. USDA OFFERS TARGETED FARM LOAN FUNDING FOR UNDERSERVED GROUPS AND BEGINNING FARMERS
- Loan Participants – “underserved applicants” or “beginning farmers”
- Underserved Applicants:
- “a group whose members have been subjected to racial, ethnic, or gender prejudice because of their identity as members of the group without regard to their individual qualities.”
- These groups include the following: women, African Americans, American Indians, Alaskan Natives, Hispanics, Asians, and Pacific Islanders.
- Beginning Farmer/Producer:
- Has not operated a farm for more than 10 years;
- Substantially participates in the operation;
- For farm ownership loans, the applicant cannot own a farm greater than 30 percent of the average size farm in the county, at time of application.
- If the applicant is an entity, all members must be related by blood or marriage, and all entity members must be eligible beginning farmers.
- Loan Types:
- Farm Ownership Loans
- Farm Operation Loans
- Microloans (Ownership or Operating)
- Farm-Loan Programs information:
- General Information: Farm Loan Programs (usda.gov)
- Fact-Sheet: Loans for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers: SDA_Loans-Fact_Sheet-August_2019 (usda.gov)
- Fact-Sheet: Loans for Beginning Farmers & Ranchers (March 2020): loans_for_beginning_farmers_and_ranchers-factsheet.pdf (usda.gov)
8. USDA ENGAGES PUBLIC FOR INPUT ON WATER QUANTITY IN THE WEST:
- “The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) [] announced it is seeking public input about water quantity in the west related to existing Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) programs.”
- What: OPEN PUBLICH LISTENING SESSION
- Who: Who: Acting NRCS Chief Kevin Norton
- When: Thursday, December 17 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern
- “If additional time is deemed necessary to hear all input, a second session will be held Friday, December 18 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern.”
- Where: Virtual
- “We have heard from stakeholders that we need to do more to address water quantity issues in the western U.S.” “This listening session will enable us to hear directly from people at the local level on how to improve our programs and operations.” – Acting Chief Norton.
- Source: USDA Engages Public for Input on Water Quantity in the West | NRCS