California Ag Network

Category: Featured Post

  • On World Milk Day, U.S. Dairy Celebrates American Consumers

    National Milk Producers Federation — While no one can say with certainty that the slow re-openings across the U.S. mark the beginning of the end of the COVID-19 crisis, it’s clear these attempts to return to a more normal existence mark the end of the beginning. The world is an experiment, both of science and of societies. Outcomes will remain uncertain for months.

    But data can help draw a few conclusions. One from the consumer sector is that, in times of uncertainty, people turn to the bedrock items that they know will nourish themselves and their families. And dairy is an important choice.

    Retail-sales as reported by consumer market researcher IRI over the past three months show that consumers have reacted to the coronavirus crisis first by stocking up on dairy, then by continuing to buy milk and other products at disproportionately high levels.

    From March 8 to March 22, as stay-at-home orders and business closures proliferated nationwide, dairy products flew from store shelves. Milk sales were 43 percent higher than during the same period a year earlier. Yogurt rose 31 percent. Ice cream sales gained 40 percent and cheese 76 percent. Butter sales more than doubled during the same period. 

    Gains have continued into the “new normal,” and in fact take up more of a consumer’s retail dollar than they did during the panic peak. Retail dairy sales from late March through May 17 remain 25 percent higher than a year ago, while overall grocery sales during that same period are only up 14 percent — meaning that at a time when people are relying more on grocers to fill their needs, they’re relying on dairy significantly more than they are on other products. 

    That vote of consumer trust shows every sign of continuing for the foreseeable future – and that shouldn’t be a surprise, really. When milk is already in 94 percent of U.S. households, it follows that it would be especially important as families choose how to weather a storm. This real-world, real-time affirmation of dairy’s value can’t help but inspire the entire dairy community to keep working and maintain resilience through whatever comes next. Dairy owes a deep debt of gratitude to consumers whose support has helped carry farmers through this crisis. 

    Of course, consumer faith has been only one part of dairy’s story in the past few months. Pre-coronavirus, about half of all dairy sales came from outside the home. Even as retail consumers increased dairy buying, sales to restaurants, schools and cafeterias plunged. That turbulence prompted sharp declines in the USDA’s forecast for milk prices for 2020. That’s been a big reason why federal assistance for dairy farms has been so important.

    But even that story is brightening. A recent price rally is changing the outlook from mortifying to merely difficult – still cold comfort for many producers, but more manageable in a way many wouldn’t have dared to wish for even one month ago. Restaurant sales are slowly returning, and federal aid has provided a meaningful boost to bottom lines, even as signs of stress will still need to be monitored and additional aid will be necessary. 

    The past few months have been difficult for dairy, as it has for everyone. The next few will be as well. But dairy is resilient. Its value to consumers is beyond dispute, and early signs of recovery give reasons for hope. Today is World Milk Day. there remains much to overcome, there is also much to celebrate. Raise a glass. 

  • Innovative Virus Research May Save Wheat and Other Crops

    UC Riverside scientists have solved a 20-year-old genetics puzzle that could result in ways to protect wheat, barley, and other crops from a devastating infection. Ayala Rao, professor of plant pathology and microbiology, has been studying Brome Mosaic virus for decades. Unlike some viruses, the genetic material of this virus is divided into three particles that until now were impossible to tell apart.

    Photo Caption: Visually indistinguishable particles of Brome Mosaic Virus. (Ayala Rao/UCR)

    “Without a more definitive picture of the differences between these particles, we couldn’t fully understand how they work together to initiate an infection that destroys food crops,” Rao said. “Our approach to this problem has brought an important part of this picture into very clear focus.”

    A paper describing the work Rao’s team did to differentiate these particles was recently published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

    Inside each of the particles is a strand of RNA, the genetic material that controls the production of proteins. The proteins perform different tasks, some of which cause stunted growth, lesions, and ultimately death of infected host plants.

    Two decades ago, scientists used the average of all three particles to create a basic description of their structure. In order to differentiate them, Rao first needed to separate them, and get them into their most pure form.

    Using a genetic engineering technique, Rao’s team disabled the pathogenic aspects of the virus and infused the viral genes with a host plant. 

    “This bacterium inserts its genome into the plant’s cells, similar to the way HIV inserts itself into human cells,” Rao said. “We were then able to isolate the viral particles in the plants and determine their structure using electron microscopes and computer-based technology.”

    Now that one of the particles is fully mapped, it’s clear the first two particles are more stable than the third. 

    “Once we alter the stability, we can manipulate how RNA gets released into the plants,” Rao said. “We can make the third particle more stable, so it doesn’t release RNA and the infection gets delayed.”

    This work was made possible by a grant from the University of California Multicampus Research Program and Initiatives. Professors Wiliam Gelbart, Chuck Knobler, and Hong Zhou of UCLA, as well as graduate students Antara Chakravarthy of UCR and Christian Beren of UCLA, made significant contributions to this project.

    Moving forward, Rao is hoping to bring the other two viral particles into sharper focus with the expertise of scientists at UCLA and UC San Diego. 

    Brome Mosaic virus primarily affects grasses such as wheat and barley, and occasionally affects soybeans as well. According to Rao, it is nearly identical to Cucumber Mosaic virus, which infects cucumbers as well as tomatoes and other crops that are important to California agriculture. 

    Not only could this research lead to the protection of multiple kinds of crops, it could advance the understanding of any virus.

    “It is much easier to work with plant viruses because they’re easier and less expensive to grow and isolate,” Rao said. “But what we learn about the principles of replication are applicable to human and animal viruses too.” — By Jules Bernstein, UC Riverside

  • Protecting American Wheat Fields from Aphids

    Fields of wheat are so associated with the U.S. that they’re featured in the song America the Beautiful as “amber waves of grain.” But those amber fields face a big threat: Russian wheat aphids.

    As their name suggests, these aphids hail from Eurasia. These invasive pests first made their way to Texas in 1986. They’ve since spread to many states and cause billions of dollars of damage to wheat fields. So, crop scientists are desperate to find ways to stop the aphids in their tracks.

    “Our major goal is to find genes connected with the resistance to all Russian wheat aphid types in the U.S. and transfer these genes to best wheat varieties,” says Xiangyang Xu. Xu is a scientist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture who studies these aphids. “When farmers grow these aphid-resistant varieties of wheat, they don’t need to worry about the pest.”

    Unfortunately for farmers, there are at least five major variations of aphids in the U.S. Each type can survive on wheat with different resistance genes.

    Until now, no wheat variety was known that could resist all five types of aphids. That makes genetic resistance the ideal way to protect against the aphids.

    Xu and his team tested over a hundred varieties of wheat to find ones that were resistant to the aphids. The tests included wheat from Afghanistan, Denmark, Iran, Switzerland and the U.S.

    After exposing all wheat varieties to all five types of aphids, researchers observed how much damage the aphids did to the plants. The plants that suffered only minor damage or no damage at all were counted as resistant.

    At the end of the experiment, they found 14 strains of wheat that were able to resist most damage by all five aphid types. The team spotted another nine types of wheat that were able to resist all types of aphids at least some of the time.

    “These wheat varieties are very valuable for breeding durable Russian wheat aphid-resistant wheat cultivars,” says Xu.

    The strongest varieties came from Iran, where both the aphids and wheat are native. That long history of coexistence likely explains why Iranian wheat has developed such strong resistance.

    Now breeders can begin studying how these wheat varieties resist the aphids. And they can use these varieties in breeding programs to provide resistance to American varieties of wheat.

    The aphids feed on the leaves of young wheat plants. This stunts the plant’s growth and can drop yield by up to 60%. Damaged leaves tend to curl around the insects. That curling can protect the aphids from pesticides sprayed on fields. And pesticides are expensive.

    “Pesticides are available to control Russian wheat aphids in the field,” says Xu. “But the considerable costs will significantly reduce farmers’ profit. “

    With these resistant plants identified, the next step is to cross resistant wheat varieties with high performing, but susceptible, varieties.

    “We need to locate the genes first, and then transfer these genes into high-performing wheat varieties in the U.S.,” says Xu.

    The researchers will first find DNA sequences linked with genes creating resistance to track during wheat breeding. Creating new American wheat varieties resistant to all aphid types should take four to five years.

    That will ensure that amber waves of grain stand strong in America for years to come.

    Read more about this research in Crop Science. This work was funded by the United States Department of Agriculture in-house project 3072-21000-009-00D.

  • America’s Dairy Farmers, Pizza Hut Celebrate Class of 2020 with Free Pizza

    Dairy Management Inc. (DMI) and checkoff partner Pizza Hut are joining forces to give away half a million pizzas to Class of 2020 high school graduates. “We are so excited to partner with Pizza Hut to help high school seniors and their families celebrate this special milestone in their lives,” said Marilyn Hershey, a Pennsylvania dairy farmer and chair of Dairy Management Inc., which manages the national dairy checkoff. “This is a shining example of what we accomplish when dairy farmers and importers build relationships with a company such as Pizza Hut through our checkoff.”

    The promotion was officially announced on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” last evening, on May 21. The segment can be viewed at this link (ANNOUNCEMENT STARTS AT 6:55 IN THIS CLIP).

    “Our brand has a long history of celebrating moments that matter – like graduations – and Pizza Hut takes pride in being a part of our customers’ big days,” said George Felix, chief marketing officer, Pizza Hut. “So, it’s only natural that we’d be there for students and their families to help celebrate the accomplishments of the graduating class of 2020. We’re proud to partner with America’s hard-working dairy farmers to bring students who are missing out on their chance to cross the stage with their diploma, an opportunity to celebrate with their favorite Pizza Hut pizza.”

    To claim a free pizza, visit www.pizzahut.com/gradparty, sign into your Hut Rewards account and a coupon for a one-topping medium pizza will be deposited into your account while supplies last. Coupons will be valid for online redemption through June 4.   For more information about the dairy checkoff, visit www.usdairy.com.

  • Students Earn Scholarships Through Dairy’s Future Leaders Contest

    California’s leading dairy organizations have announced the winners of the Dairy’s Future Leaders college student writing contest. The contest asked students to share what sustainability means to them and how they envision their futures as leaders in the dairy community. Genevieve Regli, sophomore at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, received first place honors. Second and third place awards went to Hayley Fernandes, sophomore at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, and Andrew Skidmore, junior and Fresno State University, respectively.

    “I was excited to provide my insight on sustainability,” said Regli, whose family has been dairy farming in Ferndale for more than 120 years. “What I’ve seen my whole life is that dairy farmers experience some very good times and some very hard times. We have to be looking forward, and we have to get creative in order to survive and make sure we can pass the farm on to the next generation.”

    The contest was offered as part of the California Dairy Sustainability Summit, a program that brings together dairy farmers, state officials, researchers, and other key stakeholders to help advance the economic and environmental sustainability of the state’s family dairy farms. The Summit is hosted by Dairy Cares, California Dairy Research Foundation, California Milk Advisory Board, Dairy Council of California, and the California Dairy Quality Assurance Program. Through the writing contest, current dairy leaders learned how the next generation views challenges and opportunities.

    Regli is majoring in agricultural communications and aspires to one day own and operate a dairy farm educational center. “The reality is that today’s college students are the future consumers and future leaders of our state,” Regli said. “I know from working with students outside of the college of agriculture that we have to start conversations with our shared values, and we have to be prepared to adapt to their needs as consumers.”

    To support students’ academic and professional pursuits, the top three winning students were awarded scholarships, sponsored by Milk Producers Council (MPC), nonprofit organization representing dairy families throughout California. Geoffrey Vanden Heuvel, Director of Regulatory & Economic Affairs for MPC was pleased with the level of participation and the quality of essays submitted.

    From left to right: Genevieve Regli, Hayley Fernandes, and Andrew Skidmore earned top honors for their essays on dairy sustainability.

    “Dairy farmers face a lot of challenges, as our state continues to raise the bar for many environmental standards: water quality and conservation, methane reduction, and air quality improvements,” Vanden Heuvel said. “It’s good that students start to think about how all these pieces fit together and their impacts on economic and social sustainability.”

    Contest entries were submitted from across colleges and universities in California and other states, and the essays discussed a wide range of issues. Participants included both students born and raised on dairy farms and others whose interest in dairy began differently. All contestants expressed interest in pursuing careers throughout the broader dairy industry—including teaching and research, mechanical and agronomic support, and marketing and communications.

    Second-place winner Hayley Fernandes is majoring in dairy science, with a minor in law and society. Her family owns and operates a dairy farm in Pixley. Fernandes plans to pursue a law degree and become an advocate for dairy farmers. “California is very progressive,” she said. “While that can be difficult for farmers, it also helps us stay ahead of the curve. That’s something I hear my dad and uncles talk about a lot. I’d like to become an expert on issues that impact farmers, so I can help them continue to progress in ways that are economically sustainable.”

    Third-place winner Andrew Skidmore is a mechanical engineering major with a passion for dairy and agriculture. “I want to work in agriculture, and I want to help solve problems, both the mechanical kind and those that involve people,” Skidmore said. “One challenge I’m fascinated with is the implementation of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. What tools and strategies can we use to help farmers manage their water? I think I could be a part of that solution.”

    Dairy’s Future Leaders contest awards were intended to be announced at the California Dairy Sustainability Summit, previously planned for March 2020. The event has been postponed, now to take place November 5-6, 2020 in Sacramento. While the COVID-19 outbreak has recently posed many challenges to the dairy community and to college students, it has not disheartened the spirit of these passionate young leaders. Skidmore said he’s still an optimist: “That just means there’s more problems for us to help solve.”

    Learn more about the top three winners. Click the links below to read the top ten essays:

  • 12 Million Ton Processing Tomato Crop Anticipated in California

    As of May 15, California’s tomato processors reported they have or will have contracts for 12.0 million tons of processing tomatoes for 2020. This production estimate is unchanged from the January intentions forecast and 7.8 percent above the final 2019 contracted production total. The May contracted acreage of 235,000 is also unchanged from the January intentions forecast and 1,000 acres above last year’s final contracted acreage.

    Fresno County remains the top California County in contracted planted acreage for 2020 with 72,300 acres. Yolo, Merced, Kings and San Joaquin make up the remaining top five counties, accounting for 75 percent of the 2020 total contracted planted acreage for California.

    Dry winter weather caused some concern for water availability. Despite a few rain storms in March and April, planting was on schedule and the warm temperatures through spring helped with early crop development. An unusual heat wave at the end of May required more irrigation than normal for this time of year. There were no reports of disease or pest issues.

    This early processing tomato estimate is funded by the California League of Food Producers, in cooperation with the California Department of Food and Agriculture. 

  • California Walnut Acreage Continues to Grow

    According to the USDA’s 2019 Walnut Acreage Report, California’s walnut acreage is estimated at 415,000 acres, up 3.8 percent from 2017. Of the total acreage, 365,000 were bearing and 50,000 were non-bearing. Of the walnut acreage reported, Chandler continues as the leading variety with 133,609 bearing acres. Tulare overtook Hartley for second place with 29,331 bearing acres. San Joaquin County shows the largest acreage with 14 percent of the total, followed by Butte with 13 percent and Tulare with 10 percent each.

    OBJECTIVES

    The Pacific Regional Office of the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) conducts an acreage survey of California walnut growers. The purpose of this survey is to provide walnut acreage information on new plantings and removals. It is a continuation of a long series of industry-funded walnut acreage surveys.

    This report consists of two parts:

    Estimated walnut acreage — bearing, non-bearing, and total.

    Detailed data by variety, year planted, and county – as voluntarily reported by walnut growers and maintained in the NASS database. 

    With perfect information, the estimated walnut acreage and the detailed data would be the same. However, differences exist for the following reasons:

    A voluntary survey of approximately 4,900 walnut growers is unlikely to ever attain 100 percent completeness.

    It is difficult for USDA, NASS to detect growers that are planting walnuts for the first time.

    The detailed data reflects tree removals from over 15,000 acres during the past two years. Of this number, some acreage was harvested in 2019 prior to being pulled out, and that acreage has already been removed from the detailed data.

    PROCEDURES

    The major source of the walnut detailed data was a questionnaire mailed to all walnut growers included in the NASS database. The mailing was made to approximately 4,900 walnut growers in early November. The questionnaire contained previously reported crop, variety, and acreage information preprinted. Producers were asked to update the information with new plantings, removals, and any other corrections; new growers were mailed a blank questionnaire. Producers were given six weeks to respond by mail. A telephone follow-up was then undertaken.

    To arrive at the estimated walnut acreage, the NASS walnut acreage database was compared with pesticide application data maintained by County Agricultural Commissioners and the California Department of Pesticide Regulation. In addition, NASS looked at data collected on the Walnut Nursery Sales Survey.

    ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

    The USDA, NASS, Pacific Regional Office sincerely appreciates the many farm operators, owners, and management firms for providing the information. A special thanks goes to the California Walnut Board for providing funding and support of this special acreage update survey.

  • 60-year-old Flight Instructor Propels Himself to Winemaking Degree

    When local flight instructor Paolo De Censi is flying over the Central Valley, it gives him a chance to glance over at the Fresno State vineyard and winery that have fueled his other passion the past four years.

     De Censi, who turned 60 in April, received his bachelor’s degree in enology this month, after balancing a full-time class schedule with a 20-hour-a-week teaching load at JB Aeronautics, based out of the Fresno Yosemite International Airport.

     That career started almost 30 years ago when he took his first aviation class in 1992 in Daytona Beach, Florida. 

     “I wasn’t one of those kids that always dreamed of flying,” De Censi said. “In my 20s, a friend who had his license got me into it a little while I was working as a computer programmer. When I realized that many co-workers were much better than I at it, I decided to find a profession that was fun and started saving up to take flying lessons, and I’ve never gone back.”

    His interest in winemaking started at an early age with his grandfathers who grew grapes and made wine in northern Italy in the Piedmont and Lombardy areas near Milan where he grew up. 

     “Wine is such an important part of the Italian culture in so many ways,” De Censi said. “All of our family helped out at harvest, and those experiences bound us together. I still remember when my grandfather offered me my first taste when I was a kid.”

     Agriculture emerged on his professional radar after a biology professor recommended it as a career option while he was a student at Los Angeles Pierce College. He later graduated with an associate’s degree in agriculture from the Woodland Hills institution in 2013.

     Prior to that, he had received an associate of science degree in aviation maintenance from West Los Angeles College in 2008.

     “I guess you could say classes have become an addiction,” De Censi said. “After I lost my job as a flight instructor in Italy (in 2004), I came back to the U.S. via a student visa, and I had to keep taking classes to renew my visa. I needed to take 12 units each semester and work, so it was like a puzzle which classes would fit into a schedule for me to do both.”

     Being a student for so long has also given him the chance to expand his horizons in other ways. 

     He speaks Spanish fluently, dabbles in French and has a wide spectrum of academic interests. A smattering of the topics of his Fresno State classes include Chinese, deaf culture, dinosaurs, energy conversion, Latin American studies, massage, Pilates, planet Earth, pop music, violent weather and yoga.

     He has excelled in them with a 3.78 GPA, and he was nominated for the Dean’s Medal for the Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology.

     What’s next for the budding winemaker? 

     Possibly a master’s degree with the same Fresno State enology program to add research and production experience at the award-winning campus winery that is regarded as the nation’s best.

     “I’ve been so busy with both areas that I haven’t had as much time to improve my hands-on winemaking skills,” De Censi said. “It’s like when you start to get your private pilot’s license, they say you’re at a 0 level. I feel like that’s where I’m at, but the winery here is such a great place to learn.”

     After that, he knows opportunities will open up with his Fresno State degree and training. 

     He would consider working at wineries in Central California or throughout the state, and the only caveat is that he would like an airport nearby. He would also consider a return to Italy, and especially enticing would be Cinque Terre, a string of five towns and villages on the northwest coast.

     “It would be nice to go back there and work,” DeCensi said. “It’s so beautiful, and the wine is great. However, it’s not easy to work in the vineyards there because of the steep slopes and terraces. I try not to have any long-term goals, because they never work out. I want to enjoy the next few years here, and then we’ll see.”

  • Four Ag Waste Management Steps for Your Farm

    Agricultural solid waste needs to be managed efficiently. This is why you need a well-designed waste management plan. By managing agricultural waste properly, you can reduce the waste going to the landfill. Let’s learn more about it.

    What is Agricultural Waste?

    In simple words, agricultural waste is defined as the waste produced as a result of agricultural activities. It comprises animal waste like manure, food processing waste, crop waste like culls from fruits and vegetables, and toxic agricultural waste.

    4 Steps of Waste Management

    ●      Collection

    The first step is to collect farm waste. This refers to the initial capture and gathering of the waste from the point of origin to a collection point.

    Identify the method of collection and where the collection points are located. Next, implement the scheduling of the collection after identifying the labor and equipment requirements. Install the necessary equipment like baler, which is used to compress waste into small and manageable bales.

    ●      Treatment

    Once you collect agricultural waste, you must ‘treat’ it. This means that you need to modify the physical characteristics of the waste, such as moisture content, to facilitate more efficient waste handling. If the waste consists of solid particles, you may have to consider pre-treatment to separate the solids.

    Start by analyzing the characteristics of the waste before you send it for treatment and follow that by determining the desired characteristics of the waste after the treatment. Then, select the type of treatment for the waste, estimate size, location, and installation of the treatment facility. You also need to consider the cost of the treatment process.

    You can consider waste compaction before you go ahead with the treatment. Waste compaction is the process of reducing the size of the waste by ‘compacting’ it. A garbage compactor is used to compress waste so that more waste can be stored in the same space.

    ●      Storage and Packaging

    Storage is the process of containing the waste. Having a storage facility allows you to control the scheduling and timing of the system functions. For instance, with proper storage, you have the flexibility to schedule the land application of the waste when the spreading operations do not interfere with other tasks.

    Determine the storage period of the waste by the utilization schedule. Identify the storage volume, size, location, and the installation cost of the storage facility.

    Next comes packaging. If you have treated the farm waste into fertilizer pellets, you need to store and package them. One way to package them is by sending the pellets into the packaging machine using a belt conveyor. This machine can handle feeding, filling, sealing, and packaging of the waste.

    ●      Utilization

    This step includes the reusing or recycling of waste products. For instance, agricultural wastes may be used as mulch, source of energy, plant nutrients, or organic matter. If you treat the waste properly, it can be marketable.

    One of the most common practices is to recycle the nutrients in the waste through land application. You need to do a complete analysis of utilization through land application. This includes selecting the fields where you want the land application and scheduling the applications.

    Next comes designing the distribution system and selecting the necessary equipment to conduct land application. You must determine the application rates and volume and value of the recycled products. Consider the installation and management of all the costs associated with the utilization process.

    In Conclusion

    No matter how much agricultural waste you produce, you need to manage it properly. Recycle and reuse as much as you can and discard the remaining in the right manner.

    Author Bio: Erich Lawson is passionate about saving the environment through effective recycling techniques and modern
    innovations. He works with Compactor Management Company and writes on a variety of topics related to recycling,

     

     including tips and advice on how balers, compactors and shredders can be used to reduce industrial waste. He loves helping businesses understand how to lower their monthly garbage bills and increase revenue from recycling.

  • CA Farmers Can Now Apply for Financial Assistance through Coronavirus Food Assistance Program

    Agricultural producers can now apply for USDA’s Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP), which provides direct payments to offset impacts from the coronavirus pandemic. The application and a payment calculator are now available online, and USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) staff members are available via phone, fax and online tools to help producers complete applications. The agency set up a call center in order to simplify how they serve new customers across the nation.

    “We know California producers are facing a tough time now, and we are making every effort to provide much needed support as quickly as possible,” said Connie Conway, state executive director for FSA in California. “FSA is available over the phone and virtually to walk you through the application process, whether it’s the first time you’ve worked with FSA, or if you know us quite well.”

    Applications will be accepted through August 28, 2020. Through CFAP, USDA is making available $16 billion for vital financial assistance to producers of agricultural commodities who have suffered a five-percent-or-greater price decline due to COVID-19 and face additional significant marketing costs as a result of lower demand, surplus production, and disruptions to shipping patterns and the orderly marketing of commodities.

    “We also want to remind producers that the program is structured to ensure the availability of funding for all eligible producers who apply,” Conway said.

    In order to do this, producers will receive 80 percent of their maximum total payment upon approval of the application. The remaining portion of the payment, not to exceed the payment limit, will be paid at a later date nationwide, as funds remain available.

    Producers can download the CFAP application and other eligibility forms from farmers.gov/cfap. Also, on that webpage, producers can find a payment calculator to help identify sales and inventory records needed to apply and calculate potential payments.

    Additionally, producers in search of one-on-one support with the CFAP application process can call 877-508-8364 to speak directly with a USDA employee ready to offer assistance. This is a good first step before a producer engages the team at the FSA county office at their local USDA Service Center.

    Applying for Assistance

    Producers of all eligible commodities will apply through their local FSA office. Those who use the online calculator tool will be able to print off a pre-filled CFAP application, sign, and submit to your local FSA office either electronically or via hand delivery. Please contact your local office to determine the preferred method. Find contact information for your local office at farmers.gov/cfap.

    Documentation to support the producer’s application and certification may be requested after the application is filed. FSA has streamlined the signup process to not require an acreage report at the time of application and a USDA farm number may not be immediately needed. 

    Additional Commodities

    USDA is also establishing a process for the public to identify additional commodities for potential inclusion in CFAP. Specifically, USDA is looking for data on agricultural commodities, that are not currently eligible for CFAP, that the public believes to have either:

    1. suffered a five percent-or-greater price decline between mid-January and mid-April as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic,
    2. shipped but subsequently spoiled due to loss of marketing channel, or
    3. not left the farm or remained unharvested as mature crops.

    More information about this process is available on farmers.gov/cfap.

    More Information

    To find the latest information on CFAP, visit farmers.gov/cfap or call 877-508-8364.

    USDA Service Centers are open for business by phone appointment only, and field work will continue with appropriate social distancing. While program delivery staff will continue to come into the office, they will be working with producers by phone and using online tools whenever possible. All Service Center visitors wishing to conduct business with the FSA, Natural Resources Conservation Service, or any other Service Center agency are required to call their Service Center to schedule a phone appointment. More information can be found at farmers.gov/coronavirus.