California Ag Network

Category: Ag Legislation

  • Almond Alliance’s Elaine Trevino Nominated as US Chief Agricultural Negotiator

    On September 13th, President Biden announced his intent to nominate several individuals to serve as key economic and trade representatives, including the Elaine Trevino to serve as Chief Agricultural Negotiator at the United States Trade Representative.

    Elaine Trevino is the President of the Almond Alliance of California (AAC), a member-based trade association that advocates on regulatory and legislative issues in areas of international trade, food safety, water quality and availability, crop protection, air quality, worker safety, supply chain and feed quality. As the leader of an organization that advocates for California’s leading agricultural export, Elaine understands tariff and nontariff barriers to trade and the importance of maintaining America’s strong trade agreements and global positioning. Elaine has worked on advocating for funding for COVID-19 relief, addressing retaliatory tariffs, climate smart farming, public private partnerships for opening new markets and strengthening existing markets and addressing technical sanitary and phytosanitary barriers. Elaine works at the local and federal levels on addressing port congestion, supply chain disruptions and excessive costs.

    Elaine served as a Deputy Secretary at the California Department of Food and Agriculture for Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Governor Gray Davis. She was responsible for the oversight of the international export and trade programs, specialty crop block grant funding, division of marketing services, plant health and pest prevention and the statewide county fair network. Elaine serves on USDA’s Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee (APAC). Born and raised in the Central Valley of California, Elaine has a long history of community service and has a great respect for agriculture and the value of the industry to the overall economy. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of California Berkeley and attended the John F. Kennedy School of Government. Elaine and her family currently reside in Sacramento, California.

    Almond Alliance Chairman Mike Curry shared, “We are thrilled to see Elaine nominated for this position and know that her experience with us at the Almond Alliance will carry over into her new role – working first for farmers and ranchers, their families and the workers and businesses in the rural communities where we live. Her new position is responsible for conducting and overseeing international negotiations related to trade of the nation’s agricultural products – all of them including California almonds. Elaine’s nomination requires U.S. Senate confirmation (which will take time) and be assured that the Board of Directors of the Almond Alliance will lead a smooth transition in partnership with Elaine to identify and hire her successor. While we’re transitioning, the Board, Elaine and the Almond Alliance team will not skip a beat in our advocacy work on behalf of California almonds, both on the state and federal levels. Although we will miss Elaine’s leadership and energy, we are excited for the almond industry, the Central Valley (where she grew up) and California agriculture to have such a passionate and committed person serving in the Chief Agricultural Negotiator role.”

    Of Trevino, Matthew Malcolm, Editor of Pacific Nut Producer Magazine shared, “While faithfully serving the California almond industry in her role as President of the Almond Alliance of California, Elaine has also demonstrated time and time again her commitment to the greater agricultural community in her tireless efforts and involvement in addressing issues such as food supply chain disruptions, international trade disputes, securing funding for agricultural burn alternatives, and much more.  While she will be missed in her role at the Almond Alliance, we are thrilled with the opportunity she will have to represent the interests of farmers at such a critical time as this. We are confident that she will continue to do great things, as she has done for the almond industry.”

    Richard Waycott, President & CEO of the Almond Board of California concurred, “We are thrilled to see Elaine nominated for this critical position, in recognition of the importance of California agriculture and the role of specialty crops like almonds.  We’ve worked closely with Elaine and the Almond Alliance over the years in addressing global trade issues, and look forward to supporting her in her new role as chief ag negotiator.”

    Manuel Cunha President of the Nisei Farmers League added, “I believe Elaine will do a great job representing our agricultural industries. She knows the commodities and markets very well. She is bright and bold.  She understands the politics and knows how to communicate well with both farmers and legislators.”

    Of the nomination, United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai shared, “Elaine Trevino understands the importance of America’s farmers and farming communities to the vitality of our economy. Her experience will help the Biden Administration craft durable trade policy that creates broad-based prosperity. Throughout her impressive career serving in leadership positions at the state and federal level, Elaine has developed strong relationships with key stakeholders and demonstrated a keen understanding of trade and agriculture policy. If confirmed as Chief Agriculture Negotiator, Elaine would be the first woman of color and the first Latina in this critical position that will help USTR advance President Biden’s vision to increase American competitiveness. I hope the U.S. Senate can quickly confirm her to fill this important role so she can get to work on behalf of the American people.”

    Michael Dykes, D.V.M., president and CEO of the International Dairy Foods Association added, “Having had the pleasure of serving on the USDA Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee for Trade with Ms. Trevino in recent years, I’m confident she will position U.S. agriculture interests competitively, remain vigilant to protect U.S. businesses from myriad barriers to trade, and embrace diplomacy and relationship-building. As a resident Californian and former deputy secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture, Elaine Trevino is well aware of the importance of trade to California—the state exported $2 billion worth of dairy products in 2020— and to U.S. dairy. IDFA is eager to get to work with Ms. Trevino to continue the growth of our dairy exports and the global competitiveness of the dairy industry. We encourage the U.S. Senate to confirm her quickly.”

    “The role of Chief Agricultural Negotiator is essential in pursuing positive trade policy results for U.S. dairy farmers and in expanding overseas markets for dairy products,” said Jim Mulhern, president and CEO of National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF). “NMPF is pleased that in choosing Ms. Trevino to nominate for this position, President Biden has selected someone with the right background and clear understanding of trade’s importance to American agriculture, both of which are vital to success in this position. I’ve been fortunate to serve on the president’s Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee with Ms. Trevino and hope to see swift confirmation of her nomination by the Senate so she can commence the work that’s so key for farmers across the country.”

    “U.S. dairy farmers, exporters and manufacturers have been eagerly awaiting the nomination of a Chief Agricultural Negotiator given the sizable role that trade plays in providing a home for the equivalent of more than a day’s worth of U.S. milk production each week,” said Krysta Harden, president and CEO of US Dairy Export Council. “The world needs U.S. dairy and U.S. dairy needs the world. Our industry is eager for additional market opportunities to help us create more jobs here in America as we meet that demand with our high-quality, sustainably produced products. We urge the Senate to move swiftly to confirm Ms. Trevino and look forward to working closely with her to expand markets around the world.”

    Doug Palmer in the Politico Pro shared, “Biden has been under pressure from farm-state senators to fill the position, which Congress created 20 years ago to elevate the importance of agricultural issues in U.S. trade negotiations. Depending on the year, anywhere from 18 percent to 40 percent of the income U.S. farmers earn is derived from goods transported to other countries… By selecting Trevino, Biden helps fulfill his goal of bringing diversity into his administration, while also giving a key position to someone from the largest U.S. agricultural exporting state.”

    Palmer continued, “The Senate Finance Committee will schedule a hearing on Trevino’s nomination sometime after it has received her official paperwork from the White House. Her nomination is the last of six Senate-confirmed positions in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative that Biden needs to fill. Of those, only U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai is already on the job.”

  • Dairy Associations Urge Additional White House Action on Ports Crisis

    The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) joined several other organizations urging the Biden administration to take additional steps to alleviate the ongoing ports crisis in a letter sent today to the White House from a coalition of 77 agriculture and food associations.

    Since early 2021, dairy and other agriculture exporters have been facing unprecedented challenges in securing shipping container space on ocean vessels while contending with an accumulation of exorbitant detention and demurrage fees. Foreign owned and operated ocean carriers have been driving this crisis by providing unpredictable and unreasonable timelines for exporters to load agricultural goods and by exacerbating pressure on supply chains by opting to return empty containers rather than allowing time for them to be loaded with Asian-bound goods for the vessel’s return journey. As a result, over 70% of containers are leaving West Coast ports empty, an all-time record.

    Delays and an intentional lack of transparency and flexibility from ocean carriers have cost American dairy exporters over $300 million dollars through just the first half of the year, or 12% of total export value. In addition to this added cost, continued delays put at risk critical trading relationships with Asian importers as the U.S. increasingly risks becoming viewed as an unreliable supplier.

    “We thank the Biden administration for the initial actions taken to address the extraordinary challenges dairy exporters are facing when exporting their products,” said Krysta Harden, USDEC president and CEO. “Unfortunately, the shipping crisis only continues to grow as container availability becomes scarcer with the ocean carriers’ increasing refusal to export American-made products. To further its goals of supporting the workers and companies producing Made-In-America products, we are urging the White House to take a more active role in ensuring that foreign carriers are not permitted to dictate U.S. export flows and put our established trading relationships in jeopardy. Right now, imports seem to be enjoying the equivalent of an eight-lane highway while our exports have been relegated to narrow country roads; that’s not right and we know that Congress and the Administration can take steps to create fairer trading practices.”

    “Without question, ocean carriers are abusing a unique situation created by the pandemic and the lack of sufficient regulatory action to enforce reasonable shipping practices,” said Jim Mulhern, NMPF president and CEO. “We recognize that increased import demand has driven higher rates for shipping, but it does not warrant the cancellations, refusal to load U.S. dairy and agriculture products, and unreasonable detention and demurrage practices that ocean carriers have turned into an additional revenue stream. It is imperative that the Administration takes immediate steps to work with Congress and the FMC to limit these unfair practices and ensure our exporters can reach their customers around the world.”

    The National Milk Producers Federation, based in Arlington, VA, develops and carries out policies that advance dairy producers and the cooperatives they own. NMPF’s member cooperatives produce more than two-thirds of U.S. milk, making NMPF dairy’s voice on Capitol Hill and with government agencies. For more, visit www.nmpf.org.

    The U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) is a non-profit, independent membership organization that represents the global trade interests of U.S. dairy producers, proprietary processors and cooperatives, ingredient suppliers and export traders. Its mission is to enhance U.S. global competitiveness and assist the U.S. industry to increase its global dairy ingredient sales and exports of U.S. dairy products.

  • State Legislature Passes Record Budget Bills with $1.3 Billion in Equitable, Resilient Food & Farming System Investments

    Governor Newsom has on his desk an historic package of budget bills that include much-needed investments to help our food and farm system recover from the impacts of the pandemic and shore up resilience to climate shocks.

    A total of $1.3 billion in Fiscal Year 2021-22 will fund a range of programs and projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, support farmers in transitioning to organic production, provide affordable housing to farmworkers and their families, improve the infrastructure in school kitchens, food banks and senior nutrition programs, and more. The budget packages also include for the first time proposed multi-year investments.
    Here is a summary of the spending plans for FY 2021-22:

    • Climate Smart/Climate Resilient Farms (e.g., healthy soils, on-farm water conservation): $219 million
    • Sustainable Groundwater Management Implementation (supports farmers with a transition to reducing groundwater use): $230 million
    • Farmworker Housing and Safety (new housing and upgrades, pesticide notification to reduce farmworker exposure): $165 million
    • Healthy Food Access Infrastructure (upgrades to school kitchens, food banks and senior nutrition programs): $352 million
    • Regional Food Economies Infrastructure (food hubs and refrigeration to increase fruit and vegetable access in low-income neighborhoods): $25 million
    • Food Waste/Compost Infrastructure: $130 million
    • Upgrades to Fairgrounds and the Development of Community Resilience Centers: $190 million

    “This budget recognizes the importance of safeguarding California’s food supply in the face of drought, wildfires and the pandemic,” said Jeanne Merrill, Policy Director with the California Climate and Agriculture Network. “By scaling up investments the legislature and the Governor  are taking an important step towards building a resilient agriculture system in the face of climate change, protecting those who grow our food, and making sure our children, seniors and low-income community members have access to healthy food and healthy jobs.”

    For more details, please see here.

    The California Climate and Agriculture Network (CalCAN) is a coalition of the state’s leading sustainable agriculture and farmer allies. Since 2009, CalCAN has cultivated farmer leadership to face the challenges of climate change and to serve as the sustainable agriculture voice on climate change policy in California.

  • PD/GWSS Board Welcomes Research Coordinator

    The PD/GWSS Board is pleased to announce that Dr. Kristin Lowe will oversee and guide the Board’s extensive research program as research coordinator. With over 20 years of experience working with growers and researchers at the junction of viticulture science and practical farming, Dr. Lowe brings a valuable perspective to the Board’s mission of investing in research and outreach to protect California vineyards.

    “I want growers to know that the Board’s research portfolio is built on a robust review process of research that is relevant to their needs,” said Dr. Lowe. “Their assessment dollars are going to the very top ideas and researchers out there to deliver practical solutions to the pest and disease problems growers face.”

  • The Organic Center Digs into AgTech for Organic

    The Organic Center is teaming up with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service; California State University, Fresno; and Purdue University on a free virtual conference series and hackathon examining technology to address complex issues for organic agriculture.

    Because organic farmers are prohibited from using common conventional materials such as most synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, the tools available for them to tackle common agricultural challenges are limited.  Agricultural technology (AgTech), however, could provide new opportunities to develop sustainable, organic-compliant methods for addressing these barriers. But before that can happen, the lack of communication and scarcity of organic AgTech collaborations must be overcome to remove what is often a disconnect between technology and the needs of organic producers.

    Organic farming is made up of a diversity of operations. This raises such issues as accessibility of technology for small- and low-income farms, equity around tech use and adoption, and inclusion of marginalized farming communities in the development of AgTech.

    ”There are a number of innovative technologies being developed that are or could be leveraged by the organic sector,” said Jessica Shade, Director of Science Programs for The Organic Center. “However, the uniqueness of organic has created certain challenges to more organic farmers using ag technology. This series will address these issues.”

    The first conference of the series, titled “Organic Confluences Conference: Connecting Organic and AgTech” takes place on Thursday, December 2, and will highlight the potential for technology to support the organic sector, including a panel of organic farmers talking about their experiences and needs for technology and a panel of AgTech community members discussing the intersection of their work with organic.
     
    The second conference, titled “Organic Confluences Conference: Equity and Access in AgTech” taking place Thursday Feb 10, 2022, will examine potential pitfalls concerning equity in AgTech, opportunities for small-farm AgTech access, historical and current examples of AgTech exacerbating the pre-existing structures of racism in the food system, and methods for analyzing AgTech’s fit within organic ideals.

    To apply the information shared at these conferences, The Organic Center will host a hackathon in collaboration with the Gathering for Open Ag Technology (GOAT) on Feb 24-26, 2022. This event will engage the community in collaborative computer programming focused on open-source solutions to the challenges faced by organic farmers.

    To register or find out more information about these events, visit https://www.organic-center.org/AgTech

  • CA Hemp Farmers Under Attack as Governor Newsom Creates Expensive and Confusing New Regulations

    AB45 was written and sponsored by Assembly member Cecilia Aguiar-Curry. The bill has Governor Gavin Newsom’s blessing and was drafted in close consultation with large Multistate Marijuana operators and Hemp Round Table a outside corporate lobbying groups who are attempting to take control of the California hemp industry. The author did not seek sufficient input from California farmers and other stakeholders actively involved in the hemp industry in CA.

    These groups have aggressively pushed AB45, a harmful anti-farmer bill masquerading under the guise of consumer safety that will harshly regulate the nascent industry to death. Disproportionately affecting small & minority-owned hemp farmers & mid-size service & CBD products companies who have already spent millions establishing themselves in CA.

    This poorly-drafted bill creates a confusing new bureaucracy adding burdensome regulations and compelling CA state agencies to inspect and certify out-of-state hemp facilities selling into California.

    AB45 doesn’t just inhibit California hemp farmers in the middle of this season’s grow from selling their crop, but will also shut down thousands of California’s CBD Wellness companies by criminalizing their products.

    According to Beau Whitney, Economist, Whitney Group and National Industrial Hemp Council

    “As of August 31, 2021, California’s 290 licensed hemp farms this year, alone, are accounting for between 1,740 and 3,335 jobs, annually totaling $62.8M – $120.3M in wages paid and $150.6M – $324.8M in indirect economic benefit. Adding to these are the many other jobs created by businesses specializing in smokable hemp and whole-plant extracts, such as post-harvest processors, manufacturers, and retailers, most of which are small, frequently family-owned enterprises.”

    Longtime Hemp Industry Advocate and Founder, Hemp Farmers Guild  Chris Boucher, CEO, Farmtiva; “AB45 makes no sense and the farmers of California deserve better. Gov. Newsom and his hemp marijuana lobby have made it their mission to push their poorly considered and badly drafted bill, down the throats of California hemp farmers.”  –

    “AB45 will take this promising market away from our diverse hemp farmers and hand it to Big Marijuana and Big Pharma.” – Josh Schneider, CEO of Cultivaris Hemp; President, Hemp Farmers Guild

    “We see headlines like “Gov. Newsom drops support for ban on smokable hemp in California” and “Smokable hemp ban removed from California Bill” which are misleading. The ban was not removed. Inhalable products are currently banned until a tax is enacted which could be years if ever.” – Justin Fiore, CEO of Milestone Hemp/Source Extracts, a national distributor of hemp and hemp-derived products

    About Hemp Farmers Guild: The Hemp Farmers Guild represents the interests of California’s diverse hemp farmers and cultivators.  The Guild works to educate legislators, regulators and farmers on the issues and challenges facing the hemp growers of California.  We advocate for reasonable legislation and responsible regulation that helps ensure safe, high-quality products are available for all the residents of our state.

  • California Biodiversity Day a Time to Recognize State’s Extraordinary Natural Environment

    Today is California Biodiversity Day, and CDFA is pleased and proud to recognize this day along with the Natural Resources Agency, the Department of Fish and Wildlife, and other government agencies and partners that spend every day working hard to restore, to preserve and enhance California’s biodiversity.

    Our state is a biodiversity hotspot — we have 1,500 species that are only found here in California, the most of any other state; we have a fabulous Mediterranean climate, one of only five in the world; we have the highest point and the lowest point in the continental US; and we have multiple microclimates that contribute to our biodiversity.

    Biodiversity is the foundation for healthy, thriving agricultural production system. Our farmers are right there on the edge of natural working landscapes, food security, and interacting with our natural environment, and it all starts with soil. We sometimes forget that a quarter of diverse species are under our feet… in soil. One handful of soil contains more microorganisms then all the people on the globe. That’s pretty remarkable!

    Our farmers take care of that soil with a number of different practices. They are always looking to sequester organisms that will give them longer-term productivity by storing carbon in the soils, and that increases water holding capacities, stops erosion, and helps to preserve biodiversity. It also improves the resiliency of our plants and helps us fight climate change.

    I’m really pleased that CDFA’s Healthy Soils Program is a key part of the state’s biodiversity initiative across agencies. We have been able to invest more than $40 million in incentive grants to our farmers to use compost to sequester carbon and plant cover crops, hedge rows, riparian habitat and pollinator habitat, all while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and building up our productivity and sustainability.

    Here are a couple of specific examples, out of many — almond growers have put in hundreds and hundreds of acres of pollinator habitat, and rice growers have spent the last two decades making their rice fields a winter home to a multitude of species along the Pacific Flyway.

    In closing I would like to reiterate that biodiversity is essential in California. It makes our state a special and unique place, and I call on all of us to share a commitment to preserve it, restore it and enhance it. Let’s celebrate our biodiversity today and every day!

    — By CDFA Secretary Karen Ross

  • Organic Trade Association Announces 2022 Organic Week

    Thrilled to be kicking off a year of in-person organic advocacy, the Organic Trade Association is pleased to be hosting its 2022 Organic Week early next year in the nation’s capital. The forward-looking event from Jan. 31 through Feb. 2 is themed “The Future of Organic” and promises organic stakeholders an unparalleled opportunity to help advance organic policy priorities and to protect the future of organic.

    “This is a critical time for organic. ‘The Future of Organic’ will be all about moving organic forward, and working together to advance organic priorities,” said Laura Batcha, CEO and Executive Director of the Organic Trade Association. “In these 72-hours, we’ll work on solutions for the complex issues surrounding organic food and farming, focus on continuous improvement in organic, and celebrate organic leaders. And we can’t wait to again see our members in person!”

    The trade association’s flagship event will be held at The InterContinental at the Wharf located on the Potomac River in D.C.’s recently revitalized Southwest waterfront promenade. Activities during the three days include the Member Day workshops, Conference Day, Advocacy Day and the annual Congressional reception. Also for the first time ever, the Organic Trade Association’s Leadership Awards Dinner and Annual Membership meeting will take place during Organic Week.

    Benchmarking trust in organic

    A highlight of 2022 Conference Day will be the exclusive debut of an in-depth study by Edelman, a global communications firm, to benchmark and analyze trust in the Organic seal, both in the U.S., and in key markets outside the country. The Edelman study builds on its respected Trust Barometer, which for 21 years has surveyed upwards of 30,000 consumers in 28 countries, posing a series of questions to track evolving trust and credibility of government, businesses, NGOs and media.

    Ambassador Darci Vetter, former Chief Agricultural Negotiator and Deputy Under Secretary of Agriculture, and now Senior Advisor at Edelman Global Advisory, will present the findings. With its Trust Barometer as the model, Edelman – under contract with the Organic Trade Association — designed a companion project examining USDA Organic’s trust and credibility among consumers in the U.S. and in key global markets. Vetter will detail the results of the investigative project and offer insights on how to employ the findings to advance organic globally.

    “The information gained from this analysis will inform our organic promotion efforts globally and fill a crucial gap in understanding consumer perceptions and trust of U.S. organic products. The outcomes also will shape our association’s ongoing consumer promotion efforts in foreign markets and enable us to better target foreign consumers. It will help us build for the future,” said Batcha.

    Three action-packed days, one great location and lots of connections
    The InterContinental at the Wharf in Washington, D.C. is the Organic Week headquarters hotel where all activities will be based.

    Day 1, Monday Jan. 31, is Member Day. This day features sector council and task force in-person working sessions, meetings with federal agencies and departments, interactive sessions to plan for the next farm bill, and more. The day will be capped off with an event supporting Organic PAC, the only political action committee devoted to advancing organic’s voice with policymakers in our nation’s capital.

    Day 2, Tuesday Feb. 1, is Conference Day. Always a powerful gathering of hundreds of organic industry leaders, coalition partners and government officials, the 2022 conference will feature, in addition to the Edelman report, thought-provoking keynotes on the issues making news in organic from members of Congress, agency chiefs and other policy and industry influencers. The day ends with a networking reception and the Organic Dinner Celebration in honor of this inspiring week.

    Day 3, Wednesday Feb. 2, is Advocacy Day. A day of Congressional and agency visits. Members will work in small teams to attend hundreds of pre-scheduled meetings across Capitol Hill and then toast a full day of advocating for organic during the association’s annual Congressional Reception, attended by trade association members, lawmakers and agency officials.

    Organic Week in Washington D.C. is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to gain strategic insights, new advocacy tools and valuable personal connections, and the series of events are designed to build on each other over the course of the week. Attendees will work side by side with other organic leaders to focus on the future of organic and have exclusive opportunities to connect with sponsors.

    Registration for Organic Week is open. Register here for the event that unites the entire organic sector to take action on issues at the forefront of organic food, agriculture and trade priorities. Choose one of the Residency Packages to enhance opportunities to meet with colleagues, share experiences and enjoy the convenience of one central location.

  • September USDA Lending Rates for Agricultural Producers

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced loan interest rates for September 2021, which are effective September 1. USDA’s 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.

    Operating, Ownership and Emergency Loans

    FSA offers farm ownership and operating loans with favorable interest rates and terms to help eligible agricultural producers, whether multi-generational, long-time or new to the industry, obtain financing needed to start, expand or maintain a family agricultural operation. FSA also offers emergency loans to help producers recover from production and physical losses due to drought, flooding, other natural disasters or quarantine.  For many loan options, FSA sets aside funding for historically underserved producers, including veterans, beginning producers, women, American Indian or Alaskan Native, Asian, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and Hispanic farmers and ranchers.

    Interest rates for Operating and Ownership loans for September 2021 are as follows:

    FSA also offers guaranteed loans through commercial lenders at rates set by those lenders.

    You can find out which of these loans may be right for you by using our Farm Loan Discovery Tool.

    Commodity and Storage Facility Loans

    Additionally, FSA provides low-interest financing to producers to build or upgrade on-farm storage facilities and purchase handling equipment and loans that provide interim financing to help producers meet cash flow needs without having to sell their commodities when market prices are low.  Funds for these loans are provided through the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) and are administered by FSA.

    Disaster Support

    FSA also reminds rural communities, farmers and ranchers, families and small businesses affected by the year’s winter storms, drought, and other natural disasters that USDA has programs that provide assistance. USDA staff in the regional, state and county offices are prepared with a variety of program flexibilities and other assistance to residents, agricultural producers and impacted communities. Many programs are available without an official disaster designation, including several risk management and disaster assistance options.

    Pandemic Support 

    FSA’s Disaster Set-Aside provision is available to direct loan borrowers who have been impacted by the pandemic. This enables an upcoming annual installment to be set aside for the year and added to the final installment. For annual operating loans, the loan maturity date may be extended up to twelve months in order to set aside the installment.  This provision is normally used in the wake of natural disasters, and a second Disaster Set-Aside may be available for direct loan borrowers who already have a DSA in place on a loan due to another designated natural disaster.

    More Information

    Producers can explore available options on all FSA loan options at fsa.usda.gov or by contacting your local USDA Service Center.

  • CA Farm Water Crisis – The Big Picture with Aubrey Bettencourt

    California farmers were already in a tight water supply situation before this dry year began. With water curtailments, SGMA implementation, settlement agreements and little progress in water infrastructure improvements, farmers have a lot of concerns regarding the future of their livelihoods. Watch this brief video with Aubrey Bettencourt as she provides the big picture of where agriculture currently stands in the California water crisis. Bettencourt has served California agriculture in various capacities over the years and is now Director of Sustainability with the California Cattle Council and Western United Dairies.
    Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.