California Ag Network

Tag: USDA

  • USDA Offers Assistance for Recovery/Prevention of HPAI H5N1 in Dairy Herds

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has confirmed the detection of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), also known as H5N1, in dairy cattle in 12 states including Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Mexico, Ohio, South Dakota, Texas and Wyoming. To protect the U.S. livestock industry from the threat posed by HPAI H5N1 USDA is taking a number of actions with our federal partners.

    On April 24, APHIS announced a federal order that includes mandatory testing for interstate movement of dairy cattle and mandatory reporting of influenza A detections in livestock. In addition to the Federal Order mandates, USDA provides several voluntary testing and monitoring options, including the HPAI Dairy Herd Status Program announced on May 31, 2024. APHIS has released a list of requirements and recommendations that apply to interstate moving of lactating dairy cattle, testing guidance for livestock, and answers to frequently asked questions. Producers are encouraged to visit the APHIS HPAI Livestock Detection website for information about these programs and requirements, as well as the most comprehensive and timely updates about this rapidly evolving situation.

    Assistance for Milk Loss

    Confirmed H5N1 Positive Test Results Required for Recovery Assistance  

    Producers who incur milk losses in their dairy herds due to HPAI H5N1 can now apply for financial assistance through the USDA’s updated Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-raised Fish Program (ELAP). USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) expanded ELAP policy through the rule-making process to assist with financial losses resulting from reduced milk production when cattle are removed from commercial milking in dairy herds having a confirmed positive H5N1 test. Positive tests must be confirmed through the USDA’s APHIS’ National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL).

    To apply, producers need to submit the following to FSA:

    • Proof of herd infection through a confirmed positive H5N1 test (based on USDA’s APHIS H5N1 case definition) on individual animal or bulk tank samples confirmed by APHIS’ NVSL;
    • A notice of loss indicating the date when the loss is apparent, which is the sample collection date for the positive H5N1 test; and
    • An application for payment certifying the number of eligible adult dairy cows removed from production, the month the cows were removed from production, and the producer’s share in the milk production.

    The final date to file a notice of loss and application for payment for eligible losses is 30 days after the end of the prior calendar year, which is January 30.

    Note: To determine livestock and producer eligibility for ELAP H5N1 assistance, to submit an application or if you’ve not previously conducted business with FSA, contact your local FSA county office for details. Find your local office. Other online resources include frequently asked questions and a fact sheet.

    Loans for Biosecurity Implementation 

    FSA also provides direct and guaranteed loans for farmers and ranchers that can assist with implementation of biosecurity measures for their operations. Loans can assist with:

    • Installing physical barriers to facilitate quarantine, to prevent livestock interaction with wildlife, and to prevent unauthorized access by visitors
    • Purchase of disinfectant, footbaths, and disposable footwear and clothing;
    • Veterinary costs related to vaccination and general animal health;
    • Testing of feed and water sources for toxins and other disease;
    • Costs associated with responsible manure disposal and management;
    • Costs associated with cleaning and disinfecting livestock transportation equipment; and
    • Other biosecurity measures recommended by USDA or other applicable agencies.

    To learn more about loans, producers can use the:

    • Loan Assistance Tool – helps producers better navigate the farm loan process. The online Loan Assistance Tool provides producers needing agricultural financing with an interactive, step-by-step guide.
    • Farm Loans Overview Factsheet – provides an overview of all FSA direct and guaranteed loans, and eligibility requirements.
    • Farm Loans Homepage – gives in-depth farm loan information, including fact sheets, for those who don’t want to use the online Loan Assistance Tool.

    To learn more about ELAP or farm loans, producers should contact the FSA at the local USDA Service Center.

    To learn more about APHIS requirements and resources, visit APHIS’ Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) Detections in Livestock  webpage.

  • July USDA Lending Rates for Ag Producers

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced loan interest rates for July 2024, which are effective July 1, 2024. 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.

    “I encourage our lenders and borrowers alike to work with our local offices and our cooperators to capitalize fully on the existing flexibilities in these important programs,” said FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux.

    Operating, Ownership and Emergency Loans  

    FSA offers farm ownership, operating and emergency 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. For many loan options, FSA sets aside funding for underserved producers, including, beginning, 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 July 2024 are as follows:

    FSA also offers guaranteed loans through commercial lenders at rates set by those lenders.  To access an interactive online, step-by-step guide through the farm loan process, visit the Loan Assistance Tool on farmers.gov.

    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.

    Farm Loan Program Process Improvement
    FSA has a significant initiative underway to streamline and automate the Farm Loan Program customer-facing business process. For the over 26,000 producers who submit a direct loan application annually, FSA has made various improvements, including:

    • The Online Loan Application, an interactive, guided application that is paperless and provides helpful features, including an electronic signature option, the ability to attach supporting documents, such as tax returns, complete a balance sheet and build a farm operating plan.
    • The Loan Assistance Tool that provides customers with an interactive online, step-by-step guide to identifying the direct loan products that may be a fit for their business needs and to understanding the application process.
    • An online direct loan repayment feature that relieves borrowers from the necessity of calling, mailing, or visiting a local Service Center to pay a loan installment.
    • A simplified direct loan paper application, reduced from 29 pages to 13 pages.
    • A new educational hub with farm loan resources and videos.

    More Information 

    Since the Inflation Reduction Act was signed by President Biden in August 2022, USDA’s Farm Service Agency has provided approximately $2.4 billion in immediate assistance to more than 43,000 distressed borrowers. The deadline to request assistance through the Inflation Reduction Act Assistance for Distressed Borrowers and Discrimination Financial Assistance Program has passed. Any applications submitted before the program deadlines are currently under review. Visit the related program webpages for more information.

    To learn more about FSA programs, producers can contact their local USDA Service Center. Producers can also prepare maps for acreage reporting as well as manage farm loans and view other farm records data and customer information by logging into their farmers.gov account. If you don’t have an account, sign up today.

  • Pecan Industry Votes to Continue Research and Promotion Program

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that pecan producers and importers voted to continue the American Pecan Promotion Board’s research and promotion program.

    In the referendum held May 10 through June 10, 2024, 74.89% of pecan producers and importers voted in favor of continuing the program. This meets the requirement that the majority of those voting were in favor of the program continuing.

    The Pecan Promotion, Research, and Information Order, which established the American Pecan Promotion program, requires USDA to conduct an initial referendum no later than three years after assessments are first collected. Subsequent continuance referendum will be conducted every seven years or at the request of 10% or more of all eligible pecan producers and importers.

    More information about the program is on the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) American Pecan Promotion Board webpage and on the American Pecan Promotion Board website.

    The pecan research and promotion program is authorized under the Commodity Promotion, Research and Information Act of 1996. The program was developed to strengthen the position of pecans in the marketplace, maintain and expand markets for pecans and develop new uses for pecans within the United States.

    Since 1966, Congress has authorized the development of industry-funded research and promotion boards to provide a framework for agricultural industries to pool their resources and combine efforts to develop new markets, strengthen existing markets and conduct important research and promotion activities. AMS provides oversight of 22 boards, paid for by industry assessments, which helps ensure fiscal accountability and program integrity.

  • $50 M to Support Farmworkers and Ag Employers, California Receives $4.4 M

    Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is awarding $50 million to 141 awardees in 40 states and Puerto Rico, through the Farm Labor Stabilization and Protection Pilot Program (FLSP Program), reaching 177 unique agricultural operations and over 11,000 workers. The awards will help improve the resiliency of the U.S. food supply chain by addressing agriculture labor challenges and instability, strengthen protections for farmworkers, and expand legal pathways for labor migration. This program delivers on a commitment made as part of the Los Angeles Declaration on Migration and Protection and furthers the Administration’s commitment to a regional approach to migration in the hemisphere.

    “These awards will largely support small and mid-sized farms to ensure they can hire and retain the workers they need to be competitive in the market, while also lifting up rural communities across the country,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “Farmworkers make an incredibly important contribution to food and agriculture and ensure we have food on our tables every day. Improving working conditions and quality of life for farmworkers, both U.S. based workers and those that come to our country to work, is one key step in building a stronger, more resilient food supply chain. The Farm Labor Stabilization and Protection Pilot Program demonstrates the Biden Administration’s commitment to supporting employers and farmworkers alike.”

    USDA announced the FLSP Program in September 2023, in coordination with other federal agencies, to help address workforce needs in agriculture; promote a safe and healthy work environment, as well as ethical recruitment for farmworkers; and support lawful migration pathways for workers, including expansion of labor pathways for workers from Northern Central America, through the H-2A visa program. FLSP was designed with significant input from immigration, labor, and agricultural stakeholders – informed by the experiences of farmworkers and farmers themselves.

    The FLSP Program grants will support a range of required and elective supplemental commitments to expand benefits and protections for all employees. The California recipients are as follows:

    1. Faridhkot Farms, Fresno County — $200,000 for training modules to cover workplace safety, equipment handling, and emergency response, complemented by regular health screenings for early identification of occupational health issues.
    2. Drummond Ranch, Los Angeles County — $1,200,000 to improve training, development and retention of workers by enhancing their needed skill sets and by also creating an employee housing initiative as well as working to improve compensation and worker benefits.
    3. Oya Organics, San Benito County — $200,000 for hiring, onboarding, recruitment/consulting fees, direct labor costs for employees, administrative costs for compliance with program commitments, and housing, rent and maintenance costs.
    4. AgriCareInc, Tulare County — $400,000 to support ongoing efforts to benefit a growing pool of employees with new opportunities for professional growth in the agricultural industry. This investment will also allow AgriCare to onboard 75 additional hires.
    5. Alexandre Dairy, Del Norte County — $600,000 to help stabilize current labor shortages with a projected 107 new hires, which would help safeguard the company’s agricultural supply chain.
    6. Cabrera Contracting Inc, Monterey County — $720,000 to bolster its workforce and further ongoing efforts to provide employees with training on emergency plans and procedures.
    7. Healthy Acres LLC, Ventura County — $100,000 to address workforce stability, regulatory compliance, and employee welfare challenges.
    8. JSM Organics Inc, Santa Cruz County — $200,000 for employee recruitment and retention.
    9. JVKS Harvest Solutions LLC, Monterey County — $720,000 to to improve food options for H-2A employees; provide employees digital access to their work and training experience to support career advancement; and modernize training for frontline leaders to include skills like effective communication and conflict resolution.
    10. King Bee Apiarys, Kern County — $100,000 to help address immediate labor needs.

    View the complete list of awardees.

  • The Right-Size Nest can Maximize Pollination Capabilities of Solitary Bees

    Solitary bees have a shorter lifespan compared to honeybees, usually lasting the spring or summer season. These bees have limited time to perform a lot of pollination work and they can use all the help they can get!

    The USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (USDA ARS), Insect Genetics and Biochemistry Research, participated in a study led by the North Dakota State University, that aimed to provide insights on how to help solitary bees maximize their pollination performance and to aid pollination management.

    The study focused on the alfalfa leafcutting bee (Megachile rotundata) to determine how modifying the nesting cavity diameter of solitary bees can enhance bee conservation, performance, and management practices. The pollination work by this species of solitary bee is crucial for alfalfa seed production.

    There are more species of solitary bees than honeybees. Like honeybees, solitary bees are essential for pollinating crops and gardens, but unlike honeybees, they do not live in hives. Many solitary bees, like the alfalfa leafcutting bee, are cavity nesters and lay their eggs in natural cavities such as hollow twigs and holes in wood or digging underground tunnels. Before laying their eggs, the mother bee determines the required amount of provisions, gathers the supply of nectar and pollen, and places it in the individual nest cells. Then, eggs are laid on the provisions for the larvae’ development. Gardeners and bee managers help increase the number of bees by placing “human-made” nesting holes around gardens to help the bees with nest construction. Another method is the use of “human-made” nesting boxes, which are also commonly used in commercial pollination managers to synchronize the time pollinators emerge with crop bloom.

    An interesting fact is that the performance of solitary bees is not solely determined by their genetics but also by their body size. Furthermore, the size of the bee’s body is influenced by the diameter of the nesting cavity and the amount of provisions left by the mother bee. Bees that grow larger inside the cavities have been shown to have a greater foraging distance, making them better at spreading pollen. Therefore, the size of the nesting holes can either limit or maximize the pollination performance of the offspring. So, how can we determine the correct size and diameter for bee-nesting to maximize the production capabilities of solitary bee offspring?

    Scientists examined the adult body mass and provision size of the alfalfa leafcutting bee. They collected samples from nesting boxes placed in the field. The boxes offered cavities ranging in diameter from four to nine mm in one mm increments. After scientists examined all the measurements collected from the field nesting boxes, including the body sizes and provision measurements, they found that the size of the pollen provision was positively correlated to the bee’s mass. They also observed that bees’ body size increased as the diameter of the nesting cavity increased, reaching a maximum size in the bigger nesting cavity diameters, with offspring emerging from 8 and 9 mm having the highest rate of winter survival.

    In addition, the study found that various factors, such as gender, wing areas, wing loading, and overwintering, significantly influence the offspring when included in the analysis. The optimal nesting cavity size for the highest yield of offspring is 7 mm, while the best performance was observed in the 8 mm cavity. On the other hand, the 5 mm cavity could be the best option for the conservation of other cavity-nesting bees. As the different nest diameters impact each of these variables differently, pollination managers should carefully choose a cavity size that aligns with their primary management objective.

    “This study demonstrates the importance of different nest sizes for solitary bees,” said Research Leader Joe P. Rinehart, with the Insect Genetics and Biochemistry Research in Fargo, North Dakota.  “While larger nests result in larger bees that may be able to fly further, the medium nests produced more bees overall, and even bees from the smallest nests have the advantage of increased relative flight power, which means that they have the ability to carry relatively heavier loads than their larger counterparts.”

    What is next?  Scientists will continue researching to find answers to additional questions, including more detailed studies on the costs and benefits of being a larger or smaller bee.

    The study was published in the Journal of Economic Entomology.

    To Grow a Right-Sized Bee, Give It a Right-Sized Nest (entomologytoday.org)

    The Agricultural Research Service is the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s chief scientific in-house research agency. Daily, ARS focuses on solutions to agricultural problems affecting America. Each dollar invested in U.S. agricultural research results in $20 of economic impact.

  • Farm Service Agency Seeking Nominations for Farmers and Ranchers to Serve on Local County Committees

    Nominations are now being accepted for farmers and ranchers to serve on local U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) county committees. These committees make important decisions about how federal farm programs are administered locally. All nomination forms for the 2024 election must be postmarked or received in the local FSA office by Aug. 1, 2024.

    “Serving on a Farm Service Agency county committee is your chance to ensure that other producers who share your interests, your production practices, and your perspective are represented. County committee service is a unique opportunity in the federal government for citizen stakeholders to participate in the implementation of policy and programs at the local level,” said FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux. “Nominations are now open, and elections will begin in November; don’t miss this chance to help FSA serve all producers.”

    Elections for committee members will occur in certain Local Administrative Areas (LAA). LAAs are elective areas for FSA committees in a single county or multi-county jurisdiction and may include LAAs that are focused on an urban or suburban area.

    Customers can locate their LAA through a geographic information system locator tool available at fsa.usda.gov/elections and determine if their LAA is up for election by contacting their local FSA office.

    Agricultural producers may be nominated for candidacy for the county committee if they:

    • Participate or cooperate in a USDA program.
    • Reside in the LAA that is up for election this year.

    A cooperating producer is someone who has provided information about their farming or ranching operation to FSA, even if they have not applied or received program benefits.

    Individuals may nominate themselves or others and qualifying organizations may also nominate candidates. USDA encourages minority, women, urban and beginning farmers or ranchers to nominate, vote and hold office.

    Nationwide, more than 7,700 dedicated members of the agricultural community serve on FSA county committees. The committees are made up of three to 11 members who serve three-year terms. Committee members are vital to how FSA carries out disaster recovery, conservation, commodity and price support programs, as well as making decisions on county office employment and other agricultural issues.

    Urban and Suburban County Committees  

    The 2018 Farm Bill directed USDA to form urban county committees and make other advancements related to urban agriculture, including the establishment of the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production. FSA established county committees specifically focused on urban agriculture that work to encourage and promote urban, indoor and other emerging agricultural production practices. Additionally, the county committees may address food access, community engagement, support of local activities to promote and encourage community compost and food waste reduction.

    Urban committee members are nominated and elected to serve by local urban producers in the same jurisdiction. Urban county committee members provide outreach to ensure urban producers understand USDA programs, serve as the voice of other urban producers and assist in program implementation that support the needs of the growing urban community.

    The 27 cities with urban county committees are listed at fsa.usda.gov/elections and farmers.gov/urban. Of these, ten urban county committees will hold an inaugural election this cycle.

    More Information  

    Producers should contact their local FSA office today to register and find out how to get involved in their county’s election, including if their LAA is up for election this year. To be considered, a producer must be registered and sign an FSA-669A nomination form. This form and other information about FSA county committee elections are available at fsa.usda.gov/elections.

    All nomination forms for the 2024 election must be postmarked or received in the local USDA Service Center by the Aug.1, 2024, deadline. Election ballots will be mailed to eligible voters in November 2024.

    USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. Under the Biden-Harris administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit usda.gov.

  • Nominees Sought for California Desert Grape Administrative Committee

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking nominees for the California Desert Grape Administrative Committee, as the entire Committee must undergo nomination and election every four years. Committee positions open for nomination include four producer member seats, four handler member seats, one producer or handler member seat, one public member seat and 10 alternate member seats corresponding to each position. Selected members will serve a four-year term beginning January 1, 2025.

    Eligible nominees for producer member positions must be producers of grapes for the fresh market or officers or employees of producers. Eligible nominees for handler member positions must be handlers or officers or employees of handlers. Not more than two members and not more than two alternate members shall be affiliated with the same handler entity. The public member and alternate will be nominated at the first meeting of the newly seated Committee.

    A hybrid in-person and Zoom meeting will be held to conduct nominations and elections at 3 p.m. PT on Tuesday, June 25, 2024, at the California Desert Grape Administrative Committee office (39-205 Leopard St. Ste E, Palm Desert, Calif. 92211).

    For nomination and meeting information, contact the Committee Manager Kristy Kneiding at (760) 342-4385 or at  Admin@CaliforniaDesertGrapes.com.  You may also contact  Bianca Bertrand at (559) 356-8202 or at Biancam.Bertrand@usda.gov. More information about the Committee is available on the USDA, Agricultural Marketing Service’s (AMS) California Desert Grape Administrative Committee webpage.

    Authorized by the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937, marketing orders are industry-driven programs that help producers and handlers achieve marketing success by leveraging their own funds to design and execute programs that they would not be able to do individually. AMS provides oversight to fruit, vegetable and specialty crops marketing orders and agreements to help ensure fiscal accountability and program integrity.

    AMS policy is that diversity of the boards, councils and committees it oversees should reflect the diversity of their industries in terms of the experience of members, methods of production and distribution, marketing strategies, and other distinguishing factors, including but not limited to individuals from historically underserved communities, that will bring different perspectives and ideas to the table. Throughout the full nomination process, the industry must conduct extensive outreach, paying particular attention to reaching underserved communities, and consider the diversity of the population served and the knowledge, skills, and abilities of the members to serve a diverse population.

  • Producers Can Now Sign Up for USDA’s Grassland Conservation Reserve Program

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that agricultural producers and private landowners can now sign up for the Grassland Conservation Reserve Program (Grassland CRP). The signup runs from today through June 28, 2024. Grassland CRP, offered by USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA), is a voluntary working lands conservation program that enables participants to conserve grasslands and provide important conservation benefits for wildlife, soil health and carbon sequestration, all while continuing most grazing and haying practices.

    “Grassland CRP is a vital conservation tool that supports two of USDA’s top priorities: the wellbeing of American agriculture and the health of America’s grasslands, which provide critical environmental benefits for wildlife and carbon sequestration,” said FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux. “Over the past three years, we have seen historic interest in the Grassland Conservation Reserve Program with producers signing up to conserve over 6.8 million acres. This historic interest from agriculture has proven that agricultural productivity and conservation priorities are not exclusive from one another, but can coexist and, more importantly, complement and enhance one another.”

    More than 2.3 million acres from agricultural producers and private landowners were accepted through the 2023 Grassland CRP signup. That signup reflects the continued success and value of investments in voluntary, producer-led, working lands conservation programs. The current total participation in Grassland CRP is 8.64 million acres, which is part of the 24.8 million acres enrolled in CRP opportunities overall.

    On Nov. 16, 2023, President Biden signed into law H.R. 6363, the Further Continuing Appropriations and Other Extensions Act, 2024 (Pub. L. 118-22), which generally extended the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (Pub. L. 115-334), more commonly known as the 2018 Farm Bill, through Sept. 30, 2024. This extension allows authorized programs, including CRP, to continue operating.

    Landowners and producers interested in CRP should contact their local USDA Service Center to learn more or to apply for the program before the June 28 deadline.

    Other CRP Options

    FSA is also accepting applications for the Continuous CRP signup, which opened in January 2023. Under this enrollment, producers and landowners can enroll in CRP throughout the year. Offers are automatically accepted provided the producer and land meet the eligibility requirements and the enrollment levels do not exceed the statutory cap.

    Additionally, FSA also offers financial assistance to producers and landowners enrolled in CRP to improve the health of their forests through the Forest Management Incentive (FMI), which can help participants with forest management practices, such as brush management and prescribed burning.

    Producers with expiring CRP acres can use the Transition Incentives Program (TIP), which incentivizes producers who sell or enter a long-term lease with a beginning, veteran, or socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher who plans to sustainably farm or ranch the land.

    More Information

    Signed into law in 1985, CRP is one of the largest voluntary private-lands conservation programs in the United States. It was originally intended to primarily control soil erosion and potentially stabilize commodity prices by taking marginal lands out of production. The program has evolved over the years, providing many conservation and economic benefits.

  • June USDA Lending Rates for Ag Producers

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced loan interest rates for June 2024, effective June 3, 2024. 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.

    “I encourage our lenders and borrowers alike to work with our local offices and our cooperators to capitalize fully on the existing flexibilities in these important programs,” said FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux.

    Operating, Ownership and Emergency Loans
    FSA offers farm ownership, operating and emergency 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. For many loan options, FSA sets aside funding for underserved producers, including, beginning, 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 June 2024 are as follows:

    FSA also offers guaranteed loans through commercial lenders at rates set by those lenders.  To access an interactive online, step-by-step guide through the farm loan process, visit the Loan Assistance Tool on farmers.gov.

    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.

    Farm Loan Program Process Improvement
    FSA has a significant initiative underway to streamline and automate the Farm Loan Program customer-facing business process. For the over 26,000 producers who submit a direct loan application annually, FSA has made various improvements, including:

    • The Online Loan Application, an interactive, guided application that is paperless and provides helpful features, including an electronic signature option, the ability to attach supporting documents, such as tax returns, complete a balance sheet and build a farm operating plan.
    • The Loan Assistance Tool that provides customers with an interactive online, step-by-step guide to identifying the direct loan products that may be a fit for their business needs and to understanding the application process.
    • An online direct loan repayment feature that relieves borrowers from the necessity of calling, mailing, or visiting a local Service Center to pay a loan installment.
    • A simplified direct loan paper application, reduced from 29 pages to 13 pages.

    More Information
    Since the Inflation Reduction Act was signed in August 2022, USDA’s Farm Service Agency has provided approximately $2.3 billion in immediate assistance to more than 42,000 distressed borrowers. The deadline to request assistance through the Inflation Reduction Act Assistance for Distressed Borrowers and Discrimination Financial Assistance Program has passed. Any applications submitted before the program deadlines are currently under review. Visit the related program webpages for more information.

    To learn more about FSA programs, producers can contact their local USDA Service Center. Producers can also prepare maps for acreage reporting as well as manage farm loans and view other farm records data and customer information by logging into their farmers.gov account. If producers don’t have an account, they sign up today.

  • USDA Announces $824 Million in New Funding to Protect Livestock; Voluntary H5N1 Dairy Herd Pilot Program

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced it is taking several additional actions to ensure the health and viability of the nation’s livestock and poultry. In the two months since the initial detection of H5N1 in dairy cattle, USDA has worked quickly and in concert with its federal and state partners to better understand the virus and contain the disease and remains committed to seeking additional ways to collect the data needed to better understand and mitigate the risk created by this outbreak. USDA is adding an additional $824 million in emergency funding from the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) to bolster these efforts and is launching a new Voluntary H5N1 Dairy Herd Status Pilot Program to give dairy producers more options to monitor the health of their herds and move cows more quickly while providing on-going testing and expanding USDA’s understanding of the disease.

    Emergency Funding to Build on Response Efforts

    To help ensure the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) can continue to provide critical rapid response activities, Secretary Vilsack approved the transfer of $824 million from the CCC to APHIS to directly support the response efforts. This funding allows APHIS to continue its critical work with state and local partners to quickly identify and address cases of HPAI/H5N1 in poultry and livestock. The funding will support anticipated diagnostics, field response activities, pre-movement testing requirements, other necessary surveillance and control activities, surveillance in wildlife for APHIS, the Agricultural Research Service’s (ARS) work in developing vaccines for HPAI in cattle, turkeys, pigs, and goats, and ARS and the Food Safety and Inspection Service’s food safety studies.

    The Secretary is authorized to transfer funding from available resources including the CCC to address emergency outbreaks of animal and plant pests and diseases. USDA previously approved the use of $1.3 billion in emergency funding to address nationwide HPAI detections in wild birds and commercial poultry operations. These additional funds will ensure our continued robust and rapid response to this outbreak.

    Voluntary Dairy Herd Status Pilot Program

    Continuing to build on the efforts to contain H5N1, APHIS is standing up a Voluntary H5N1 Dairy Herd Status Pilot Program, which provides alternative testing and movement options to the Federal Order to increase USDA’s monitoring capabilities to mitigate the spread of H5N1. The Voluntary H5N1 Dairy Herd Status Pilot Program aims to create additional testing options for producers with herds that have tested negative for three weeks in a row, further reduce H5N1 virus dissemination, provide for further opportunities to test herds that are not known to be affected with H5N1, increase surveillance and expand our knowledge of the disease, and support an overall national program to reduce the risk of H5N1 in dairy herds.

    The main benefit for farmers who choose to enroll in the Voluntary H5N1 Dairy Herd Status Pilot Program is that once they can demonstrate their herds are free of H5N1 with results from a National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) facility, they will then need to conduct weekly tests on bulk milk from that herd to confirm that status and will be able to ship their cows at the time they prefer and without testing individual animals.

    Dairy producers from States enrolled in the first phase of this program who choose to enroll their herds and who test negative for H5N1 for three consecutive weeks using on-farm bulk tank milk samples or similar representative milk samples tested at a NAHLN laboratory will be able to move animals without additional pre-movement testing currently required under the Federal Order. Producers must also comply with continued regular weekly monitoring and testing of the herd for H5N1.

    APHIS is currently working with state animal health officials to identify states to participate in a pilot phase of the program. Producers from states participating in this pilot can start enrolling in the Voluntary H5N1 Dairy Herd Status Pilot Program on the week of June 3, 2024, by contacting their APHIS Area Veterinarian in Charge or State Veterinarian and signing a Herd Monitoring Plan agreement. USDA strongly encourages dairy producers to enroll in this new program. Beyond the benefits for their own operations, increased producer participation may help USDA to establish state and/or regional disease-free statuses that could further ease compliance with the current Federal Order. Those herds not enrolled in the pilot program will continue to follow the interstate testing and movement requirements published in the Federal Order. More specific guidance on the new program, including how to enroll and how to obtain and maintain a herd status, will be made available on the APHIS website in the coming days.

    As additional testing measures take place, USDA anticipates that it will see an increase in testing and positive test results, which will add to our knowledge of the disease and how it may spread between herds. At the same time, this pilot program will help to gather additional information on how producers with affected herds can document elimination of the virus on their operations and steps they can take to maintain an H5N1 virus-free herd.

    This new investment in risk mitigation augments the previously announced Federal Order on pre-movement testing of lactating dairy cattle, announced on April 24, as well as the tools to support biosecurity activities, announced on May 10, and the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-raised Fish Program funding availability, announced on May 23.

    As USDA continues to take steps to protect the health of livestock, the Department continues to work closely with federal partners at the CDC on protecting the health of people and FDA on protecting the safety of the food supply. The U.S. government remains committed to addressing this situation with urgency.

    To learn more about USDA’s response to H5N1 in dairy cattle, visit www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/livestock.