California Ag Network

Tag: USDA

  • Assistance to Help Organic Dairy Producers Cover Increased Costs

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announces assistance for dairy producers with the new Organic Dairy Marketing Assistance Program (ODMAP). ODMAP is established to help mitigate market volatility, higher input and transportation costs, and unstable feed supply and prices that have created unique hardships in the organic dairy industry. Specifically, under the ODMAP, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is making $104 million available to organic dairy operations to assist with projected marketing costs in 2023, calculated using their marketing costs in 2022.

    “Organic dairy producers have faced significant and unique increases in their marketing costs, compounded by increases in feed and transportation costs and the limited availability of organic grain and forage commodities,” said FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux. “Without assistance, many organic dairies, particularly small organic dairies, will cease production, which not only impacts the domestic supply and consumption of organic milk but also the well-being of many rural communities across the country. This program will keep our small organic dairies in operation as they continue to weather a combination of challenges outside of their control.”

    FSA will begin accepting applications for ODMAP on May 24, 2023. Eligible producers include certified organic dairy operations that produce milk from cows, goats and sheep.

    Adam Warthesen, co-chair of the Organic Trade Association’s Organic Feedstuffs Relief Task Force, and Senior Director of Government and Industry Affairs for Organic Valley said: “With unprecedented organic feed costs and inflationary pressures over the last couple of years, resources like ODMAP are really going to matter as farmers plan for the rest of this year.”

    Britt Lundgren, Senior Director of Sustainability and Government Affairs at Stonyfield, said: “The costs facing organic dairy today are uncommon and putting serious strain on operations. USDA is right to step in and offer support, and this is a good first step. The alternative is we lose family farmers. We look forward to working with USDA to cover more of the actual costs organic dairies are facing.”

    Lia Sieler, Executive Director of Western Organic Dairy Producers Alliance, said: “We welcome the monetary resources allocated to dairy farmers through ODMAP with much anticipation. Input costs have been at an unprecedented high with no foreseeable changes and farmers are struggling to keep up with these high costs at their current pay price for the specialty products they produce. Farmers are struggling to continue producing a quality, safe and nutritious product with the current costs of doing business. We thank USDA with the help of many members of Congress for stepping in, hearing our voices and working diligently to get money pushed out as quick as possible to help alleviate some of this pain. Our work is not done, but this is a major win for our industry in a time of such uncertainty.”

    Chris Adamo, Vice President of Public Affairs and Regenerative Agriculture Policy with Danone North America, said: “Recent increases to cost of feed and overall inputs have significantly impacted organic dairy farms, and on behalf of Horizon Organic, we are grateful for USDA’s thoughtful work and strong support for the farms that supply our customers’ milk.”

    How ODMAP Works

    FSA is providing financial assistance for a producer’s projected marketing costs in 2023 based on their 2022 costs. ODMAP provides a one-time cost-share payment based on marketing costs on pounds of organic milk marketed in the 2022 calendar year.

    ODMAP provides financial assistance that will immediately support certified organic dairy operations during 2023 keeping organic dairy operations sustainable until markets return to more normal conditions.

    How to Apply

    FSA is accepting applications from May 24 to July 24, 2023. To apply, producers should contact FSA at their local USDA Service Center. To complete the ODMAP application, producers must certify to pounds of 2022 milk production, show documentation of their organic certification, and submit a completed application form.

    Organic dairy operations are required to provide their USDA certification of organic status confirming operation as an organic dairy in 2023 and 2022 along with the certification of 2022 milk production in hundredweight.

    ODMAP complements other assistance available to dairy producers, including Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) and Supplemental DMC, with more than $300 million in benefits paid for the 2023 program year to date.  Learn more on the FSA Dairy Programs webpage

    More Information

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

  • USDA Launches Organic INTEGRITY Database Trade Partner Module

    On May 17, the USDA National Organic Program (NOP) expanded functionality for the USDA Organic INTEGRITY Database (INTEGRITY) by launching a new Trade Partner Module. This new module is an expansion of INTEGRITY called the Global Organic INTEGRITY Database (GLOBAL). GLOBAL increases access and transparency to quality data in organic supply chains worldwide, increasing our ability to protect the integrity of organic products sold in the United States.

    The GLOBAL Trade Partner Module is an important step in implementing the Strengthening Organic Enforcement (SOE) final rule requirements. Since 2015, when NOP launched INTEGRITY, USDA-accredited certifiers have used the database to report on farms and businesses certified to the USDA organic standards. Similarly, the Trade Partner Module allows international certifiers to report on farms and businesses certified under our organic equivalency arrangements. When fully deployed, both USDA-accredited certifiers and certifiers working with other government organic standards that have been determined to be substantively similar will be able to generate electronic import certificates in GLOBAL.

    NOP worked with Canada to test the new Trade Partner Module and to begin developing the next component of GLOBAL, which is the Electronic Organic Import Certificate module. To start, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency added certifiers into GLOBAL that were authorized to certify operations as organic under the Canadian and USDA organic standards. Feedback from these certifiers was used to refine the system and develop future enhancements.

    NOP will continue to work with trade partners to add their certifiers, who – along with USDA’s certifiers – will use the module to generate electronic import certificates for all organic imports into the United States beginning May 19, 2024. NOP will prepare users for the updated GLOBAL database by providing user guides and hosting user registration sessions as the launch date approaches. The Import Certificate Module is scheduled to launch in the fall of 2023. Information on operations will become available as trade partners start using the system.  Access GLOBAL HERE.

  • USDA Announces $75M Section 32 Solicitation for Almonds

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced plans to purchase Almonds for distribution to various food nutrition assistance programs. Purchases will be made under the authority of Section 32 of the Act of August 24, 1935, with the purpose to encourage the continued domestic consumption of these products by diverting them from the normal channels of trade and commerce.

    A Solicitation will be issued in the near future and will be available electronically through the Web-Based Supply Chain Management (WBSCM) system. A hard copy of the solicitation will not be available. Public WBSCM information is available without an account on the WBSCM Public Procurement Page. All future information regarding this acquisition, including solicitation amendments and award notices, will be published through WBSCM, and on the Agricultural Marketing Service’s website at www.ams.usda.gov/selling-food. Interested parties shall be responsible for ensuring that they have the most up-to-date information about this acquisition. The contract type is anticipated to be firm-fixed price. Deliveries are expected to be to various locations in the United States on an FOB destination basis.

    Pursuant to Agricultural Acquisition Regulation 470.103(b), commodities and the products of agricultural commodities acquired under this contract must be a product of the United States and, shall be considered to be such a product if it is grown, processed, and otherwise prepared for sale or distribution exclusively in the United States. Packaging and container components under this acquisition will be the only portion subject to the World Trade Organization Government Procurement Agreement and Free Trade Agreements, as addressed by FAR clause 52.225-5.

    Offerors are urged to review all documents as they pertain to this program, including the latest—

    These documents are available on the AMS Commodity Procurement website.

    To be eligible to submit offers, potential contractors must meet the AMS vendor qualification requirements. The AMS point of contact for new vendors can be reached by phone at (202) 720-4237 or by email to NewVendor@usda.gov. Details of these requirements are available online at: https://www.ams.usda.gov/selling-food/becoming-approved. Once qualification requirements have been met, access to WBSCM will be provided. Bids, modifications, withdrawals of bids, and price adjustments shall be submitted using this system. Submission of the above by any means other than WBSCM will be determined nonresponsive.

    To receive e-mail notification of the issuance of AMS solicitations, contract awards, and other information, subscribe online by visiting: “Stay up to date on USDA Food Purchases” available on the AMS Commodity Procurement website.

    Inquiries may be directed to the Contracting Specialist, Samantha Klagenberg via email at samantha.klagenberg@usda.gov

    To participate in this opportunity and for more information about becoming a registered vendor with USDA, visit THIS GUIDE from Almond Board of California.

    “We’d like to thank USDA for accepting the Almond Alliance’s request for this program, and for the departments continued support and partnership in solutions  our almond farmers, industry, and communities.” — Almond Alliance of California

  • USDA Unveils Efforts to Streamline Ag Conservation Easement Program

    The U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is streamlining its Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) to ultimately better help agricultural producers and private landowners conserve wetlands, productive farmlands and at-risk grasslands. USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is rolling out several improvements to this important program, which has more than 5 million acres of land enrolled, in response to feedback from producers, landowners and conservation partners.

    Specifically, NRCS is updating its processes around appraisals, land surveys, as well as certifying eligible entities who help NRCS and producers enroll land into easements. These changes are for ACEP Agricultural Land Easements (ALE) as well as Wetland Reserve Easements (WRE).

    “NRCS’ changes to the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program will help us more efficiently and effectively work with producers and partners to protect lands in conservation easements,” said NRCS Chief Terry Cosby. “We want our program to be more responsive to our customer needs so that ACEP continues to be a valuable and effective conservation tool that provides long-term protection of our nation’s farmland and wetland resources.”

    NRCS is streamlining ACEP appraisals, land surveys, as well as certifying eligible entities who help NRCS and producers enroll land into easements.

    Key program changes include:

    • Appraisals for ALE: The threshold for national review of ALE appraisals is now $3 million, raised from $1 million. NRCS raised the threshold to align program requirements with increased land values, enabling the agency to better target staff resources and speed up implementation. Appraisals help ensure cost-effective and appropriate use of federal funds that are contributed to a conservation partner for their purchase of the ALE from the farmer or rancher.
    • Land Surveys for WRE: NRCS plans to encourage procurement of land surveys earlier in the acquisition timeline, such as when an application has been tentatively selected for a WRE. These surveys help with locating land boundaries, which is needed to purchase and manage the easement. NRCS is also increasing its use of partnerships to assist with acquiring the land surveys and has simplified the review process for producer-acquired land surveys. This will speed up the time it takes producers and landowners to enroll.
    • Certification of Entities for ALE: For ALE, NRCS works with eligible entities, such as American Indian tribes, state and local governments and non-governmental organizations, to conserve prime farmland and at-risk grasslands. NRCS is working to expand the number of entities by launching a certification initiative to proactively notify potentially eligible entities that they qualify for administrative flexibilities. Certified entities have greater independence and less oversight in their purchase of easements funded under ALE. Information for entities on how to get certified is available on the ALE webpage.

    These improvements are the first step in an ongoing effort to streamline ACEP as well as other NRCS conservation programs to ensure that they are easier and more convenient to utilize, and it will strengthen implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which included $1.4 billion in additional funding for ACEP over five years.

    More Information

    In total, the IRA provides $19.5 billion over five years to support USDA’s oversubscribed conservation programs like ACEP. The IRA, part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, represents the single largest investment in climate and clean energy solutions in American history.

    ACEP is administered by NRCS and aids landowners and eligible entities with conserving, restoring, and protecting wetlands, productive agricultural lands, and grasslands at risk to conversion to non-grassland uses. Healthy wetlands, grasslands and farmlands sequester carbon and provide many other natural resource benefits.

    NRCS accepts producer applications for its conservation programs – including ACEP – year-round. Producers interested in easements should contact their local Service Center or view their state application ranking dates.

  • New Steps to Enhance Organic Markets and Support Producers

    Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is taking additional steps as part of its commitment to strengthen the market for domestically grown organic goods, and to support producers seeking organic certification. These funding opportunities are part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Organic Transition Initiative, launched in fall 2022, which is a suite of offerings to help existing organic farmers and those transitioning to organic production and processing.

    “As USDA works to help make our nation’s food system more resilient and create more options for producers and consumers, we recognize the important role the organic industry can play in expanding opportunities for value-added agriculture, strengthening supply chains and generating revenue for farmers,” Vilsack said. “For many farmers, the transition period before attaining organic certification can be cost-prohibitive, so USDA is also helping mitigate the risk involved for farmers who want to be able to grow and market organic crops.”

    Consumer demand for organically produced goods surpassed $67 billion in 2022, and multi-year trends of strong growth in the sector provide market incentives for U.S. farmers across a broad range of products. However, through public comment and listening sessions USDA has heard that producers may be less willing to commit to the three-year transition to organic certification because of risks related to inadequate organic processing, storage, and handling capacity, cost barriers due to limited markets for rotational crops, a lack of certainty about market access, and insufficient supply of certain organic ingredients. The organic livestock and processed product markets depend heavily on imported agricultural products for feed grains and key ingredients. These are longstanding market issues that were brought into sharp focus due to the impacts of the pandemic and international conflicts in critical overseas organic supply regions, resulting in limitations on certain domestic organic products in the face of rising demand.  Both opportunities announced today help to address these challenges.

    Organic Market Development Grants Program 

    Through the new Organic Market Development Grant (OMDG) Program, USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will issue up to $75 million in competitive grants to non-profit organizations, tribal governments, and state and local government entities to fund projects designed to expand and improve markets for domestically produced organic products. OMDG is intended to increase the consumption of domestic agricultural commodities by aiding in the expansion of markets or development of new markets, marketing facilities, and uses for such commodities. For example, applicants may seek funding to develop and launch new consumer products using rotational grains, or invest in infrastructure like processing equipment to give producers better access to markets.

    Through OMDG, AMS encourages applications that serve smaller farms and ranches, new and beginning farmers and ranchers, underserved producers, veteran producers and underserved communities.

    AMS is accepting applications for the program now through July 10, 2023.

    Cost Share for Organic Certification  

    As part of USDA’s broader effort to support organic producers and in response to stakeholder feedback, this year the Farm Service Agency increased the cost share amount under the Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP), which helps organic producers cover organic certification costs, to the maximum amount allowed by statute.

    Specifically, FSA will cover up to 75% of costs associated with organic certification, up to $750 for crops, wild crops, livestock, processing/handling and state organic program fees (California only). OCCSP will cover costs incurred from Oct. 1, 2022, through Sept. 30, 2023.

    FSA begins accepting applications for OCCSP Monday, May 15. Applications are due Oct. 31, 2023. To apply, producers and handlers should contact the FSA at their local USDA Service Center. As part of completing the OCCSP application, producers and handlers will need to provide documentation of their organic certification and eligible expenses. Organic producers and handlers may also apply for OCCSP through participating state departments of agriculture.

    FSA is also accepting applications from state departments of agriculture to administer OCCSP. FSA will post a synopsis of the funding opportunity on grants.gov and will send more information to all eligible state departments of agriculture. Additional details can be found on the OCCSP webpage.

    Other USDA Organic Assistance   

    These two programs build on several others offered under USDA’s Organic Transition Initiative, which range from conservation assistance to improved crop insurance options.

    For example, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service recently announced $75 million in assistance for conservation practices required for organic certification. AMS’ Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP) builds mentorship relationships between transitioning and existing organic farmers to provide technical assistance and wrap-around support in six U.S. regions.

    Additionally, as announced earlier in 2023, the Organic Dairy Marketing Assistance Program (ODMAP) will provide marketing assistance to organic dairy producers facing a unique set of challenges, such as significant increases in marketing costs, compounded by increases in feed and transportation costs and the unavailability of organic grain and forage commodities. FSA will announce program and application details soon.

    More information about these initiatives and more can be found at farmers.gov/organic-transition-initiative.

  • $130 Million in USDA Assistance to Help Farmers Facing Financial Risk

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced that nearly $130 million in additional, automatic financial assistance has been obligated for qualifying farm loan program borrowers who are facing financial risk. The announcement is part of the $3.1 billion to help distressed farm loan borrowers that was provided through Section 22006 of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

    Since the IRA was signed by President Biden in August 2022, including the payments announced today, USDA is providing approximately $1.1 billion in immediate assistance to more than 20,000 distressed borrowers.

    “Through the Inflation Reduction Act, Congress directed USDA to deliver financial assistance to distressed farm loan borrowers as quickly as possible, and that is what we are delivering to help producers across the country stay on their land,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “USDA is hard at work to provide our most vulnerable producers the opportunity to generate long-term stability and success. Our goal is to make sure we provide producers access to the tools they need to help get back to a financially viable path and ultimately succeed as thriving agricultural businesses.”

    Borrowers who received these automatic payments include Farm Service Agency (FSA) direct loan borrowers whose interest exceeded principle owed on outstanding debts; borrowers who had a balance up to 60 days past due as of Sept. 30, 2022 and remained delinquent; and borrowers with a recent restructure between Feb. 28, 2020, through March 27, 2023, or who had accepted an offer to restructure on or before March 27, 2023, but had not yet closed that restructure.

    Individual Applications for Farmers Seeking Assistance

    In May, FSA will begin accepting and reviewing individual distressed borrower assistance requests from direct loan borrowers who missed a recent installment or are unable to make their next scheduled installment. All FSA borrowers should have received a letter detailing the process for seeking this type of assistance even before they become delinquent. As the letter details, borrowers who are within two months of their next installment may seek a cashflow analysis from FSA using a recent balance sheet and operating plan to determine their eligibility.  Also in May, FSA borrowers will receive a letter detailing a new opportunity to receive assistance if they took certain extraordinary measures to avoid delinquency on their loans, such as taking on or refinancing more debt, selling property, or cashing out retirement or college savings accounts. FSA also plans to begin working through these types of cases in May.

    As USDA learns more about the types of situations financially distressed farmers are facing, the Department will continue to update borrowers and the public about new eligibility criteria. USDA will also provide regular updates about its progress in deploying this funding to farmers who need it.

  • May USDA Lending Rates for Ag Producers

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced loan interest rates for May 2023, which are effective May 1, 2023. 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 underserved producers, including veterans, 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 May 2023 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.

    Simplified Direct Loan Application

    FSA developed a new, simplified direct loan application for producers seeking a direct farm loan. The new application, reduced from 29 to 13 pages, provides improved customer experience for producers applying for loans and enables them to complete a more streamlined application. Producers now also have the option to complete an electronic fillable form or a traditional paper application for submission to their local FSA service center.

    Disaster Support

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

    Inflation Reduction Act Assistance for Distressed Producers

    On Aug. 16, 2022, President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) into law. It is a historic, once-in-a-generation investment and opportunity for the agricultural communities that USDA serves. Section 22006 of the IRA provided $3.1 billion for USDA to provide relief for distressed borrowers with certain FSA direct and guaranteed loans and to expedite assistance for those whose agricultural operations are at financial risk.  In October 2022, USDA provided approximately $800 million in initial IRA assistance to more than 11,000 delinquent direct and guaranteed borrowers and approximately 2,100 borrowers who had their farms liquidated and still had remaining debt. In March 2023, FSA announced that, in the coming weeks, the agency would begin the process of providing approximately $123 million in additional, automatic financial assistance to farm loan program borrowers who are facing financial risk. This assistance will include:

    • Assistance to direct loan borrowers who were past due on a qualifying direct loan as of Sept. 30, 2022, but by fewer than 60 days, and remained delinquent on that loan as of March 27, 2023.
    • Assistance to borrowers who restructured a qualifying direct loan after Feb. 28, 2020, through primary loan servicing available through FSA.
    • Assistance to borrowers whose interest owed on their qualifying direct loan debt exceeds the principal owed (on a loan-by-loan basis).

    For more information producers can contact their local USDA Service Center or visit farmers.gov/inflation-reduction-investments/assistance.

    More Information

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

  • USDA Still Accepting 2022 Census of Ag forms from California producers

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is reminding California farmers and ranchers that the window is closing on the opportunity to participate in the 2022 Census of Agriculture. NASS is encouraging U.S. producers who have not returned their completed ag census questionnaires to do so as soon as possible to avoid additional mail, phone, email, text, and in- person follow-up, which is currently underway.

    “Thank you to everyone that has responded.” said NASS Pacific Regional Director Gary Keough. “To those that haven’t responded, there is still time to make your voice heard. The Census data shows the importance of agriculture at the local, county, state, and national levels and is an indispensable tool for developing and administering programs that impact the agricultural community.”

    NASS is reminding producers that if they produced and sold $1,000 or more of agricultural product in 2022, or normally would have produced and sold that much, they meet USDA’s definition of a farm. However, federal law requires everyone who received the 2022 Census of Agriculture questionnaire complete and return it, even if they do not currently meet this definition. Producers can respond online at agcounts.usda.gov or by mail.

    “If you received the ag census but do not fit the definition of a farm, are no longer farming, never farmed, or are a landowner who leases your land to a producer, please write your status on the form and mail it back,” said Keough.

    The Census of Agriculture remains the only comprehensive and impartial source of agriculture data for every state and county in the nation. Census data are used by policymakers, trade associations, researchers, agribusinesses, educators, and many others. The information helps inform decisions on farm policy, rural development, the development of farm technologies, and more. It also aids in the creation and funding of loans and insurance programs and other forms of assistance.

    The ag census differs from other NASS surveys. Beyond being conducted just once every five years, it provides important demographic information and data on certain commodities, such as horses, bison, and Christmas trees, that would not otherwise be available. The Census of Agriculture collects information on nearly every aspect of American agriculture for a complete picture of the health of the industry. Changes to the 2022 questionnaire include new questions about the use of precision agriculture, hemp production, hair sheep and updates to internet access questions.

    Federal law under Title 7 USC 2204(g) Public Law 105-113 requires that NASS keep all submissions confidential, use the information for statistical purposes only, and publish aggregate data to prevent disclosing the identity of any individual producer or farm operation.

    NASS will release the results of the ag census in early 2024. To learn more about the Census of Agriculture, visit nass.usda.gov/AgCensus. On the website, producers and other data users can access frequently asked questions, past ag census data, special study information, and more. For highlights of these and the latest information, follow USDA NASS on Twitter at @usda_nass.

  • Q&A Session on USDA Disaster Assistance to Help CA Farmers Recover, April 20

    Was your California farming operation impacted by a natural disaster? Or do you live in a California agricultural community that was impacted? Join us for a virtual question-and-answer session to learn more about programs and resources that may be available to you.

    What:              Question-and-answer session with USDA and California Department of Food and Agriculture about Disaster Assistance in California

    When:            Thursday, April 20, 2023 at 8 a.m. PT

    Where:           Virtual via Microsoft Teams. Click here to join.

    This session builds on the California disaster assistance webinar hosted last week by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) that covered programs that can help farmers and agricultural communities impacted by current disasters.

    In this session, you’ll be able to submit questions to USDA’s Farm Production and

    Conservation Deputy Under Secretary Gloria Montaño Greene and CDFA’s Undersecretary Christine Birdsong.

    If you weren’t able to attend the webinar, you can watch the recording here.

    Additional Resources

    Other resources are available to producers, including the online Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool, Disaster Assistance-at-a-Glance fact sheet, and Loan Assistance Tool. For rural communities, there are USDA Rural Development (RD) programs and services that can help rural residents, businesses and communities impacted by disasters and support long-term planning and recovery efforts. Please visit the Resource Guides that are availableinEnglish and Spanish.

    For more information on resources to recover and rebuild, visit your local USDA service center.

  • Invasive Plant Pest & Disease Awareness Month

    CDFA is joining the USDA in declaring April 2023 Invasive Plant Pest and Disease Awareness Month .

    This national outreach month is dedicated to highlighting the impact of invasive plant pests and diseases on plants nationwide. The focus is on raising public awareness about the threat and how residents can help.

    Each year, invasive insects and plant diseases cause an estimated $40 billion in damages to plants in the US.

    Nonnative plant pests can hitchhike in untreated firewood, attach themselves to cars, boats, and other outdoor surfaces—or take a ride in the mail. They can travel to new areas on agricultural material such as soil, seeds, homegrown produce, and plants.

    Invasive pests have few or no natural predators in their new environments, so their populations quickly outpace native species and spread. These non-native plant pests and diseases disrupt our ecosystems and reduce biological diversity.

    Climate change can magnify the impact of invasive species by increasing the level of plant pest infestations and disease infection, allowing pests to produce more generations each year, and increasing their suitable habitat.

    To protect domestic plant health:

    • Learn about possible quarantines in your area, as well as the signs of invasive pest infestation on plants.
    • it’s important to clean your car and outdoor gear before traveling with them to new places, because invasive species can travel with you.
    • If you find signs of new invasive plant pests and diseases in your area, report them to your local Extension office,  CDFA’s Pest Hotline, or your USDA State Plant Health Director’s office.
    • Don’t move untreated firewood—even if it looks pest-free on the outside. To avoid unintentionally spreading tree-killing beetles that hide in firewood, buy or source wood locally, or use certified, heat-treated firewood.
    • Source your plants and seeds responsibly. When ordering online, ensure the plant is coming from a domestic source or follow import regulations. If you don’t know where an agricultural product is coming from, don’t buy it online. U.S. regulations apply to the importer of record—meaning the person purchasing and importing the product from overseas—not the online merchant. Learn how to safely and legally order plants and seeds online.
    • Don’t mail homegrown plants, fruits and vegetables to avoid inadvertently mailing a plant pest with them.
    • To comply with U.S. laws and avoid introducing new invasive species into the U.S., declare all agricultural items, including seeds, soil, and handicrafts to U.S. Customs and Border Protection for inspection when returning from overseas travel.

    Link to CDFA’s Report a Pest Page
    Link to the USDA’s Hungry Pests Page