Agriculture Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden has announced that $2.5 million in grants is now available for projects to educate new and underserved farmers about more than 20 U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency programs that can provide financial, disaster or technical assistance to the agricultural community. The grants will be awarded to nonprofits and public higher education institutions...
Agriculture Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden has announced that $2.5 million in grants is now available for projects to educate new and underserved farmers about more than 20 U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency programs that can provide financial, disaster or technical assistance to the agricultural community.
The grants will be awarded to nonprofits and public higher education institutions that develop proposals to improve farmer education on topics such as financial training, value-added production, recordkeeping, property inheritance, and crop production practices.
USDA will conduct four evaluation periods to review applications, with the deadlines of Nov. 20; and Jan. 22, March 18 and May 27, 2016. Awards between $20,000 and $100,000 per applicant will be available. To learn more about the funding solicitation and the related Farm Service Agency programs, details can be found at grants.gov with the reference number USDA-FSA-CA-2015-001. For nonprofits and public institutions of higher education that are considering participation, an online informational session will be conducted on Sept. 28. Additional information is posted on the Web at fsa.usda.gov/outreach.
USDA extends Dairy Margin Protection program deadline
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced that the deadline to enroll for the dairy Margin Protection Program for coverage in 2016 has been extended until Nov. 20. The voluntary program, established by the 2014 Farm Bill, provides financial assistance to participating farmers when the margin -- the difference between the price of milk and feed costs -- falls below the coverage level selected by the farmer.
To enroll in the Margin Protection Program for Dairy, contact your local FSA county office. To find your local FSA county office, visit offices.usda.gov.
USDA Commodity Loans available to New Jersey producers
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) New Jersey Farm Service Agency (FSA) Executive Director, Paul Hlubik reminds producers that USDA offers interim financing at harvest time to help producers meet cash flow needs without having to sell commodities when market prices are at harvest-time lows. The programs, known as Marketing Assistance Loans (MALs) and Loan Deficiency Payments (LDPs), were authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill for the 2014-2018 crop years.
A producer who is eligible to obtain a marketing loan, but agrees to forgo the loan, may obtain a loan deficiency payment if such a payment is available. The programs provide financing and marketing assistance for wheat, feed grains, soybeans and other oilseeds, pulse crops, rice, peanuts, cotton, wool and honey. For eligibility, producers must control the commodity or a title to the commodity until the loan is repaid.
SA is now accepting applications for all eligible commodities. For expedited service, interested producers are encouraged to schedule an appointment. Other program restrictions may apply, including limits on total payments or gross income thresholds. Consult your local FSA office for further details. For more information, visit fsa.usda.gov/pricesupport. To find your local USDA Service Center, go to offices.usda.gov.
