FARM SERVICE AGENCY
The Farm Service Agency (FSA) administers farm commodity, crop insurance, credit, environmental, conservation, and emergency assistance programs for farmers and ranchers.
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GENERAL INFORMATION
LOANS
MICROLOANS
This program is designed to better address the specific financial needs of beginning farmers, niche product producers and owners of small and medium-sized family farms. Microloans offer more flexible access to credit and serve as an attractive alternative for smaller agricultural operations, such as specialty crop producers and community-supported agriculture (CSA) operators. These smaller farms, including non-traditional agricultural operations, often have few funding options.
LOANS FOR YOUTH
The FSA provides operating loans of up to $5,000 to young people who meet the requirements of 10 to 20 years of age for the financing of projects related to agriculture that produce income. The project should be of small scope and educational. It must be initiated, developed and carried out by youth in rural areas that are part of clubs such as 4-H, FFA or similar organizations.
OTHER PROGRAMS
EMERGENCY DECLARATION FOR NATURAL DISASTERS
Disasters related to agriculture and disaster designations are quite common. Many of the counties of the United States have been designated as disaster areas during the last years, even in years of production and record harvests. The Secretary of Agriculture is accorded the authority to designate certain disaster areas and to be able to offer Emergency Loans (EM) to producers in major disaster counties or contiguous counties with them who have suffered losses. In addition to qualifying for EM loans, other programs, such as the Farm Service Agency (FSA) disaster assistance programs, have historically also used the Secretary's designation as a triggering factor Requirements for assistance in emergency situations.
NONINSURED CROP DISASTER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (NAP)
The Newly Disapproved Crop Assistance Program (NAP), newly authorized by the Agricultural Act of 2014 and managed by the FSA, provides financial assistance to producers of uninsured crops when they are underperforming, crop losses, or are prevented from sowing due to a natural disaster.
LIVESTOCK FORAGE DISASTER PROGRAM (LFP)
The Agricultural Act of 2014 makes permanent the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) and allows retroactively to pay certain losses as of October 1, 2011. LFP grants compensation to qualifying cattle ranchers who have lost livestock grazing coverage on lands that are natural or improved fields with permanent cover crops or grazed specifically for grazing . Grazing losses should result from certain drought conditions during the normal grazing period in the county. LFP also compensates certain ranchers who have lost pasture grazing on grasslands run by a federal agency if, because of certain types of fire, it prohibited them from grazing livestock where, under normal conditions, it can.
AGRICULTURE RISK COVERAGE (ARC) AND PRICE LOSS COVERAGE (PLC)
The Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs authorized by the Agricultural Act of 2014 combine pre-program clauses administered by the FSA: The countercyclical portion of the Direct and Counter-Cyclical Program, the Supplemental Revenue Assistance Program and the Average Harvest Income Option Program Crop Revenue Election Program with income insurance provided by the Risk Management Agency.
TRANSPORTATION COST REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM FOR GEOGRAPHICALLY DISADVANTAGED FARMERS AND RANCHERS (RTCP)
The Agricultural Act of 2014 reauthorized the Transportation Cost Reimbursement Program for Geographically Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers (RTCP) that reimburses farmers and ranchers at a geographical disadvantage with a portion of the cost of transporting their agricultural produce or transporting inputs Used to produce an agricultural product.
FSA COUNTY COMMITTIES
Farm Service Agency (FSA) County Committees are a critical component of the day-to-day operations of FSA and allow grassroots input and local administration of federal farm programs. Farmers and ranchers who are elected to serve on FSA county committees apply their judgment and knowledge to help with the decisions necessary to administer FSA programs in their counties, ensuring the needs of local producers are met.
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