USDA Establishes New Farm Service Agency Urban County Committees in Columbia, SC

COLUMBIA, S.C., July 25, 2023 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is establishing a new urban county committee in Columbia, SC, joining 26 other cities with a committee focused on delivery of USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) programs to urban producers. County committee members make important decisions on how federal farm programs are administered locally, and this new urban county committee in Columbia is part of USDA’s broad support for urban and innovative agriculture.  

USDA Releases Nationwide Farmer, Rancher and Forest Manager Prospective Customer Survey

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, November 25, 2022 – Producers can now take a nationwide survey to help the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) improve and increase access to its programs and services for America’s farmers, ranchers, and forest managers.  The survey includes new and existing customers. USDA encourages all agricultural producers to take the survey, especially those who have not worked with USDA previously.

USDA Designates Bennett County, South Dakota, as Primary Natural Disaster Areas

This Secretarial natural disaster designation allows the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) to extend much-needed emergency credit to producers recovering from natural disasters through emergency loans. Emergency loans can be used to meet various recovery needs including the replacement of essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganization of a farming operation or the refinance of certain debts.

SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans Available to Montana Small Businesses

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Small nonfarm businesses in 10 Montana counties and neighboring counties in Idaho are now eligible to apply for low‑interest federal disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration, announced Director Tanya N. Garfield of SBA’s Disaster Field Operations Center-West. These loans offset economic losses because of reduced revenues caused by drought in the following primary counties that began June 1. 

Primary Montana counties:  Flathead and Lincoln;

USDA Announces Availability of Low-Interest Physical Loss Loans for Kentucky Producers Affected by Natural Disasters

Physical loss loans through the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) can help producers repair or replace damaged or destroyed physical property essential to the success of the agricultural operation, including livestock losses. Examples of property commonly affected include essential farm buildings, fixtures to real estate, equipment, livestock, perennial crops, fruit and nut bearing trees, and harvested or stored crops and hay.

Impacted Area: Kentucky