USDA Newsletter 11/21/24

US Department of Agriculture

From the desks of Shawn Wortman, FSA CED and Ryan Blackwood, NRCS DC

Dates of Importance

November 28, Offices closed in observance of Thanksgiving Day (USDA)

December 2, COC Election ballots must be returned to postmarked to be counted (FSA)

December 10, Master Beef certification, GEMC building, 402 Egg Hill Rd Alamo (UT/TSU Ext Ser)

December 11, Master Farm Manager certification, GEMC building, 402 Egg Hill Rd Alamo (UT/TSU Ext Ser)

December 13, COC election ballots counted at FSA office. (FSA)

December 16, Final date to timely report fall seeded crops, wheat, canola, and barley

December 20, Agricultural Conservation Easement Program-Wetland Reserve Easement component (ACEP-WRE) signup deadline (NRCS)

To subscribe to text message alerts, text TNGibson to FSANOW (372-669). Standard text messaging rates apply.

ELIGIBILITY FOR ELECTIONS FOR THE 2024 COUNTY COMMITTEE

Elections for USDA’s Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) Gibson County Committee are underway.

It is important that every eligible producer participate in these elections because FSA county committees are a link between the agricultural community and the USDA. The 2024 election in Gibson County will be conducted for the representative Local Administrative Area (LAA-2):

From the Dyer County line, east on Old Dyersburg Rd to US Hwy 45, south on Hwy 45 to US Hwy 54, east on Hwy 54 to the Old Trenton Dresden Rd, to the Weakley County Line.

To be eligible to vote in the elections, a person must:

Meet requirement one (see explanation below) or meet requirement two, and requirement three (see explanation below).

Requirement One: Be of legal voting age and have an interest in a farm or ranch as either: an individual who meets one or more of the following; (a) is eligible to vote in one’s own right, (b) is a partner of a general partnership, (c) is a member of a joint venture OR an authorized representative of a legal entity, such as: (a) a corporation, estate, trust, limited partnership or other business enterprise, excluding general partnership and joint ventures or (b) a state, political subdivision of a state or any state agency (only the designated representative may cast a vote for the entity).

Requirement Two: Not of legal voting age but supervises and conducts the farming operations of an entire farm.

Requirement Three: Participates or cooperates in an FSA program that is provided by law.

County committee election ballots were mailed to eligible voters on November 4, 2024. The last day to return completed ballots to the USDA service center is December 2, 2024. Ballots will be counted at the FSA Office conference room, December 13, 2024 at 9:00 AM.

For more information on eligibility to serve on FSA county committees, visit: www.fsa.usda.gov/elections.

USDA Farm Loan Program Changes Now in Effect

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) long-awaited updates to the Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) Farm Loan Programs are officially in effect. These changes, part of the Enhancing Program Access and Delivery for Farm Loans rule, are designed to increase financial flexibility for agricultural producers, allowing them to grow their operations, boost profitability, and build long-term savings.

These program updates reflect USDA’s ongoing commitment to supporting the financial success and resilience of farmers and ranchers nationwide, offering critical tools to help borrowers manage their finances more effectively.

What the new rules mean for you:

Low-interest installment set-aside program: Financially distressed borrowers can now defer up to one annual loan payment at a reduced interest rate. This simplified option helps ease financial pressure while keeping farming operations running smoothly.
Flexible repayment terms: New repayment options give borrowers the ability to increase their cash flow and build working capital reserves, allowing for long-term financial planning that includes saving for retirement, education, and other future needs.
Reduced collateral requirements: FSA has lowered the amount of additional loan security needed for direct farm loans, making it easier for borrowers to leverage their existing equity without putting their personal residence at risk.

These new rules provide more financial freedom to borrowers. By giving farmers and ranchers better tools to manage their operations, we’re helping them build long-term financial stability. It’s all about making sure they can keep their land, grow their business, and invest in the future.

If you’re an FSA borrower or considering applying for a loan, now is the time to take advantage of these new policies. We encourage you to reach out to your local FSA farm loan staff to ensure you fully understand the wide range of loan making and servicing options available to assist with starting, expanding, or maintaining your agricultural operation.

To conduct business with Gibson County FSA Loan Program, please contact Landon Hogan at 731-330-3072.

USDA Requests Public Input on Implementation of SUSTAINS Act

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is asking for public input on how best to implement the SUSTAINS Act, which authorizes USDA to accept private contributions to channel through several existing USDA conservation programs. The public should submit comments to the Request for Information via the Federal Register by September 16, 2024.

The SUSTAINS Act, signed into law as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023, provides USDA with the authority to accept contributions of private funds that can be channeled through its existing conservation programs and provides additional guidelines for those contributions. Specifically, the SUSTAINS Act provides an opportunity for the private sector to partner with USDA to engage farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners in supporting conservation initiatives, including to expand implementation of conservation practices to sequester carbon, improve wildlife habitat, protect sources of drinking water and address other natural resource priorities.

NRCS is asking for public input and recommendations to determine how the agency can utilize private funds to target specific natural resource concerns associated with agricultural production. NRCS is interested in supporting program implementation and improving program delivery, including by effectively leveraging additional funds to increase outreach and expand access to financial and technical assistance for underserved producers. NRCS will use the input to determine the next steps to implement this legislation, which could include a proposed rule.

Public comments should be submitted through this Federal Register notice by September 16, 2024.

Anyone with questions can contact NRCS by sending an email to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Please specify the Docket ID: NRCS-2024-0014 in the subject line.

To learn more about NRCS programs, producers can contact their local USDA Service Center.  Producers can also apply for NRCS programs, manage conservation plans and contracts, and view and print conservation maps by logging into their farmers.gov account. Producers without an account can sign up today.

Maps for Acreage Reporting

Maps are now available at the Gibson County FSA Office for acreage reporting purposes. Producers may pick them up any time during office hours. If you wish to receive your maps by e-mail, please call our office or email Shawn Wortman at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Please see the following acreage reporting deadlines for Gibson County:

December 16, 2024: fall seeded crops, wheat, barley, canola

In order to maintain program eligibility and benefits, producers must timely file acreage reports. Failure to file an acreage report by the crop acreage reporting deadline may result in ineligibility for future program benefits. FSA will not accept acreage reports provided more than a year after the acreage reporting deadline.

Producers are encouraged to file their acreage reports as soon as planting is completed.

FSA Annual Reminders

CHANGING BANK ACCOUNTS

FSA program payments are issued electronically into your bank account. In order to make timely payments, you need to notify your FSA servicing office if you close your account or if your bank information is changed for whatever reason (such as your financial institution merging or being purchased). Payments can be delayed if FSA is not notified of changes to account and bank routing numbers.

For some programs, payments are not made until the following year. For example, payments for crop year 2023 through the Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage program aren’t issued (dispersed) until 2024. If the bank account was closed due to the death of an individual or dissolution of an entity or partnership before the payment was issued, please notify your local FSA office as soon as possible to claim your payments.

CHANGE IN FARMING OPERATIONS

If you have bought or sold land, or if you have picked up or dropped rented land from your operation, make sure you report the changes to the office as soon as possible. You need to provide a copy of your deed or recorded land contract for purchased property. Failure to maintain accurate records with FSA on all land you have an interest in can lead to possible program ineligibility and penalties. Making the record changes now will save you time this spring. Update signature authorization when changes in the operation occur. Producers are reminded to contact the office if there is a change in operations on a farm so that records can be kept current and accurate. Pursuant to 3 FLP, to avoid any delay in program benefits, all applicants should have consistent representations between Farm Programs and Farm Loan programs. If any difference in representations of the farming operations is identified, additional documentation to resolve inconsistencies may be required.

SIGNATURE POLICY

Using the correct signature when doing business with FSA can save time and prevent a delay in program benefits.

The following are FSA signature guidelines:

A married woman must sign her given name: Mrs. Mary Doe, not Mrs. John Doe
For a minor, FSA requires the minor's signature and one from the minor’s parent

Note, by signing a document with a minor, the parent is liable for actions of the minor and may be liable for refunds, liquidated damages, etc.

When signing on one’s behalf the signature must agree with the name typed or printed on the form or be a variation that does not cause the name and signature to be in disagreement. Example - John W. Smith is on the form. The signature may be John W. Smith or J.W. Smith or J. Smith. Or Mary J. Smith may be signed as Mrs. Mary Joe Smith, M.J. Smith, Mary Smith, etc.

FAXED signatures will be accepted for certain forms and other documents provided the acceptable program forms are approved for FAXED signatures. Producers are responsible for the successful transmission and receipt of FAXED information.

Spouses may sign documents on behalf of each other for FSA and CCC programs in which either has an interest, unless written notification denying a spouse this authority has been provided to the county office.

Spouses cannot sign on behalf of each other as an authorized signatory for partnerships, joint ventures, corporations or other similar entities. Likewise, a spouse cannot sign a document on behalf of the other in order to affirm the eligibility of oneself.

Any member of a general partnership can sign on behalf of the general partnership and bind all members unless the Articles of Partnership are more restrictive. Spouses may sign on behalf of each other’s individual interest in a partnership, unless notification denying a spouse that authority is provided to the county office. Acceptable signatures for general partnerships, joint ventures, corporations, estates, and trusts must consist of an indicator “by” or “for” the individual’s name, individual’s name and capacity, or individual’s name, capacity, and name of entity.

For additional clarification on proper signatures contact your local FSA office.

UPDATE YOUR RECORDS

FSA is cleaning up our producer record database. If you have any unreported changes of address, zip code, phone number, email address or an incorrect name or business name on file they need to be reported to our office. Changes in your farm operation, like the addition of a farm by lease or purchase, need to be reported to our office as well. Producers participating in FSA and NRCS programs are required to timely report changes in their farming operation to the County Committee in writing and update their CCC-902 Farm Operating Plan.

If you have any updates or corrections, please call your local FSA office to update your records.

PAYMENTS TO DECEASED PRODUCERS

In order to claim a Farm Service Agency (FSA) payment on behalf of a deceased producer, all program conditions for the payment must have been met before the applicable producer’s date of death.

If a producer earned a FSA payment prior to becoming deceased, the following is the order of precedence of the representatives of the producer:

administrator or executor of the estate
the surviving spouse
surviving sons and daughters, including adopted children
surviving father and mother
surviving brothers and sisters
heirs of the deceased person who would be entitled to payment according to the State law

In order for FSA to release the payment, the legal representative of the deceased producer must file a form FSA-325, to claim the payment for themselves or an estate. The county office will verify and determine that the application, contract, loan agreement, or other similar form requesting payment issuance, was signed by the applicable deadline for such form, by the deceased or a person legally authorized to act on their behalf at that time of application.

If the application, contract or loan agreement form was signed by someone other than the participant who is deceased, FSA will determine whether the person submitting the form has the legal authority to submit the form to compel FSA to pay the deceased participant.

Payments will be issued to the respective representative’s name using the deceased program participant’s tax identification number. Payments made to representatives are subject to offset regulations for debts owed by the deceased.

FSA is not responsible for advising persons in obtaining legal advice on how to obtain program benefits that may be due to a participant who has died, disappeared or who has been declared incompetent.