What's Up at the USDA Office?
Deadlines/Dates
July 30: CRP/Kernza Field Day
August 1: Deadline to submit a COC Nomination
August 15: Deadline to enroll in Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (ECAP)
September 30: Deadline for ARCPLC Revisions
Eligibility for Nominations for the 2025 County Committee Elections
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) 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.
Committees are comprised of locally elected agricultural producers responsible for the fair and equitable administration of FSA farm programs in their counties. Committee members are accountable to the Secretary of Agriculture. If elected, members become part of a local decision-making and farm program delivery process.
For election purposes, counties are divided into Local Administrative Areas (LAA). Each LAA nominates and elects one producer to serve a three-year term on the FSA county committee. For 2025, an election will be held in LAA 1, which includes Union Prairie, Makee, Hanover, French Creek, Waterloo, and Union City townships.
A county committee is composed of 3 to 11 elected members from Local Administrative Areas (LAA). To be eligible for nomination and hold office as a committee member or alternate, a person must fulfill each of the following requirements:
1. Be eligible to vote in an FSA county committee election*.
2. Reside in the LAA that is up for election.
3. Must not have been:
a. Removed or disqualified from:
i. FSA county committee membership or alternate membership, or
ii. FSA employment.
b. Removed for cause from any public office or have been convicted of fraud, larceny, embezzlement or any other felony.
c. Dishonorably discharged from any branch of the armed services.
*The following requirements must be met for a person to be eligible to vote in the county committee elections:
• Be of legal voting age or, if not of legal voting age, supervise and conduct the farming operation of an entire farm.
• Have an interest in a farm or ranch as either:
- An individual who meets one or more of the following:
1. Is eligible and capable to vote in one’s own right.
2. Is a partner of a general partnership.
3. Is a member of a joint venture.
4. Is an authorized representative of a legal entity.
• Participates or cooperates in any FSA program that is provided by law. A cooperating producer is someone who has provided information about their farming or ranching operation(s) but may not have applied or received FSA program benefits.
All nomination forms for the 2025 election must be postmarked or received in the local USDA Service Center by August 1, 2025.
Joint Field Day for CRP and Kernza
The Allamakee Farm Service Agency (FSA) and Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) are hosting a field day reviewing the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and visiting a native/pollinator test plot along with a Kernza test plot both located at the Allamakee USDA office on July 30, 2025.
What to expect for CRP
The CRP session will run from 9-11AM. Along with FSA and NRCS, agents from the DNR, and Pheasants Forever will also be in attendance to offer guidance and information. This session will cover the following in an open discussion format:
• How to manage your CRP
- Learn the basics of weed management, seeding, and program compliance
• CRP Programs
- Common programs though CRP and their different requirements
• How to enroll in CRP
- Sign up steps for all CRP programs
• Plant ID
- Learn how to identify plant species that can occur in CRP with a walk through native, pollinator, and cool season grass plots.
This field day is open to anyone with interest in CRP. Come learn more about what to expect when enrolling in CRP from start to finish and all things in-between.
What to expect for Kernza
The Kernza session will be from 1-3 PM. NRCS will present information on the conservation benefits when implementing Kernza in a farming operation along with a site visit to their test plot. Farm Research Expert, Carmen Fernholz, will also be in attendance to explain data, answer questions, and provide technical assistance to those interested. This session will cover the following:
• What is Kernza?
- Learn what Kernza can be used for and its conservation and farming benefits
• Grain
- Tips for growing, harvesting, and marketing Kernza grain
• Hay/Straw
- Benefits for Kernza hay and straw and when to harvest it
• Grazing
- Feed analysis and other grazing information
Come learn how Kernza can benefit you! For questions regarding the field day, please contact Anders Lovstuen at anders.lovstuen@ia.nacdnet.net. Persons with disabilities who require accommodations to attend or participate in this event should contact Rachel Pufahl, CED, at 563-568-2148 ext.2, or Federal Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339. Questions? Contact Rachel Pufahl, CED at rachel.pufahl@usda.gov.
USDA Farm Loan Program Changes Now in Effect
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) 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.
Applying for Farm Storage Facility Loans
The Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) Farm Storage Facility Loan (FSFL) program provides low-interest financing to help you build or upgrade storage facilities and to purchase portable (new or used) structures, equipment and storage and handling trucks.
Eligible commodities include corn, grain sorghum, rice, soybeans, oats, peanuts, wheat, barley, minor oilseeds harvested as whole grain, pulse crops (lentils, chickpeas and dry peas), hay, honey, renewable biomass, fruits, nuts and vegetables for cold storage facilities, controlled atmosphere storage, floriculture, hops, malted small grains, maple sap, maple syrup, rye, milk, cheese, butter, yogurt, meat and poultry (unprocessed), eggs, and aquaculture (excluding systems that maintain live animals through uptake and discharge of water).
Qualified facilities include grain bins, hay barns and cold storage facilities for eligible commodities.
Loans up to $50,000 can be secured by a promissory note/security agreement, loans between $50,000 and $100,000 may require additional security, and loans exceeding $100,000 require additional security.
You do not need to demonstrate the lack of commercial credit availability to apply. The loans are designed to assist a diverse range of farming operations, including small and mid-sized businesses, new farmers, operations supplying local food and farmers markets, non-traditional farm products, and underserved producers.
For more information, contact the Allamakee County USDA Service Center at (563) 568-2148 ext.2, or visit fsa.usda.gov/pricesupport.
Highly Erodible Land (HEL) and Wetland Conservation Compliance
Landowners and operators are reminded that in order to receive payments from USDA, compliance with Highly Erodible Land (HEL) and Wetland Conservation (WC) provisions are required. Farmers with HEL determined soils are reminded of tillage, crop residue, and rotation requirements as specified per their conservation plan. Producers are to notify the USDA Farm Service Agency prior to breaking sod, clearing land (tree removal), and of any drainage projects (tiling, ditching, etc.) to ensure compliance. Failure to update certification of compliance, with form AD-1026, triggering applicable HEL and/or wetland determinations, for any of these situations, can result in the loss of FSA farm program payments, FSA farm loans, NRCS program payments, and premium subsidy to Federal Crop Insurance administered by RMA.
