Farm Service Agency

The U.S. Department of Agriculture will begin issuing more than $2.14 billion in payments to eligible agricultural producers and landowners — providing much needed support through key conservation and safety net programs.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced an additional $250 million in automatic payments for distressed direct and guaranteed farm loan borrowers under Section 22006 of the Inflation Reduction Act.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced $58 million available for marketing assistance to eligible organic dairy producers through the Organic Dairy Marketing Assistance Program.

Disaster assistance for producers and training new staff has been among the many focuses of the Farm Service Agency’s Illinois offices over the last several months.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is accepting offers for more than 2.2 million acres through this year’s Grassland, General and Continuous Conservation Reserve Program sign-ups.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announces changes to the Farm Service Agency’s Farm Loan Programs — changes that are intended to increase opportunities for farmers and ranchers to be financially viable.

An innovative online tool available through farmers.gov allows agricultural producers to enter their farm operating debt and evaluate potential savings that might be provided by obtaining a debt consolidation loan.

Weeding through the alphabet soup of conservation funding opportunities — both known and unknown — is time-consuming and perhaps frustrating.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture began accepting applications to provide financial assistance to eligible dairy producers who incur milk losses due to highly pathogenic avian influenza.

U.S. Department of Agriculture announced counties in Illinois are accepting applications for the Emergency Forest Restoration Program to address tornado and severe storm damage.

Agricultural producers should make an appointment with their local Farm Service Agency office to complete crop acreage reports before the applicable deadline after planting is complete.

Nominations are now being accepted for farmers and ranchers to serve on local Farm Service Agency county committees.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency announced the availability of low-interest physical loss loans for producers affected by the Feb. 8 and Feb. 27 tornadoes in Illinois.

Through the Organic Certification Cost Share Program, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency will cover up to 75% of organic certification costs at a maximum of $750 per certification category.

Through the Organic Certification Cost Share Program, the U.S. Department of Agriculture will cover up to 75% of organic certification costs at a maximum of $750 per certification category.

Budget constraints forced the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service to eliminate four crop and livestock reports.

Farmland values in the Seventh Federal Reserve District averaged a 4% increase from a year ago, the smallest year-over-year gain in three and a half years.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency reminds agricultural producers that farm loan programs can be used to support a variety of climate-smart agriculture practices.

Foreign investors with an interest in agricultural land in the United States are required to report their land holdings and transactions to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is encouraging dairy producers to enroll for 2024 Dairy Margin Coverage, an important safety net program that helps offset milk and feed price differences.

I have the tremendous opportunity to work with some of the greatest employees in government and we have the pleasure to work for the American farmer — the original environmentalist, who cares for the land like no other.

The Illinois Soybean Association announced the opening of its Soy Innovation Center aimed to support and catalyze the state of Illinois’ goal to be a national leader in sustainable technology and innovation.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is accepting applications for grants to support urban agriculture and innovative production.

The alphabet soup of diverse conservation funding for farmers was the focus of one of the breakout sessions during the recent Soybean Summit.

Agricultural producers who have not yet enrolled in the Agriculture Risk Coverage or Price Loss Coverage programs for the 2024 crop year have until March 15 to revise elections and sign contracts.

As the deadline to purchase federal crop insurance moves closer, COUNTRY Financial is providing enhanced coverages for Illinois farmers in addition to federal crop insurance.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is offering financial assistance to agricultural producers and private landowners enrolled in its Conservation Reserve Program to improve the health of their forests.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is now accepting applications for the Continuous Conservation Reserve Program.

The new farm bill can got kicked down the road last month with a one-year extension of the 2018 law, but Illinois Corn remains diligent in pushing for new legislation sooner rather than later.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that agricultural producers can now enroll in the Farm Service Agency’s Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage programs for the 2024 crop year.

Growing up, some of my fondest memories revolved around working on our cattle ranch alongside my father and grandfather. The satisfaction of a successful day’s work still resonates with me today.

As difficult as it was for House Republicans to find an electable leader, that rough start was the easy part. Ahead lies governing and it promises to be tricky.

When it comes to the farm bill, every entity involved with the legislation has a different perspective. For state departments of agriculture, which are charged with administering some — but not all — parts of the farm bill, the legislation can bring confusion.

Sitting in a large tent sponsored by Syngenta, their company logo on the screen behind her, Chris Chinn, director of the Missouri Department of Agriculture, offered up some food for thought on the current China challenge.

Scott Halpin, state executive director of the Farm Service Agency in Illinois, announced that four additional counties are authorized for emergency haying and grazing of Conservation Reserve Program acres.

Scott Halpin, state executive director of the Farm Service Agency in Illinois, announced that 89 counties are authorized for emergency haying and grazing of Conservation Reserve Program acres for fiscal year 2023.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is extending the deadline for the new Organic Dairy Marketing Assistance Program to Aug. 11.

Adams, Hancock, Pike, Randolph and Schuyler counties have been authorized for emergency grazing use on all eligible Conservation Reserve Program acres during the primary nesting season due to extreme drought conditions.

Four separate disaster declarations were designated for the Illinois due to tornadoes and drought that occurred during the 2023 Illinois growing season.

Hail damage and wind damage are crop insurance claims that Eric Brammeier is used to seeing in his off-farm job as owner and agent of SC Crop Insurance.

So many things in this old world feel a bit off kilter these days. It reminds me of lyrics from an old Willie Nelson song, “At a time when the world seems to be spinnin’ hopelessly out of control…”

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is accepting more than 1 million acres in this year’s Conservation Reserve Program general sign-up.

Midwest farmland values continued an upward trend, but slowed in the first quarter, according to a survey in the Seventh Federal Reserve District.

Classifying Holstein cows gives dairymen an unbiased evaluation of the phenotype of their cows. “That information is used in two ways,” said Maureen DeBruin, classifier for Holstein Association USA.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has extended the deadline for producers to enroll in Dairy Margin Coverage and Supplemental Dairy Margin Coverage for program year 2023 to Jan. 31.

Zach Ducheneaux is a child of farm financial crisis of the 1980s, when farmers were dealing with rising inflation, rising interest rates, uncertainty in the markets and weather events.

Six Illinois counties have been designated primary natural disaster areas, allowing for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency to extend emergency credit to local producers through emergency loans.

Producers can now take a nationwide survey to help the U.S. Department of Agriculture improve and increase access to its programs and services for America’s farmers, ranchers and forest managers. The survey includes new and existing customers.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced plans for additional emergency relief and pandemic assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture USDA.

Who’s buying farmland? That is a question that Halderman Real Estate and Farm Management agents have had to answer more than once in the last few months.