FSA Outreach Focus

Reaching Out to Keep Farmers, Ranchers & Partners Informed

June 3, 2016

Join FSA for a Webinar on Second Round of Cooperative Agreements for Outreach & Education

The FSA Outreach and Education division will hold a webinar on June 7 at 2 p.m. EDT to review and answer questions on the second round of Cooperative Agreements for Outreach and Education, Technical Assistance and Financial Education.

FSA allocated $2.5 million to fund between 25 and 125 awards when the Request for Application (RFA) was issued in September 2015. The first round of RFAs has past; however, the second round is open until July 11, 2016. The purpose of the RFA is to partner with non-government organizations with a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS and public and state controlled institutions of higher education.

Those interested in submitting an application during this second round should attend the webinar to learn about proposal types, eligible expenses and FSA programs the agreements support. Register for the webinar or learn more about the Cooperative Agreement.

FSA Unveils One-Stop Crop Acreage Reporting

Farmers and ranchers filing crop acreage reports with the Farm Service Agency (FSA) and participating insurance providers approved by the Risk Management Agency (RMA), now can provide the common information from their acreage reports at one office and the information will be electronically shared with the other location.

This new process is part of the USDA Acreage Crop Reporting Streamlining Initiative (ACRSI). This interagency collaboration also includes participating private crop insurance agents and insurance companies, all working to streamline the information collected from farmers and ranchers who participate in USDA programs. More than 93 percent of all annual reported acres to FSA and RMA now are eligible for the common data reporting, and USDA is exploring adding more crops. Producers must still visit both locations to validate and sign acreage reports, complete maps or provide program-specific information. Read more.

Announcements and Upcoming Deadlines

• Applications for the Request for Applications (RFA) for Outreach, Education, Financial Literacy and Technical Assistance will continue to be accepted through July 11, 2016. FSA has allocated $2.5 million to fund between 25 and 125 awards to partner with non-government organizations with a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS and public and State controlled institutions of higher education. Learn more.
• The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the availability of $44 million to farmers, ranchers and businesses to develop new bio-based products and expand markets through the Value-Added Producer Grant program. Value-Added Producer Grants may be used to develop new products and create additional uses for existing ones. Priority for these grants is given to veterans, members of socially disadvantaged groups, beginning farmers and ranchers, and operators of small- and medium-sized family farms and ranches. Additional priority is given to applicants who seek funding for projects that will create or increase marketing opportunities for these types of operators. Deadline is June 24. Learn more or apply today.
• Registration is open for the 7th National Small Farm Conference hosted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Virginia State University’s College of Agriculture and the Virginia Cooperative Extension. The conference will be held Sept. 20-22. Multiple short courses will be available along with oral and poster paper presentations, exhibits and educational tours in and around Virginia Beach and the Chesapeake Bay. Learn more or register today.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (866) 632-9992 (Toll-free Customer Service), (800) 877-8339 (Local or Federal relay), (866) 377-8642 (Relay voice users).