FSA Outreach Focus

Reaching Out to Keep Farmers, Ranchers & Partners Informed

August 19, 2016

Military Experience Opens Door for Soldier to Return to the Farm Graduating from high school in the small town of Blakely, Georgia, Tracy Robinson was required to take an armed forces aptitude test. When asked what he wanted to do with his life, Robinson said he wanted to farm. The Marine recruiter told him he would be a great field artilleryman. “I heard the word field and thought it had something to do with farming,” said Robinson. He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and after finding out field artillery had nothing to do with farming, he stayed and fought for his country for 24 years, serving in Desert Shield, Afghanistan and Iraq. He achieved the highest enlisted rank of E9 and traveled to 30 different countries before retiring in 2010 and returning to Georgia to do what he loves — farm. Today, Robinson farms 300 acres of peanuts, cotton, soybeans and wheat, and he does it without owning or leasing any equipment. But to get to that point was a struggle and required a lot of support that many military veterans or underserved farmers once did not have. Read more.

USDA Services Can Help Individuals and Small Businesses Affected by Flooding in Louisiana

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reminds farmers and ranchers, families and small businesses affected by the severe storms and flooding in Louisiana that USDA has several programs that provide assistance before, during and after disasters. USDA staff in regional, state and parish offices are ready to help [find your local Louisiana USDA office].

“Our hearts go out to the families and communities in Louisiana who have been devastated by flooding over the past several weeks,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “USDA has offices in nearly every county or parish in the U.S., and we want to remind people that we have a variety of services that may be useful in challenging times like this one. Our employees are also members of the communities hit by flooding, and we want to help.” Learn more.

Storage Facility Loan Webinar Recording Now Available

A recording of last week’s farm storage webinar, hosted by the FSA Outreach Division, is now available online. The Farm Storage Facility Loan Program provides low-interest financing so producers can build or upgrade permanent or portable facilities to store commodities. The webinar covered the basics of the program, what is needed to apply and what type of storage facilities and commodities qualify. View the recording.

Announcements and Upcoming Events

• Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate and Postgraduate Fellowship Grants Program is accepting applications from institutions that confer a graduate degree in one of seven specific agricultural areas. The awards are intended to support traineeship programs that engage outstanding students to pursue and complete their degrees in USDA mission areas. Deadline is Oct. 11, 2016. Learn more.
• Higher Education Multicultural Scholars Program is accepting applications from 1862, 1890 and 1994 Land-Grant Institutions, Hispanic Serving Institutions and others organizations, for an undergraduate scholarship grant program designed to increase the multicultural diversity of the food and agricultural scientific and professional workforce. Deadline to apply is Sept. 22, 2016. Learn more.
• The Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the re-establishment of the advisory Council for Native American Farming and Ranching and is seeking nominees. The advisory council will provide recommendations to the Secretary on how to eliminate barriers to Native American participation in USDA programs. Deadline to submit nominations is Aug. 22, 2016. Read more or download an application.
• The Pacific Northwest Regional Native Youth in Food & Agriculture Summit – held Oct.13-16 at the University of Nevada-Reno – will bring Native youth ages 15-24 together for a one-of-a-kind learning experience about the issues they will face as the next generation of food and agriculture leaders in the Pacific Northwest region. This program is open to both enrolled Tribal youth and Tribal descendants. Applications are due Sept.10, 2016. Apply here.
• 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, 2016. 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).