Programs Overview FSA Disaster Assistance · 2017-11-06 · FSA authorized emergency procedures on case -by-case basis to assist impacted borrowers, livestock owners, contract growers,

Farm Service AgencyPrograms Overview

FSA Disaster Assistance

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.


Farm Service Agency (FSA) Overview• Part of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), under the

new Farm Production and Conservation mission area:• Farm Service Agency (FSA)• Risk Management Agency (RMA)• Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)

• FSA delivers farm programs, loans to help agricultural producers, partner organizations provide food, fuel, fiber

• Farm Bill – FSA administers 50 federal programs authorized by 2014 Farm Bill


Farm Service Agency (FSA) Overview

• 173 Service Centers across Texas, serving all 254 counties

• State Office in College Station

• Approximately 650 full-time FSA employees in Texas

FSA in Texas – Local Service, Local Impact


Getting Started with FSADetermine Your Needs• Disaster Assistance

Livestock losses; Property, equipment damage• Commodity, Price Support

Protect against market losses• Conservation Efforts

Protect endangered wildlife; Reduce erosion• Farm Loans

Start new operation Expand production, equipment Begin specialty/niche operation Sustain farming operations

FSA Texas Webpage - www.fsa.usda.gov/txUSDA Service Centers - offices.usda.gov



Getting Started with FSAWhat to Bring to Your FSA Office• Proof of Identity

Valid driver’s license, passport, other personal identification Social Security card or IRS paperwork that verifies an Employer

Identification Number Original documents required

• Proof of farm/ranch ownership (if recording ownership) Copy of recorded deed

• Lease agreement (if identifying lease)• Entity Identification Status (if recording entity)

Articles of incorporation Trust & estate documents Partnership agreement

Getting Started with FSA - GovDelivery• FSA’s electronic news service delivers

important state and local program information instantly State Newsletters, County News Bulletins, Time-

Sensitive local text messages Subscribe at your local Service Center Subscribe online at www.fsa.usda.gov/tx on Main

Page SMS Alerts: Important, time-sensitive text

messages from your local FSA office• Text TX and your county name (no spaces) to FSANOW

(372669) • Example: Recipient = FSANOW (372-669)

Message = TXBee


Disaster Assistance – News• Extra Time, Procedures Granted to Document

and Claim Disaster Losses Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced special

procedures to assist producers who lost crops or livestock or had other damage to their farms or ranches as a result of hurricanes Harvey and Irma

USDA will provide additional flexibility to assist farm loan borrowers

FSA authorized emergency procedures on case-by-case basis to assist impacted borrowers, livestock owners, contract growers, others


Disaster Assistance – News• Some program requirements have been temporarily

adjusted for Producers affected by Hurricane Harvey Financially stressed FSA farm loan borrowers affected by the

hurricanes who have received primary loan servicing applications may be eligible for 60 day extensions

Deadlines to file loss for Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) and Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees and Farm-Raised Fish (ELAP) extended to 60 days

Special provisions provided for “acceptable proof of livestock death and inventory for livestock losses”

A complete listing of all special farm program provisions is posted at https://go.usa.gov/xRe8p

• Contact your local County FSA Office for specific information related to your operation


https://go.usa.gov/xRe8p

FSA - General Application Requirements


• Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) Certification

• Highly Erodible and Wetland certification

Livestock Disaster Programs


• Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP)• Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP)• Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey

Bees, and Farm-Raised Fish (ELAP)

Payment limitation of $125,000 per year

Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP)


Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP)• Provides benefits to livestock producers for

livestock deaths in excess of normal mortality caused by adverse weather

• Payments are equal to 75 percent of the average fair market value of the livestock


Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP)


• Beef Cattle• Dairy Cattle• Beefalo• Bison• Goats

• Horses• Poultry• Sheep• Swine

• Other livestock as determined by Sec. of Agriculture

• Eligible Livestock

Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP)• Eligible Livestock Producers

Eligible owners must legally own the eligible livestock on the day the loss occurred

Eligible contract growers must be in possession of the eligible livestock a the time of the loss and have a written agreement with the eligible livestock owner setting the specific terms regarding the production of the livestock.


Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP)• Eligibility Requirements

Livestock must have died in excess of normal mortality as direct result of eligible loss condition that occurred no later than 60 calendar days from ending date of applicable adverse weather event

Livestock must have been maintained for commercial use as part of a farming operation on the day they died


Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP)• Eligibility Requirements

Livestock must not have been produced for reasons other than commercial use as part of farming operation

Excluded livestock includes wild free-roaming animals, pets or animals used for recreation purposes such as hunting, roping, or show


Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP)• Application Requirements

Participant must provide Notice of Loss within 30 calendar days of when loss of livestock is apparent to producer

Complete application for payment and provide required supporting documentation for loss no later than 90 calendar days after end of calendar year in which eligible loss condition occurred


Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP)• Death Loss Supporting Documentation

Beginning and ending inventories for type/kind and weight range of livestock

Type of adverse weather

Proof of Death


Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP)• Death Loss Supporting Documentation (Cont’d)Type of documentation:

• Photographs/video to document loss, date if possible

• Purchase records, veterinarian records, production records, bank or other loan documents

• Written contracts, records assembled for tax purposes, private insurance documents

• Other similar reliable documents

• Adequate proof that eligible livestock deaths occurred as direct result of eligible adverse weather event


Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP)• How to Apply for 2017 LIP

File a Notice of Loss within 30 calendar days of when loss of livestock is apparent to producer

Application Deadline is March 31, 2018 for 2017 losses

Call your County FSA Office for appointment


Livestock Disaster Assistance Programs• Livestock Indemnity Program

• Application


Livestock Disaster Assistance Programs• Livestock Indemnity Program

• Application


Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-Raised Fish (ELAP)


Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-Raised Fish (ELAP)• Provides emergency assistance to eligible producers of

livestock, honeybees and farm-raised fish for losses due to disease (including cattle tick fever), adverse weather, or other conditions, such as blizzards and wildfires, as determined by the Secretary of Agriculture, not covered by LFP and LIP.



• Covered Losses: Livestock Feed Losses Livestock Grazing Losses Honeybee Colony Losses Honeybee Hives Losses Honeybee Feed Losses Bait and Game Fish Losses Aquatic Species Feed Losses



• Application Requirements – for 2017 Losses

Must provide Notice of Loss within 30 calendar days of when loss of livestock is apparent to producer

Complete application for payment and provide required supporting documentation for loss no later than November 1, 2017

Call your local County FSA Office for appointment


Noninsured Crops Disaster Assistance Program (NAP)


Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP)

• Available for crops not covered by RMA

• Financial assistance to producers of non-insurable crops impacted by natural disaster resulting in lower yields, crop losses, or prevents crop planting

• NAP Coverage must be purchased by crop application closing date



• Basic coverage 50% yield at 55% price

• Service Fees $250 per crop, or $750 per person per administrative county, or $1,875 for producer farming in multiple counties

• May also elect buy-up protection for individual crop at 50%, 55%, 60%, 65% of yield at 100% of price

• Buy-up coverage requires NAP service fee plus a premium which equals 5.25% of liability Grazed crops are not eligible for buy-up



• Eligible Causes of Loss Include: Drought Excessive Wind/Tornado/Hurricane Freeze Hail Flood/Excessive Moisture Earthquake Conditions related to damaging weather or adverse natural

occurrence; disease, insect infestation, heat, sufficient chill hours



• After purchase, Producer must: Timely report/certify crop acreage File Notice of Loss Turn in crop production File Application for Payment






Tree Assistance Program (TAP)


Tree Assistance Program (TAP)• Assistance for eligible orchardist, nursery tree growers

to replant or rehabilitate trees, bushes, vines lost as result of eligible natural disaster


Tree Assistance Program (TAP)• Eligibility Conditions

Mortality above and below ground as result of eligible natural disaster event

Stand must have sustained mortality loss in excess of 18% after adjusted for normal mortality

Damaged trees, bushes, vines no longer commercially viable; may be considered “dead” in determining mortality threshold

Applicants who suffer eligible tree, bush, vine loss must provide application and supporting documentation to FSA within 90 calendar days of each disaster event or date when loss is apparent to producer


Tree Assistance Program (TAP)• Eligible producers may be reimbursed for cost of

replanting/rehabilitating trees damaged in excess of 18% mortality as follows: Replanting and cost of seedlings or cuttings for tree, bush, vine

replacement; the lesser of either:• 65% of actual total cost of practice• Total calculated using rates established by DAFP for practice

Cost of pruning, removal, other costs incurred for salvaging existing trees, bushes, vines; in case of mortality, to prepare land to replant trees, bushes, vines, the lesser of:

• 50% of actual cost of practice • Total calculated using rates established by DAFP for practice












Emergency Grazing of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)




• Emergency grazing limited to livestock producers who suffered pasture losses due to Hurricane Harvey

• Beginning September 13, 2017, livestock owned by an eligible producers affected by Hurricane Harvey may graze eligible CRP land for period of 60 days



• To ensure emergency grazing is only utilized by producers whose grazing land was adversely impacted by Hurricane Harvey, eligibility may be determined by either a CCC-576 or written self certification

• CRP acreage eligible for emergency grazing includes practices CP1, CP2, CP4B, CP4D, CP10, CP18B, CP18C, and CP38 if included in the approved SAFE proposal

Emergency Conservation Program (ECP)


Emergency Conservation Program (ECP)• Provides emergency funding and technical

assistance to farmers and ranchers to rehabilitate farmland damaged by natural disasters

• ECP participants may receive cost-share assistance of up to 75% of cost to implement approved emergency conservation practices


Emergency Conservation Program (ECP)• ECP – EligibilityTo rehabilitate farmland, ECP participants

implement emergency conservation practices:• Debris removal from farmland• Grading, shaping or leveling land• Restoring livestock fences • Restoring Conservation structures


Emergency Conservation Program (ECP)• ECP – Eligibility Requirements Items eligible for cost-share assistance include

cost to rehabilitate or replace damaged land or structures:

• New or used materials • Services• Labor• Sales tax


Emergency Conservation Program (ECP)• ECP – Eligible Land Eligible land must be physically located in county or

portion of county approved for ECP For land to be eligible, natural disaster must create

new conservation problems that, if untreated, would:• Impair or endanger land• Materially affect land’s productive capacity• Represent unusual damage not type likely to recur

frequently in same area• Be so costly to repair that federal assistance required

to return land to productive agricultural use Conservation problems existing before the applicable

disaster event are ineligible for ECP assistance


Emergency Conservation Program (ECP)• ECP – Eligible Restoration Cost ConsiderationsThe minimum performance necessary to resolve

problems that are corrected by ECP practice must meets current NRCS standards and specifications

Payments limited to restoring structures and other installations to current NRCS technical standards and specifications

ECP participants must pay additional cost incurred to improve land and structures beyond minimum NRCS technical standards and specifications

No relief authorized for conservation problems existing before a disaster event occurs


Emergency Conservation Program (ECP)• Site Inspection/Damage Documentation• Document Damage with:MapsDated/time-stamped photographsGPS coordinatesDescription of magnitude of damaged or destroyed

fencing, conservation structures, farmland


Emergency Conservation Program (ECP)• ECP – ApplicationCost-share assistance limited to $200,000 per

person or legal entity per disasterMinimum qualifying cost of restoration is $1,000

per participant or $250 for producers certifying as limited resource

Relief for starting a practice before filing an application may be granted on case-by-case basis; Example includes restoring fences to contain livestock


Emergency Conservation Program (ECP)• ECP – Application (Cont’d)

The following counties are approved to implement ECP:

Aransas Chambers Grimes Lavaca Polk WallerAustin Colorado Hardin Lee Refugio WashingtonBastrop DeWitt Harris Liberty Sabine WhartonBee Fayette Jefferson Matagorda San JacintoBrazoria Fort Bend Jasper Montgomery San PatricioBrazos Galveston Jefferson Newton TylerBurleson Goliad Karnes Nueces VictoriaCalhoun Gonzales Kleberg Orange Walker


Emergency Conservation Program (ECP)• ECP – Application (Cont’d)

Producers should inquire with local FSA county office regarding ECP enrollment periods; Signup period shall be at least 30 calendar days, but no more than 60 calendar days, from date ECP is implemented

FSA county office will accept a producer’s request at anytime, but request does not guarantee approval or eligibility


FSA Seed Cotton LoansSeed cotton loans are farm-stored recourse loans made on cotton before it is ginned• Seed cotton loans are available for Upland or ELS

cotton through March 31• All seed cotton loans mature no later than May 31• If the cotton is sold, producer must repay principal

plus interest and charges immediately


FSA Seed Cotton Loans• Not eligible to be forfeited or repaid with commodity

certificates• Cotton modules serve as collateral• Loan rate is base loan rate for upland cotton

49.49 cents per pound


FSA Seed Cotton LoansSeed cotton loans are repaid at principal plus interest with either:• Proceeds of ginned-cotton placed into loan

or• Cash redemption by producer before module is

ginned


FSA Seed Cotton Loans• Seed cotton must be insured at full loan value

against loss, damage by fire• Eligibility is same for regular Marketing

Assistance Loans


FSA Seed Cotton Loans• Producers must provide the following when

requesting seed cotton loan: Farm number where cotton was producedModule numbers Location where modules are stored

• Producer should indicate:He/she is member of CMA or works with LSAand If Baled cotton is intended for Marketing

Assistance Loan


Emergency Loans


Emergency Loans• Provides financial assistance to family farmers

who suffer qualifying production and/or physical losses as result of disaster

• Maximum amount is $500,000 – up to 100% of actual production or physical losses

• Interest Rate is 3.75%


Emergency Loans• How to Qualify Farm operation is in county declared disaster by

President or Secretary of Agriculture Suffered at least 30% loss in crop production or

experienced physical loss to livestock, equipment, or real estate


Emergency Loans• May be used to:Restore or replace essential propertyPay essential family living and farm operating

expensesRefinance farm-related debts other than real estate

to improve farm profitability


Emergency Loans• Calculating LossAmount of loan based on amount of loss sufferedApplicant will use Agency Form FSA-2309 to report

all yields, acreage information, physical losses to FSA


Emergency Loans• Repayment TermsAnnual Operating Loans must be repaid within 12

months Loans for production or physical losses may not

exceed 7 yearsTerm may be extended up to 20 years to improve

repayment ability if real estate security is available


Emergency Loans• CollateralAll Emergency Loans must be fully securedApplicants will provide additional security, if

available, up to 150% of loan amountA lien must be taken on all non-essential assets

worth $5,000 or more, if asset cannot be sold to reduce loan amount


Emergency Loans• Collateral (Cont’d) For real estate loans, must be secured by real estate

being purchased, repaired, replaced, improved For chattel and production losses, must be secured

by chattel being purchased, repaired, replaced, refinanced, or produced


Emergency Loans• Eligibility SummaryUnable to obtain sufficient commercial financingNo previous Direct or Guaranteed Loan resulting in

loss to agencyNo delinquency on any Federal DebtMust agree to repay any duplicative Federal

assistance to agency providing assistance (assignments will be taken on disaster programs)


Emergency Loans• Eligibility Summary (Cont’d)Presidential Disaster Declaration M4332 covers

damages and losses caused by Hurricane Harvey occurring August 23, 2017, and continuing

Timely Loan Application: • Presidential Disaster Declaration M4332• 9 Amendments to M4332 (as of September 30, 2017)

Filing deadline varies; different for each AmendmentOriginal M4332 = April 25, 2018M4332, Amendment 9 = May 21, 2018Meet with Local FSA staff for applicable deadlines


FSA Farm Loan Programs


FSA Farm Loan ProgramsIn addition to Emergency Farm Loan authority, FSA can:• Make Direct Farm Loans• Issue Farm Loan Guarantees to participating

Commercial Lenders


FSA Farm Loan Types • Direct Loan Program

• Funded by FSA; Congressional appropriations • Direct Operating Loans• Direct Farm Ownership Loans• Microloans• Emergency Loans• Youth Loans

• Guaranteed Loan Program• From USDA-approved commercial lenders

• Farm Operating Loanso Line of Credit

• Farm Ownership• Conservation Loans• Land Contract Guarantee


FSA Farm Loan ProgramsDesigned to help eligible family farmers, ranchers start, expand, change operation All loan programs considered temporary source of credit Borrower expected to return to conventional credit

sources



Farm Service AgencyFor More Information Contact:

www.fsa.usda.gov

Documents

Programs Overview FSA Disaster Assistance · 2017-11-06 · FSA authorized emergency procedures on case -by-case basis to assist impacted borrowers, livestock owners, contract growers,