Baton
Rouge, La - USDA Announced Efforts to Expand Support for Small and Mid-Sized
Farmers and Ranchers on March 10, 2014. Agriculture Secretary Tom
Vilsack made the announcement in remarks at the National Farmers Union National
Convention. The SU Ag
Center’s target audience consists mainly of small farmers and producers in
Louisiana with regional impact. The step taken by USDA to make these resources
accessible in one place is timely for growing rural economy.
Small and midsize
producers provide new opportunities for American Agriculture across the
country. This page provides small and midsize producers valuable resources and
program information about access to capital, land management and conservation
practices, managing risk, finding local markets, and other educational
resources.
Accessing Capital
USDA has made changes
to the Farm Storage and Facility Loan (FSFL) Program to help small and midsized
fruit and vegetable producers access the program for cold storage and related
equipment like wash and pack stations. Diversified and smaller fruit and
vegetable producers, including CSAs, are now eligible for a waiver from the
requirement that they carry crop insurance or NAP coverage when they apply for
a FSFL loan. FSFL can also be used to finance hay barns and grain bins.
Funding for producers
under the popular microloan program.
USDA launched the Microloan Program to allow beginning, small and mid-sized
farmers to access up to $35,000 in loans using a simplified application
process. Learn more about the Organic
Certification Cost Share Program.
Risk
Management
USDA is developing
tools to help small and midsized farmers and ranchers make sound financial
decisions as they plan for their future including a whole farm insurance policy
that will better meet the needs of highly-diversified producers, particularly
small and midsized fruit and vegetable growers. More information is available
through USDA's Risk
Management Agency.
Locating
Market Opportunities
USDA's Farm to
School Program has put seven new
Farm-to-School Coordinators on the ground in regional offices to help build
direct relationships between small and mid-sized producers and school
districts. One priority area for Farm to School is creating more opportunities
for small and mid-sized livestock and poultry producers.
Market News
is now collecting price data on grass-fed beef to arm producers with real
pricing information from the sector. Market News will also soon begin
collecting data about local food prices and volume, valuable to small and
mid-sized producers engaged in that marketplace.
The USDA
National Farmers Market Directory
will be broadened to include CSAs, on-farm stores and food hubs. This
information will help small and mid-sized producers find new market
opportunities.
Land
Management
Sound water and land
management plans are an important part of any farm operation. The Natural
Resource Conservation Service (NRCS)
is working with farmers and ranchers of all sizes to develop land and water
management plans.
In addition, NRCS's
Hoop House Program continues to extend the growing season and revenue
opportunities while also promoting conservation for small and mid-sized
farmers.
Food Safety
USDA has launched
pilot projects in five states to help small and mid-sized farmers achieve Good
Agricultural Practice (GAP) certification.
GAP certification indicates farmers have met food safety standards required by
many retail buyers. Group GAP efforts are being developed in partnership with
small and mid-sized producer groups in Michigan, Wisconsin, Montana,
Pennsylvania and Missouri.
Educational
Resources and Outreach
USDA has created a Learning Guide Series for
small and mid-sized producers
to help them navigate available USDA resources. The first in this series will
be for small and mid-sized livestock and poultry producers. Additional Learning
Guides will be released later this year and will be available on the Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food
website. In addition, the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) has
launched Small Scale Solutions for Your Farm, a series of educational resources
designed for both small livestock and fruit and vegetable producers.
Start2farm.gov also serves as a one stop shop for
beginning farmers and ranchers to learn about how to get started. While not all
small and midsize producers are new or beginning, many do start out small.
Additional
Resources and Support
The Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program provides grants to organizations that
train, educate, and provide outreach and technical assistance to new and
beginning farmers;
The National
Institute of Food and Agriculture's Agriculture
and Food Research Initiative (AFRI)
focuses on developing models to assist small farmers in their decision making;
Value Added Producer Grants
can help farmers and ranchers develop new products, create and expand marketing
opportunities, and increasing producer income.
The Farmers
Market and Local Food Promotion Program
(previously known as the Farmers Market Promotion Program) supports development
and marketing activities for farmers markets, food hubs, roadside stands,
agri-tourism activities and other producer to consumer markets. This support
can help small and mid-sized farmers to access markets.
Local and regional
food systems can be a profitable sector for small and mid-sized farmers. The Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food Initiative coordinates USDA's work in local and
regional food systems and is a centralized resource for learning about USDA
opportunities in this industry.
Small and mid-sized
farmers and ranchers working in rural areas with high persistent poverty often
need extra support. USDA's StrikeForce for Rural Growth
and Opportunity provides support to
grow economies, increase investments and create opportunities in
persistent-poverty areas. Small and mid-sized farmers and ranchers in the
twenty states where USDA StrikeForce teams are in place can utilize these
resources.
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Contact:
Bridget Udoh
(225) 771-5714
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