There are several reasons farmers may want to visit their local USDA Farm Service Agency office soon. “Staff members in our county offices are available to help. They can answer questions about various farm programs, as well as disaster aid that can help with flooding issues this spring,” says Amanda DeJong, state executive director for FSA in Iowa. “In southwest Iowa, there are farmers and other residents who still haven’t been able to get back into their fields or homes due to flooding that began six weeks ago.”

A recent announcement by USDA that’s generated questions has to do with the Market Facilitation Program. USDA announced April 29 it has extended the deadline to May 17 from May 1 for farmers to certify 2018 crop production for payments through the MFP.

MFP helps farmers who have been significantly affected by foreign tariffs, resulting in the loss of traditional exports. FSA extended the deadline because heavy rainfall and snowfall have delayed harvests in many parts of the country, preventing the affected farmers from certifying acres.

Payments will be issued only if eligible producers certify before the updated May 17 deadline, DeJong says. Producers had to sign up for the program in February to be eligible. MFP provides payments to producers of corn, cotton, sorghum, soybeans, wheat, dairy, hogs, fresh sweet cherries and shelled almonds. FSA will issue payments based on the producer’s certified total production of the MFP commodity multiplied by the MFP rate for that specific commodity.

Short-term relief

“Trade issues, coupled with low commodity prices and recovery from natural disasters, have definitely impacted the bottom line for many agricultural producers,” says FSA administrator Richard Fordyce.

“The MFP payments provide short-term relief from retaliatory tariffs to supplement the traditional farm safety net, helping ag producers through these difficult times,” he says. “Weather conditions last fall, during the winter and in early spring have blocked many farmers from completing harvest of their crops, and we want to make sure farmers who want to finalize their MFP application have an opportunity.”

Producers can certify production by contacting their local FSA office or through farmers.gov. USDA launched the trade mitigation program to assist farmers suffering from damage caused by unjustified trade retaliation by foreign nations.

FSA implemented MFP in September as a relief strategy to protect ag producers, while the Trump administration works on trade deals. To date, more than $8.3 billion has been paid to nearly 600,000 applicants. MFP is established under the authority of USDA’s Commodity Credit Corp. and is administered by FSA.

Emergency Conservation Program available

DeJong is also reminding farmers who have had flood damage to fields this spring that the USDA Emergency Conservation Program is available. “Those sign-ups with FSA started a couple weeks ago,” she says. “Producers who are planning to remove debris that has washed onto fields, or sand that’s been deposited, should sign up for the cost-share help.

“Some farmers need to do grading or shaping and leveling the land that’s been flooded. There are fences that have been washed out and terraces, grass waterways and other conservation structures that need repair. We have cost-share programs that can help.”

You need to apply for the cost-share help before beginning to do the repair work on the land or conservation structures. Also, farmers whose pastures have been damaged by flooding and need forage for grazing can contact the local FSA office and get permission to graze Conservation Reserve Program acres —either their own CRP acres or a neighbor’s. This CRP grazing is being allowed until May 14.

“FSA has several programs available to assist farmers dealing with flood issues,” DeJong says. “Congress is considering a disaster package that could provide additional assistance or expanded help for flooded farmers. We’ll have to wait and see what Congress decides. It remains to be seen whether any proposed legislation is enacted.”