Be the Link: A Part of the Conversation

Coy Poitier stands in foreground with garden in background.

Coy Poitier, certified master gardener, manages a one-acre urban farm and serves as chairman of the Dallas Urban County Committee. Photo by Joshua Coleman.

By Joshua Coleman, Farm Service Agency 

The nomination period for the USDA Farm Service Agency’s annual county committee elections began June 15 and continues through Aug. 1, 2023. Throughout the nomination period, we’ll be introducing county committee members from across the nation. This week, meet Coy Poitier of Lancaster, Texas, and Chairman of the Dallas FSA Urban County Committee (UCOC). 

A Calling to Help 

Coy started farming after graduating from Texas A&M University’s Texas Master Gardener program conducted by the Texas AgriLife Extension Service in 2020. He is now the executive director of the FAWC Conservatory of Arts and Sciences, a non-profit public charity located in Lancaster, Texas. This one-acre urban farm is an educational center that teaches the community how to start, grow, and maintain an urban farm. The farm is managed by Coy and his wife, Katrina, both Texas-certified master gardeners. They currently have over 40 fruit trees, a vegetable garden, a vineyard, and a greenhouse with a 100-gallon aquaponic tank and a seed-planting station.  Continue reading

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Be the Link: Farming, Family and Community

Chad Budy stands in foreground with a herd of cattle in the background.

Fourth-generation farmer, Chad Budy, serves on the FSA county committee in Woods County, Oklahoma. Photo by Madeline Alewine.

By Madeline Alewine, Farm Service Agency

The nomination period for the USDA Farm Service Agency’s annual county committee elections began June 15 and continues through Aug. 1, 2023. Throughout the nomination period, we’ll be introducing county committee members from across the nation. This week, meet Chad Budy of Woods County, Oklahoma.

Preparing the Next Generation

Chad is a fourth-generation farmer and rancher on Budy Farms where they raise beef cattle along with alfalfa, wheat, soybeans, and other small grains. Chad, a father of four, understands the value of passing along knowledge to younger generations. His two oldest sons actively farm and ranch alongside other family members. Some of Chad’s motivation stems from simply improving the land to make it better for his sons when they take over. Continue reading

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Inflation Reduction Act in Action | Farm Loans: A Road to Recovery

Sigifredo Morales-Martinez and daughter Yaraici Morales stand in front of field of blueberry bushes.

Sigifredo Morales-Martinez and his family, including daughter Yaraici Morales, raise 30 acres of blueberries in Michigan. Photo by Beth Dayson, FSA.

By: Beth Dayson, Farm Loan Program Technician, and Jessica Stroud, Farm Loan Manager, Van Buren County Service Center, FSA, Michigan

Through no fault of their own, many of our nation’s farmers and ranchers have faced incredibly tough circumstances over the last few years. That includes Sigifredo Morales-Martinez of Grand Junction, Michigan, who is one of the more than 20,000 producers who have received critical financial assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture that will keep them on their land. The Inflation Reduction Act provided $3.1 billion through USDA for relief to distressed borrowers along with certain Farm Service Agency direct and guaranteed loans. It will also give relief as expeditiously as possible to borrowers whose agricultural operations are at financial risk. USDA has also provided approximately $1.1 billion in immediate assistance for distressed borrowers, including those who were behind on their USDA farm loans, to help make them current.

This helped producers like Sigifredo who were at risk of losing their operations due to several unprecedented challenges, including trade disruptions, a worldwide pandemic, continued impacts on input costs and markets, and more frequent, more intense, climate-induced natural disasters.

Sigifredo has been operating a blueberry farm for 30 years where he currently manages 30 acres of blueberries. Together he and his wife have worked hard to maintain their farm while raising three daughters, Yaraici, Yailene, and Yaseen Morales. They’ve had a farm loan with FSA since 2010. Continue reading

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Inflation Reduction Act in Action | Farm Loans: Supporting Multiple Generations

Rosalina Nuñez stands on the right and Andy Ordaz on the left behind two bushel baskets of tomatoes on a table.

Andy Ordaz, along with Rosalina Nuñez, operate a vegetable farm in Virginia. Photo by Jeremey Burner, FSA.

By: Brandon Waldron, FSA, Fredericksburg Area FSA Office, Fredericksburg, Virginia

Through no fault of their own, our nation’s farmers and ranchers have faced incredibly tough circumstances over the last few years. That includes Andy Ordaz of Mechanicsville, Virginia, who is one of the more than 20,000 producers who have received life-changing, transformational support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which provided $3.1 billion for USDA to provide relief for distressed borrowers with certain FSA direct and guaranteed loans whose agricultural operations are at financial risk, USDA has provided approximately $1.1 billion in immediate assistance for distressed borrowers, including those who were behind on their USDA farm loans, to help make them current.

This has helped producers like Andy who were at risk of losing their operations due to several unprecedented challenges, including trade disruptions, a worldwide pandemic, continued impacts on input costs and markets, and more frequent, more intense, climate-induced natural disasters.

Andy got a love of farming from his father, Juan Carlos Ordaz-Barajas. Juan was born in Mexico and moved to the U.S. to work as a farmhand on a large vegetable farm, where he worked for 25 years. Working on the farm was a family affair as Juan had his partner and children move there to all live together. The farm’s owner thought of the Ordazs as family. When the farm’s owner passed away in 2018, his wife auctioned the equipment.  Continue reading

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Inflation Reduction Act in Action | Farm Loans: Keeping Farmers Farming

Marcus Milford stands in foreground with two poultry barns in the background.

Marcus Milford has operated a poultry farm in Alabama since 2009. Photo by Rasheda Beckles, FSA.

By: Rasheda Beckles, FSA, Elmore Service Center, Wetumpka, Alabama  

Through no fault of their own, our nation’s farmers and ranchers have faced incredibly tough circumstances. That includes producer Marcus Milford of Alexander City, Ala., who is one of the more than 20,000 producers who received life-changing, transformational support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), USDA has been able to provide approximately $1.1 billion in immediate assistance for distressed borrowers, including those who were behind on their USDA farm loans, to help make them current.  

This helped producers like Marcus who were at risk of losing their operations due to several unprecedented challenges, including trade disruptions, a worldwide pandemic, continued impacts on input costs and markets, and more frequent, more intense, climate-induced natural disasters.  Continue reading

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Inflation Reduction Act in Action | Farm Loans: USDA Helps Save, Strengthen Maine Dairy

Dairy producer Tom Drew stands in front of his tractor and equipment.

Tom Drew has operated an organic dairy farm in Maine since 1994. Photo by Kevin Barnes, FSA.

By: Kevin Barnes, FSA, Presque Isle Service Center, Maine

Through no fault of their own, our nation’s farmers and ranchers have faced incredibly tough circumstances over the last few years. That includes dairy producer Tom Drew of Woodland, Maine, who is one of the more than 20,000 producers who received life-changing, transformational support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), USDA was able to provide approximately $1.1 billion in immediate assistance for the borrowers who were behind on their USDA farm loans to help make them current.

This helped producers like Tom who were at risk of losing their operations due to several unprecedented challenges, including trade disruptions, a worldwide pandemic, continued impacts on input costs and markets, and more frequent, more intense, climate-induced natural disasters.

Tom has been operating an organic dairy farm since 1994 where he currently manages a herd of 200 plus cattle and milks approximately 55 cows daily. He has had a farm loan with the Farm Service Agency (FSA) since 2015. Continue reading

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Lead Your FSA: A Veteran of Agriculture and Service

Thoune Hongphao stands in his sugar cane juice stand surrounded by fresh fruits.

Thoune is the current chairperson for the Honolulu FSA County Committee. Photo courtesy of Thoune Hongphao.

By: Josephine Lealasola, FSA

The nomination period for the USDA Farm Service Agency’s annual county committee election began June 15 and continues through Aug. 1, 2022. Throughout the nomination period, we’ll be introducing county committee members from across the nation. This week meet Thoune Hongphao, the current chairperson for the Honolulu FSA County Committee in Hawaii.   

A Natural Path 

Thoune is a third-generation farmer who immigrated from Laos to the United States when he was in high school. Thoune joined the Army upon graduating from high school and served a distinguished 20-year career, which included a tour in Afghanistan serving as a heavy equipment mechanic specializing in the maintenance of tanks and combat vehicles.  Continue reading

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Lead Your FSA: A Learning Experience

Marcia Hoplin kneels in a green field.

Marcia Hoplin currently serves as the chairman of her local FSA county committee in Traill County, North Dakota. USDA Photo.

By: Lindsey Abentroth, FSA

The nomination period for the USDA Farm Service Agency’s annual county committee election began June 15 and continues through Aug. 1, 2022. Throughout the nomination period, we’ll be introducing county committee members from across the nation. This week meet Marcia Hoplin of Traill County, North Dakota, where she currently serves as the chairman of her local FSA county committee.

Getting Started

Marcia has been involved in agriculture her entire life. Growing up, she was her father’s main hand on the farm. Marcia took over the 1,000-acre grain and bean farm when he passed away in 1997 and has been running the farm by herself ever since. Continue reading

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Living a Generational Legacy in South Carolina

 Pictured left to right are Markel, Warren, and Corey Dixon, standing by a Dixon Farms sign.

From left to right, Markel, Warren, and Corey Dixon own and operate Dixon Farms, a sixth-generation farm in Horry County that has been in operation for nearly 200 years. Photo by Sabrenna Bryant, FSA.

By: Sabrenna Bryant, FSA, South Carolina 

Meet the Dixon Family of Aynor, South Carolina. When speaking to Warren Dixon about his family’s farming operation there is unmistakable pride in his voice. Dixon Farms has maintained continual operation for over 200 years and is still going strong as the sixth generation now emerges to join the family business.

“We’ve been in this area for a long time, and much of the land that we rent is small, minority owned farms,” Warren said. “In the past, much of this land supported 30-40 minority families. The family currently farms 800 acres, our main crops being tobacco, sweet potatoes, soybeans, and corn.” Continue reading

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Lead Your FSA: Generational Passion for Agriculture

Chris Naylor, county committee member, stands in the center of the photo next to a big round bale of hay.

Meet Chris Naylor of Sampson County, where he currently serves as chairman of his local FSA county committee. Photo by Alicia Best, FSA.

By: Alicia Best, FSA

The nomination period for the USDA Farm Service Agency’s annual county committee election began June 15 and continues through Aug. 1, 2022. Throughout the nomination period, we’ll be introducing county committee members from across the nation. This week meet Chris Naylor of Sampson County, North Carolina, where he currently serves as chairman of his local FSA county committee. Continue reading

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