Holstein dairy cows eat a prescribed feed. USDA photo by Scott Bauer.

By Danielle Cooke, Farm Service Agency

Dairy producers have until June 1, 2018, to register for the new and improved Margin Protection Program for Dairy (MPP-Dairy), which provides protection to dairy producers from shifting milk and feed prices.

To help raise awareness of recent changes to the program, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is holding informational meetings all across dairy country, explaining changes to the program, coverage levels, premiums and the availability of the Margin Protection Program-Dairy Decision Tool.  Continue reading →

Before opening their boutique winery, Hillary and Diane visited the Oklahoma Small Business Development Center where they learned about FSA’s farm loan opportunities.

By Lauren Moore, FSA Public Affairs Specialist 

Hillary and Diane Dean, boutique wine operators in Caddo, Oklahoma, are passionate about wine making. The Deans own and operate Blue River Valley Winery, growing several grape varieties and producing over varieties of wine.

From Hobby to Business

“It all started with homemade peach wine. A family member had us try their homemade wine and we couldn’t believe the quality. We wanted to try our hand at it,” said Diane. “We started off in the kitchen. Our table space was taken up by small fermenters.”

After making craft beer for nearly 20 years, Hillary and Diane fell in love with making fine wine. Their hobby quickly became a business, selling more than 15,000 bottles of their handcrafted wine in 2016 and over 19,000 in 2017. Continue reading →

By Julie Polt, FSA

At every level of government, public servants dedicate their careers to serving and helping people just like you. Each year, these servants are recognized during Public Service Recognition Week, the second week in May.

This year, we mark the 34^th anniversary of celebrating our public servants. It’s a time that we join together to recognize the dedication of public servants across the country. It is also a time to honor those who have given their lives in service to our nation. Continue reading →

Mark with his grandson Hudson.

By Stefanie Pidgeon, Risk Management Agency, Public Affairs Specialist

Mark Nieman, a fourth-generation farmer in Nortonville, Kansas, is keeping the family’s farming tradition alive. Mark and his sons run the 620-acre corn, soybean, alfalfa and livestock farm in northeastern Kansas, which includes the 80 acres his great-grandfather bought back in 1905 when he emigrated from Germany.

Mark’s two boys and his grandkids, who will be the sixth-generation, are steadily helping more each year on the farm. “Living on the farm and preserving the ground for my family is most important,” he says. “I am very proud and lucky to have a family that wants to keep the Nieman legacy going.” Continue reading →

Here at the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), we believe America’s farmers, ranchers and foresters are superheroes. They maybe don’t wear capes or fight crime, but they do right and feed everyone, growing our nation’s food, fiber and fuel. They do this despite challenges from Mother Nature and ups and downs in the market.

While farmers are modest people, we want to highlight their work. Meet a few of our “superhero” farmers: Continue reading →

Through youth loans, FSA helps to start and operate income-producing youth projects of modest size for the applicant to gain experience and education in agriculture-related skills.

By Brooke Raffaele, Public Affairs & Outreach Coordinator, California Farm Service Agency

Madison Thomas, a 4-H member in Hanford, California, used a youth loan through the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) to fund her first steer project. Her interest in showing livestock through 4-H was sparked by friends with similar livestock projects.

With her youth loan, Thomas decided to purchase a large Hereford steer named “Titan.” With care, love and devotion, Titan quickly grew to be a gentle giant, weighing in at 1,280 pounds. Continue reading →

By Justin Fritscher, FSA

Dairy farmers kick off their days in the wee hours of the morning, and it’s often after dusk when they can hit the hay, and then wake up and do it all over again.

USDA knows dairy farmers – as well as all the nation’s farmers, ranchers and foresters – have busy jobs.

The Scott Brothers Dairy in San Jacinto, California is a fourth-generation farm family that has taken advantage of USDA conservation programs. 

That’s why USDA offers a wide variety of programs to help agricultural producers find the right tools for their farm.

USDA offers a variety of risk management, disaster assistance and conservation programs to help America’s dairy farmers weather ups and downs in the market and natural disasters as well as invest in improvements to their operations. Continue reading →

Dairy farmers in Puerto Rico were recipients of the new USDA Dairy Assistance Program due to Hurricane Maria. Here, a “life pole” provides support to the fences, while providing shade to the livestock as the trees grow. USDA photo by Preston Keres

By Steve Peterson, Acting Administrator, Farm Service Agency

When a disaster strikes, farmers and ranchers don’t want a process, they want help.

Last year was the worst for disasters in some time. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in 2017, there were 16 weather and climate disaster events with losses exceeding $1 billion each across the United States.

We all recall the hurricanes that devastated agricultural operations in Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. There were wildfires in the plains states, the Southwest, California and drought in the upper Midwest, floods in Missouri, and a number of tornadoes. The aftermath can be just as bad as the event itself. Continue reading →

The FSA Youth Loan provided Arce with the capital he needed to purchase market animals, feed and supplies to show the animals at the County and State Expos.

By Cassie Bable, Farm Service Agency Public Affairs Specialist

Hokuao Arce, a 12-year-old student at Molokai Middle School in Molokai, Hawaii, is naturally following in his family’s footsteps and embracing his agricultural background.

Last year, he showed two steers and a market hog project through the Molokai 4-H Livestock Club.

Participating in 4-H livestock projects can come with a significant price tag when you consider the cost of the animal, feed, vaccinations and vet costs along with the equipment necessary to show the animal.

Arce used a USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) Youth Loan to finance his livestock project. This is his second time to use the Youth Loan program, which he learned about when his local FSA representative visited a 4-H meeting. Continue reading →