Terri Jo currently has four hives producing honey.

By Roger Poling, West Virginia Farm Service Agency Lewis-Upshur-Gilmer County Executive Director

Terri Jo Bennett operates a small, diverse farm, where she raises and sells several varieties of berries, maple syrup, eggs and honey.

In June of 2003, Bennett, along with her husband, Dale, and three children, moved from downtown Buckhannon to an 85 acre family farm in Tallmansville, an unincorporated community in Upshur County West Virginia.  A year later, she purchased a brood of black Sex Link chicks (Also known as Rock Red).  That fall, after they began laying, she started selling eggs to local stores, restaurants and neighbors to help offset the cost of feed.  Continue reading →

Hank participated in FSA’s Youth Loan program to buy two head of cattle for his own cattle operation in 2015.

By Lauren Moore, FSA Public Affairs Specialist

Hank Schaardt grew up on his family’s cattle operation and feedyard in Pawnee County, Nebraska, where he dreamed to one day have a bigger hand in operations and to carry on his family’s legacy.

“Agriculture is what I know,” he said. “This is what I’ve always wanted to do. I just can’t see myself working in an office. I love the outdoors too much.” Continue reading →

USDA employees toured Adobe Walls Gin in Hansford County, Texas, which is in the process of expanding with the construction of a second gin.

By Cassie Bable, Farm Service Agency Public Affairs Specialist

The Texas Panhandle, like the rest of the state, saw an increase in the number of acres planted to cotton this year due to the decline in grain prices. U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) employees across the panhandle took an even closer look at cotton production and processing when they toured Adobe Walls cotton gin in Spearman, Texas. Employees from the Farm Service Agency (FSA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) visited with gin manager, Jerrell Key, about this year’s cotton crop and toured the facility. Continue reading →

Since opening his operation, Sugar Bottom Farms, Grandon has participated in a variety of FSA farm programs and loan programs.

By Lauren Moore, Farm Service Agency Public Affairs Specialist

Eric Grandon never thought he would be a farmer.

After joining the Army at 19, he served in four peace-time missions in the Middle East and two combat missions, Operations Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom. After retiring from his military service, he was introduced to the Veterans and Warriors Agriculture program, through the West Virginia Department of Agriculture, and eventually opened an agricultural operation of his own.

“I’ve only been farming for four years. When I retired from the National Guard, I had Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and I didn’t do anything for two years,” said Grandon. “I met James McCormick, the director of the Veterans and Warriors Agriculture program, and he recommended that I try agriculture. I loved it.” Continue reading →

After suffering production losses in 2016, Sanford contacted his local FSA  office and learned about the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP).

By Lynnette Wright, FSA Public Affairs Specialist, New York

Challenging weather hit upstate New York hard in the summer of 2016. Extreme heat, coupled with one of the worst droughts in recorded history, brought many impacted producers to the Farm Service Agency (FSA) for disaster assistance, including owners of a walleye fish farm.

Sanford’s Bait Farm is located in Wolcott, New York, about 40 miles east of Rochester. Stephen Sanford has been farming fish for over 30 years. One of his main “crops” is walleyed pike, a member of the perch family. Walleye fishing is a popular hobby in upstate New York. The fish are flakey, firm with few bones and are sought after by many upstate New York restaurants. Continue reading →

Thomas and Anita Roberson (both U.S. Army Vets) operate Botanical Bites & Provisions in Fredericksburg, Virginia. The Robersons operate a 10-acre farm where they produce vegetables, fruit, honey and flowers. USDA Photo by Preston Keres

By Scott Whittington, USDA Farm Service Agency

Thousands of veterans leave the military every year, but there’s a new “service” they can provide. Over the next few decades, the world will need to increase its food production to keep up with a growing population. Career options available to American vets in the agriculture sector include owning/operating your own farm, or working in one of the many areas that supports the nation’s rural fabric. Continue reading →

A Farm Storage Facility Loan helped the Belisles purchase and install a cooler that increased their apple storage capacity by 210 bins. They now have more flexibility when it comes to marketing their apples.

By Cassie Bable, FSA Public Affairs Specialist

John and Dorie Belisle own and operate BelleWood Acres in northwest Washington State, just outside of Bellingham, the last town from the Canadian border. The Belisles and their family planted their first apple orchard in 1996 and have 31 acres of high density trees, which pencils out to about 25,000 trees. Continue reading →

Muhammad worked with Fatima Jones, farm loan manager, at the Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Dawson to obtain a youth loan to purchase his chickens and to build a coop.

By Dana Rogge, Public Affairs Specialist
His vision – build an egg empire. Aaron Muhammad, 15, of Dawson, Georgia, wasn’t raised on a farm and had no prior farm experience, but decided to try something new and discovered his passion for raising chickens. When he’s not tackling his school work, he’s working on building his eggs-trodinary business. Continue reading →

Koua Thao used a USDA Microloan to diversify his breeder hen operation by purchasing livestock.

By Cassie Bable, FSA Public Affairs Specialist

Agricultural producers know that the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) has programs to assist them when natural disasters strike and commodity prices decline; however, most producers take preventative measures to further protect their operation.

Koua Thao reached out to Gene Horne, FSA Farm Loan Manager, about diversifying his breeder hen operation in Miller County, Arkansas. Continue reading →

Roberts acquired an FSA Farm Ownership Loan and two Farm Operating Loans, allowing her to obtain the property and the greenhouses needed in order to grow and expand her business into what it is today.

By Leila Naylor, Administrative Specialist, Rhode Island Farm Service Agency

Lauri Roberts grew up in New York, having no farming background or farming experience.

“I had previously worked for Green Peace in New York. Community gardens really impressed me while I was there,” she said. “I wanted to go into urban agriculture. That’s where my interest in agriculture all started.”

She attended Brown University in Rhode Island where she earned her degree in environmental studies. In 1985, Roberts left Rhode Island and moved to Chicago where she worked for a nonprofit community organization for three years. Continue reading →