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Note: This website is intended to provide general information about legal issues, crop insurance, farm policy, and other risk management issues and should not be construed as providing legal advice. It should not be cited or relied upon as legal authority. For advice about how the issues discussed here might apply to your individual situation, you should consult an attorney.
Welcome to the Maryland Risk Management Education Blog, provided by the University of Maryland Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics. This blog provides readers with information on risk management issues important to Maryland agriculture, upcoming events, and new materials that may interest readers.
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Webinar On USDA Discrimination Financial Assistance Program
This article is not a substitute for legal advice. See here for the site’s reposting policy. UPDATES: The deadline to apply for the Discrimination Financial Assistance Program has been extended to January 13, 2024. You can watch a recording of the August 23rd webinar here. Join The Farmers' Legal Action Group and UMES Extension's Agriculture Law Education Initiative for a free webinar on August 23rd about the USDA's Discrimination Financial Assistance Program The new USDA's
Nicole Cook
Aug 22, 20231 min read
USDA Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program More Accessible To Underserved Producers
Image by Edwin Remsberg This article is not a substitute for legal advice. See here for the site’s reposting policy. The USDA recently announced a change to the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) that makes NAP more accessible to underserved producers. Specifically, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) simplified the application process so that underserved producers who have a CCC-860 form (“Socially Disadvantaged, Limited Resource, Beginning and Veteran Farmer o
Nicole Cook
May 9, 20232 min read
USDA 2022 Agricultural Census Begins in November
This article is not a substitute for legal advice. See here for the site’s reposting policy. Did you know that the 2022 Census of Agriculture mails this fall? This once-every-five-year data collection impacts decisions about the Farm Bill, disaster assistance, grants, programs, rural and urban investment, and more. For the University of Maryland Agriculture Law Education Initiative and groups like us across the nation, the ag census data helps tell our neighbors, the nation,
Megan Todd
Nov 1, 20222 min read
$200 Million From USDA To Help Small Specialty Crop Growers With Food Safety Requirements
Photo by Edwin Remsberg This article is not a substitute for legal advice. See here for the site’s reposting policy. Are you a small or very small specialty crop producer? And have you had to pay costs to comply with regulatory food safety certification requirements or buyers’ food safety certification requirements? Then keep reading because the USDA has just announced plans to provide up to $200 million to help specialty crop growers offset eligible costs associated with
Nicole Cook
Jun 28, 20224 min read
Farm Service Agency Programs for Socially Disadvantaged Producers
Image of Kate Tully in Ethiopia by University of Maryland College of Agriculture and Natural Resources See here for the site’s reposting policy. The USDA provides producers with several effective risk management programs to protect new farmers starting their operations, and allow farmers to manage the risks on their farms. For example, the USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA) will enable farmers to obtain loans for their farms and crops to ensure stability against financial losse
Nerice Millet-Williams
Apr 20, 20223 min read
Are You Eligible for New USDA Grant for COVID Response Expenditures?
Read for details on how to apply for USDA Pandemic Response and Safety Grant Program
Megan Todd
Oct 12, 20215 min read
USDA Announces CFAP 2 Funding for Contract Livestock and Poultry Growers
Image of poultry house in PA. Image by Chesapeake Bay Program See here for the site’s reposting policy. Earlier this year, USDA announced Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2 (CFAP 2) funding for contract livestock and poultry growers. USDA later put the program for contract growers on hold, however, to revise the program. USDA recently announced modifications and allows applications by contract livestock and poultry growers for CFAP 2 again. Applications are
Paul Goeringer
Sep 8, 20212 min read
USDA Announces New Program to Provide Pandemic Assistance to Livestock Producers
Image of a pig by the United Soybean Board See here for the site’s reposting policy. USDA recently announced a new program to assist livestock and poultry growers for losses associated with depopulation and disposals of livestock and poultry in 2020. The new Pandemic Livestock Indemnity Program (PLIP) will assist livestock and poultry growers who experienced depopulation and disposal losses from March 1, 2020, to December 26, 2020. Unfortunately, contract growers are not elig
Paul Goeringer
Jul 27, 20212 min read
Debt Relief Payments to “Socially Disadvantaged” Farmers On Hold Pending Lawsuit By White Farmers
Image by Edwin Remsberg This article is not a substitute for legal advice. See here for the site’s reposting policy. Co-Author: Ellis Collier, Senior Legal Research Associate for ALEI at UMES If you follow this blog, then you know we’ve been covering the historic debt relief program for "socially disadvantaged" farmers. But, as of June 10th, the payments that were expected to start being issued last month have been put on hold pending a lawsuit brought by white farmers. To l
Nicole Cook
Jun 22, 20214 min read
Historic Debt Relief and Other Assistance for Black Farmers and Farmers of Color
Image by Edwin Remsberg This article is not a substitute for legal advice. See here for the site’s reposting policy. UPDATE: What's New? The USDA has started sending letters to direct loan borrowers who qualify for loan payoffs. What Do You Need To Do? Triple check that the amount of the loan debt provided in the letter is correct. Remember, it's the amount of the loan as of January 1, 2021. If the amount in the letter is correct, sign and return the letter as instructed in
Nicole Cook
Mar 30, 20215 min read
USDA Announces Temporary Debt Relief for Farmers Amid Continued Pandemic
Photo Credit: Edwin Remsberg The article is not a substitute for legal advice. See here for the site’s reposting policy. On January 26, 2021, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced in a press release that it will temporarily suspend past-due debt collections and foreclosures for farmers borrowing under the Farm Storage Facility Loan and the Direct Farm Loan programs administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA). This debt relief is the latest addition t
Megan Todd
Feb 2, 20212 min read
USDA Announces Additional Support Available Through CFAP
Tractor and planter by Edwin Remsberg See here for the site’s reposting policy. Please note that this additional assistance was recently put on hold by USDA pending a review by the Biden Administration. USDA will continue to accept applications during the review period. USDA recently announced additional assistance to growers impacted by disruptions due to COVID-19 through the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP). The program will make certain contract livestock, inclu
Paul Goeringer
Jan 28, 20213 min read
USDA Announces Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2
Provides overview of new CFAP 2 program
Paul Goeringer
Oct 6, 20205 min read
Coronavirus Food Assistance Program Resources are Now Available
Farmland in Queen Anne’s County, Maryland. Photo by Will Parson/Chesapeake Bay Program. See here for the site’s reposting policy. USDA has recently announced a new program to provide assistance to growers and livestock producers who aced price declines and additional marketing costs due to COVID-19. The new Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) will begin to signup on May 26 and close on August 28th. See https://www.farmers.gov/cfap from USDA. CFAP will provide support
Paul Goeringer
May 25, 20201 min read
2nd Round of 2019 Market Facilitation Program Available to Assist Producers Due to Trade Disputes
By Paul Goeringer and Nerice Millet-Williams See here for the site’s reposting policy. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm...
Paul Goeringer
Nov 20, 20194 min read
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