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USDA Newsletter in This Issue ARIZONA USDA Newsletter In this issue... U.S. Department of Agriculture 1 USDA and NASA Expand Innovative Partnership to Better (USDA) Predict Wildfires, Monitor Drought from Space 2 USDA Adds More Eligible USDA and NASA they deal with the ongoing impacts Commodities for Farm Storage Expand Innovative of climate change and drought. Facility Loans Partnership to Better Perhaps most importantly, this 2 USDA Opens Enrollment partnership will expose more Period for Agriculture Risk Predict Wildfires, young people to the power of Coverage and Price Loss Coverage Monitor Drought from science and innovation to solve Safety-Net Programs Space 2 Enrollment for 2016 Dairy some of the world’s most pressing Margin Protection Program Started challenges.” July 1 Updated Memorandum of “There are many areas where 3 USDA Announces Restart Understanding strengthens research NASA and USDA have of Biomass Crop Assistance and data sharing, promotes overlapping interests,” said Program for Renewable Energy STEM and agriculture to younger NASA’s Deputy Administrator 3 Acreage Reporting Deadlines generations Dava Newman. “We can now 3 September Surveys better coordinate and build on the 3 Reports and Publications MOFFETT FIELD, California, resources of both NASA and the 4 Desert Farmer Focuses Agriculture Deputy Secretary USDA to help learn more about our on Soil Health to Improve on- Krysta Harden and NASA Deputy planet’s vital resources and inspire farm Water Retention, Irrigation Administrator Dava Newman today the next generation to become Efficiency 4 Weekly Water and announced an expanded partnership better stewards of our planet.” 4 Climate Update between the United States Among other things, the agreement 4 Conservation Connection Department of Agriculture (USDA) will expand cooperation on space- Newsletter is available! and the National Aeronautics and borne remote sensing efforts to 5 USDA Expands Crop Space Administration (NASA) gather soil moisture data. One Insurance Options For Fruit And designed to better protect potential outcome of the expanded Nut Producers 5 Don’t Miss Crop Insurance America’s working lands, predict partnership between USDA and Deadlines and prevent natural disasters, and NASA could be using satellite data 6 Rural Broadband Access inspire young people to pursue to create a series of soil moisture Loan and Loan Guaranteed being careers in science, technology, maps for California that could offered by USDA RD engineering, mathematics and be used to improve weather and 6 Arizona Energy Masters agriculture. water availability forecasting and Course begins October 8 6 Economic Development “Space is a unique laboratory provide a drought early-warning Administration (EDA) offering that can be a gateway to solving system to producers, particularly in funding for regional innovation some of the greatest agricultural California. challenges of our time,” says Under the new agreement... Deputy Secretary Harden. “This partnership is a powerful Full story here: opportunity for USDA and NASA http://go.usa.gov/36xWJ to yield new tools and techniques to help farmers and ranchers as August Arizona USDA Newsletter 1 USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer Farm Service Agency (FSA) Since 2000, more than 35,000 short grain and sweet rice), USDA Adds More facility loans have been safflower seed, sesame, soybeans, Eligible Commodities for approved totaling $2 billion in sunflower seed and wheat. Upland Farm Storage Facility rural investments. On average, cotton is no longer a covered about 1,600 new loans are made commodity. For more information Loans each year. Producers do not on the program visit www.fsa. need to demonstrate the lack of usda.gov/arc-plc. To enroll in the USDA Adds More Eligible commercial credit availability to program please contact your local Commodities for Farm Storage apply. The loans are designed to FSA office https://offices.usda.gov Facility Loans assist a diverse range of farming operations, including small and WASHINGTON, Aug. 17, 2015 Enrollment for 2016 mid-sized businesses, new farmers, – U.S. Department of Agriculture Dairy Margin Protection operations supplying local food and (USDA) Farm Service Agency Program Started July 1 farmers markets, non-traditional (FSA) Administrator Val Dolcini As of July 1, 2015, dairy farmers farm products, and underserved today announced that the Farm can enroll in Margin Protection producers. Storage Facility Loan (FSFL) Program (MPP) for coverage in To learn more about the FSA program, which provides low- 2016. Farm Storage Facility Loan, visit interest financing to producers to www.fsa.usda.gov/pricesupport or build or upgrade storage facilities, MPP gives participating dairy contact a local FSA county office. will now include dairy, flowers and producers the flexibility to select To find your local FSA county meats as eligible commodities. coverage levels best suited for their office, visit http://offices.usda.gov. “For 15 years, this program has operation. Enrollment begins July provided affordable financing, 1 and ends on Sept. 30, 2015, for allowing American farmers and USDA Opens Enrollment coverage in 2016. Participating ranchers to construct or expand Period for Agriculture farmers will remain in the program storage on the farm,” said Dolcini. Risk Coverage and Price through 2018 and pay a $100 “By adding eligible commodities, Loss Coverage Safety- administrative fee each year. these low-interest loans will help Net Programs Producers also have the option of even more family farmers and Eligible producers may now selecting a different coverage level ranchers to expand on-site storage.” formally enroll in the Agriculture during open enrollment each year. The new commodities eligible Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price for facility loans include Loss Coverage (PLC) programs USDA also has an online resource floriculture, hops, rye, milk, for 2014 and 2015. The enrollment available to help dairy producers cheese, butter, yogurt, meat and period began June 17, 2015, and decide which level of coverage will poultry (unprocessed), eggs, and will end Sept. 30, 2015. provide them with the strongest aquaculture (excluding systems safety net under a variety of that maintain live animals through ARC and PLC provide financial conditions. The enhanced Web tool, uptake and discharge of water). protections for agricultural available at www.fsa.usda.gov/ Commodities already eligible producers when market forces mpptool , allows dairy farmers to for the loans include corn, grain cause substantial drops in crop quickly and easily combine their sorghum, rice, soybeans, oats, prices or revenues. Covered unique operation data and other peanuts, wheat, barley, minor commodities under ARC and PLC key variables to calculate their oilseeds harvested as whole grain, include barley, canola, large and coverage needs based on price pulse crops (lentils, chickpeas and small chickpeas, corn, crambe, projections. Producers can also dry peas), hay, honey, renewable flaxseed, grain sorghum, lentils, review historical data or estimate biomass, and fruits, nuts and mustard seed, oats, peanuts, dry future coverage based on data vegetables for cold storage peas, rapeseed, long grain rice, projections. The secure site can facilities. medium grain rice (which includes be accessed via computer, mobile phone, or tablet, 24 hours a day, August Arizona USDA Newsletter 2 USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer seven days a week. summer and accepted through use of “cover only,” “green fall 2015, with new project area manure,” “left standing,” or For more information, visit FSA announcements and enrollments “seed” then the acreage must online at www.fsa.usda.gov/dairy taking place in early spring 2016. be reported by July 15. for more information, or stop by The extended proposal submission For Noninsured Crop Disaster a local FSA office to learn more period allows project sponsors Assistance Program (NAP) policy about MPP. To find a local FSA time to complete any needed holders, the acreage reporting office in your area, visithttp:// environmental assessments and date for NAP covered crops is the offices.usda.gov allows producers enough lead earlier of the dates listed above or time to make informed decisions 15 calendar days before grazing USDA Announces on whether or not to pursue the or harvesting of the crop begins. Restart of Biomass Crop BCAP project area enrollment For questions regarding crop Assistance Program for opportunity. For more information, certification and crop loss reports, visit www.usda.gov. please contact your local FSA Renewable Energy County Office http://offices.usda. Incentives will resume this gov. summer for farmers, ranchers and Acreage Reporting forest landowners interested in Deadlines growing and harvesting biomass In order to comply with FSA National for renewable energy. The support program eligibility requirements comes through the Biomass Crop and avoid late file fees, all Agricultural Assistance Program (BCAP), producers are encouraged to visit which provides financial assistance their local County FSA office Statistics Service to establish and maintain new crops to file an accurate, timely crop (NASS) of energy biomass, or who harvest certification report. The following and deliver forest or agricultural acreage reporting dates apply for September Surveys residues to a qualifying energy producers in Arizona: The major surveys conducted are facility. the September Agricultural Survey November 15, 2015: Alfalfa, and the Off-Farm Grain Stocks Financial
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