Thursday, March 28, 2013


Release No. 0010.13
Contact:
Office of Communications 202-720-4623
USDA Finalizes New Microloan Program
Microloans up to $35,000 aim to assist small farmers, veterans, and disadvantaged producers
MEMPHIS, Jan. 15, 2013—Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced a new microloan program from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) designed to help small and family operations, beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers secure loans under $35,000. The new microloan program is aimed at bolstering the progress of producers through their start-up years by providing needed resources and helping to increase equity so that farmers may eventually graduate to commercial credit and expand their operations. The microloan program will also provide a less burdensome, more simplified application process in comparison to traditional farm loans.
"I have met several small and beginning farmers, returning veterans and disadvantaged producers interested in careers in farming who too often must rely on credit cards or personal loans with high interest rates to finance their start-up operations," said Vilsack. "By further expanding access to credit to those just starting to put down roots in farming, USDA continues to help grow a new generation of farmers, while ensuring the strength of an American agriculture sector that drives our economy, creates jobs, and provides the most secure and affordable food supply in the world."
The new microloans, said Vilsack, represent how USDA continues to make year-over-year gains in expanding credit opportunities for minority, socially-disadvantaged and young and beginning farmers and ranchers across the United States. The final rule establishing the microloan program will be published in the Jan. 17 issue of the Federal Register. The interest rate for USDA's new microloan product changes monthly and is currently 1.25 percent.
Administered through USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA) Operating Loan Program, the new microloan program offers credit options and solutions to a variety of producers. FSA has a long history of providing agricultural credit to the nation's farmers and ranchers through its Operating Loan Program. In assessing its programs, FSA evaluated the needs of smaller farm operations and any unintended barriers to obtaining financing. For beginning farmers and ranchers, for instance, the new microloan program offers a simplified loan application process. In addition, for those who want to grow niche crops to sell directly to ethnic markets and farmers markets, the microloan program offers a path to obtain financing. For past FSA Rural Youth Loan recipients, the microloan program provides a bridge to successfully transition to larger-scale operations.
Since 2009, USDA has made a record amount of farm loans through FSA—more than 128,000 loans totaling nearly $18 billion. USDA has increased the number of loans to beginning farmers and ranchers from 11,000 loans in 2008 to 15,000 loans in 2011. More than 40 percent of USDA's farm loans now go to beginning farmers. In addition, USDA has increased its lending to socially-disadvantaged producers by nearly 50 percent since 2008.
Producers can apply for a maximum of $35,000 to pay for initial start-up expenses such as hoop houses to extend the growing season, essential tools, irrigation, delivery vehicles, and annual expenses such as seed, fertilizer, utilities, land rents, marketing, and distribution expenses. As their financing needs increase, applicants can apply for an operating loan up to the maximum amount of $300,000 or obtain financing from a commercial lender under FSA's Guaranteed Loan Program.
USDA farm loans can be used to purchase land, livestock, equipment, feed, seed, and supplies, or be to construct buildings or make farm improvements. Small farmers often rely on credit cards or personal loans, which carry high interest rates and have less flexible payment schedules, to finance their operations. Expanding access to credit, USDA's microloan will provide a simple and flexible loan process for small operations.
Producers interested in applying for a microloan may contact their local Farm Service Agency office.
The Obama Administration, with Agriculture Secretary Vilsack's leadership, has worked tirelessly to strengthen rural America, maintain a strong farm safety net, and create opportunities for America's farmers and ranchers. U.S. agriculture is currently experiencing one of its most productive periods in American history thanks to the productivity, resiliency, and resourcefulness of our producers.
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USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (866) 632-9992 (Toll-free Customer Service), (800) 877-8339 (Local or Federal relay), (866) 377-8642 (Relay voice users).

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Tuesday, March 19, 2013


CSA Farmer's Guide to Accepting SNAP/EBT Payments Webinar


Cost: Free

 


 

March 21, 2013 at 2PM Eastern Time, 1PM Central, 12PM Mountain, 11AM Pacific Time

 

About the Webinar 

 

Trying to figure out how to accept SNAP/EBT payments (formerly food stamps) has been a challenge for trailblazing CSA farmers and their partner organizations because of a general lack of information on the topic. In this webinar, we will demystify the process by explaining how SNAP rules apply to CSA farms, showing you ways to easily integrate SNAP payments, providing tools to find and retain SNAP members, walking you through a hassle-free application to become SNAP-authorized, and describing how to get the technology to accept EBT cards. 

 

About the Presenter

Bryan Allan is the assistant farm manager at Zenger Farm, a nonprofit educational urban farm in Portland, OR. For the past two years, Zenger Farm has run a pilot SNAP CSA project to learn and now share the tips and tricks that will make the process easy for you!

 

Bryan Allan

Assistant Farm Manager

Friends of Zenger Farm


 

 

Friday, March 1, 2013

Help for New Farmers at Tax Time

National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT)
For Immediate Release
Contact: Rich Myers
richm@ncat.org
406-494-8675

Help for New Farmers at Tax Time

New tips sheet points out issues they need to know about Tax time can be daunting for any business, and farming operations bring their own set of challenges—particularly for beginning farmers. A new tip sheet from the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) can take away some of the mystery as April 15 approaches.

“Tips About Farmer Income Tax” stresses the importance of working with a tax professional who is experienced working with farmers. At the same time, it provides a brief overview of some important income-tax issues that farmers need to be aware of:
• Business deductions
• What to file as a capital gain
• When to use IRS Schedule F or IRS Schedule C
• Depreciation • How the IRS defines a “hobby farm”
• Averaging farm income over a period of years
• Farm-vehicle expense deductions

It also offers a list of resources where beginning farmers can find answers to their general income-tax questions. “Tips About Farmer Income Tax” is part of a series of business tip sheets for beginning farmers produced by the NCAT with support from the Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers (OASDFR) program offered by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).

“Tips About Farmer Income Tax” and the other tip sheets in the series can be downloaded for free or purchased as a paper publication for a small handling fee at the ATTRA website www.attra.ncat.org.

ATTRA-National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service has been developed and maintained by NCAT since 1987 through a cooperative agreement with the USDA’s Rural Business-Cooperative Service. In addition to hundreds of sustainable-agriculture publications, ATTRA’s other popular offerings include a free sustainable-agriculture telephone helpline and the “Ask an Ag Expert” feature on the home page. ATTRA also maintains numerous popular databases, including sustainable-agriculture internships and apprenticeships and is a source for the day’s agriculture news, among other features.

Since 1976, the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) has been helping people by championing small-scale, local and sustainable solutions to reduce poverty, promote healthy communities and protect natural resources. In partnership with businesses, organizations, individuals and agricultural producers, NCAT is working to advance solutions that will ensure the next generation inherits a world that has clean air and water, energy production that is efficient and renewable, and healthy foods grown with sustainable practices. More information about its programs and services is available at www.ncat.org or by calling 1-800-ASK-NCAT.

Thursday, February 28, 2013

RESOURCES!!!!

New Farmer Videos from Cornell

If you Have been looking for some great how-to videos on beginning farming take a moment to look at the library of (free) videos offered on the Cornell website!

http://www.cornell.edu/video/?videoID=940&startSecs=0&endSecs=96

Small Farm Central Event Offering

From Small Farm Central Friday, March 15th, 2013. 11am - 4pm EST (8am - 1pm PDT) The CSA Expert Exchange is an online conference that can be accessed with any web browser anywhere in the world. You will be able to see video of the presenters, view slides and participate in the discussion in real time. Topics include community involvement, strategies for increasing member retention, certifications, equipment, finding the right scale for your CSA operation, and legal issues. For more information, read the agenda. Only $45! View live or archived. Register now! Small Farm Central is offering a discount for PA-WAgN members to attend this event. If you are a member of PA Women's Agricultural Network, please contact them for the code to use at checkout!