Did you know that the nursery industry is eligible for Farm Service Agency (FSA) Programs?

by Bob Andrzejczak, USDA Farm Service Agency

Did you know that the nursery industry is eligible for Farm Service Agency (FSA) Programs? FSA offers a variety of programs that are suited to the industry including disaster programs like the Emergency Relief Program 2 (ERP 2) and the Tree Assistance Program (TAP), and loan programs like the Farm Storage Facility Program (FSFL), and the Emergency Loan Program just to name a few.

FSA programs have deadlines throughout the year and new programs pop up regularly. That is why it is critical for anyone in the agricultural industry to subscribe to our newsletters, bulletins, and text alerts and to create a relationship with your local FSA office. Subscribing is easy, just visit www.farmers.gov/subscribe. Below is a brief summary of the programs mentioned, but I encourage you to seek additional program and county office information which can be found on our state website, www.fsa.usda.gov/ nj or www.farmers.gov.

• Emergency Relief Program 2 (ERP 2) assists eligible agricultural producers who suffered eligible crop losses, measured through decreases in revenue, due to wildfires, hurricanes, floods, derechos, excessive heat, winter storms, freeze, smoke exposure, excessive moisture and qualifying droughts occurring in calendar years 2020 and 2021.  2020 and or 2021 eligible revenue will be compared to with eligible revenue from a benchmark year of 2018 or 2019 to determine if a payment is triggered.  There must be a minimum of a 30% loss to trigger a payment. In some cases, an adjusted benchmark year may be used. It may take some time for applicants to research their eligible revenue, the application itself is based on certifications of revenue for the disaster and benchmark years. Making use of the resources available on the program website will help guide you through the process. While they may be requested in the event an applicant is selected for a spot check, you do not need to submit any records with your application.

Please note that if you accept a payment in this program, you will be required to purchase either crop insurance or coverage through our Non-Insured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP).

Make sure to visit www.fsa.usda. gov/erp for more information and resources to help you apply.

• Tree Assistance Program (TAP) provides financial assistance to eligible orchardists and nursery tree growers to replant or rehabilitate eligible trees, bushes, and vines lost to natural disasters. TAP covers losses in excess of 18% per stand. It is critical that a Notice of Loss is filed within 90 of disaster event or apparent date of the loss. Please note that this program covers rehabilitation and replacement and not the value of the lost product. Having an acreage report on file with your local office will expedite your application process so please consider maintain a report annually. For more information visit www.fsa.usda.gov/tap

• Farm Storage Facility Program (FSFL) provides low-interest financing, up to $500,000, to help you build or upgrade storage facilities and to purchase portable (new or used) structures, equipment and storage and handling trucks. Loan terms are available for 3, 5, 7, and 12 years and loan rates are locked in for the life of the loan and are set based on the rate at approval. For more information visit www.fsa. usda.gov/programs-and-services/ price-support/facility-loans/farmstorage/index.

• Emergency Loan Program is triggered when a natural disaster is designated by the Secretary of Agriculture or a natural disaster or emergency is declared by the President under the Stafford Act. These loans help producers who suffer qualifying farm related losses directly caused by the disaster in a county declared or designated as a primary disaster or quarantine area. Also, farmers located in counties that are contiguous to the declared, designated, or quarantined area may qualify for Emergency loans. Visit www.fsa.usda.gov/state-offices/ New-Jersey/index#disaster_declaration to see which counties are eligible for emergency loans and for application deadlines.

Currently, many New Jersey Counties are eligible for emergency loans due to the drought in 2022 with an application deadline of August 21, 2023. For more information on Emergency Loans please visit www.fsa.usda.gov/programs-andservices/farm-loan-programs/emergency-farm-loans/index.

Finally, I would like to encourage your participation in County Committee Elections. FSA offices around the country rely on the service of their County Committees (COC) to make important decisions on program applications and implementation. These women and men are elected by the farmers in their local area to represent them.

FSA will start accepting nominations for county committee members on June 15, 2023. Elections occur in certain LAA annually on a 3-year rotation. LAAs are elective areas for FSA committees in a single-county or multi-county jurisdiction. All nomination forms for the 2023 election must be postmarked or received in the local FSA office by Aug. 1, 2023.

FSA encourages all those eligible and interested to run for the committee and encourages all eligible voters to vote. For more information and to find nominations forms visit www.fsa. usda.gov/news-room/county-committee-elections/index.

We are always here to help so feel free to reach out to your local office (listed below) or to me directly at Bob.Andrzejczak@ usda.gov or 609-587-0104, during normal business hours.

Burlington, Camden, and Ocean Counties - 1971 Jacksonville Jobstown Road, Columbus, NJ 08022 - Phone: (609) 267-1639

Monmouth, Mercer, and Middlesex Counties - PO Box 5033 4000 Kozloski Road., Freehold, NJ 07728 - Phone: (732) 462-0075

Hunterdon and Somerset Counties - 687 Pittstown Road, Frenchtown, NJ 08825 - Phone: (908) 782-4614

Warren, Sussex, and Morris Counties - 101 Bilby Road, Suite 1H, Hackettstown, NJ 07840 - Phone: (908) 852-2576

Cumberland, Cape May, and Atlantic Counties - 1318 S Main Road, Building 5A, Vineland, NJ 08360 - Phone: (856) 205-1225

Salem and Gloucester Counties - 51 Cheney Road, Woodstown, NJ 08098 - Phone: (856) 769-1126