What's Up at the USDA Office?
Deadlines/Dates
April 30: Deadline to apply for SDRP Stage 1, SDRP Stage 1 Quality Loss, and SDRP Stage 2
May 1: Deadline to submit a Continuous CRP Offer for Second Batching
May 14 - August 2: Primary Nesting Season
June 1: The final day to apply for a Marketing Assistance Loan (MAL) for Corn or Soybeans
June 19: Office closed in observance of Juneteenth
USDA Announces April 2026 Lending Rates for Agricultural Producers
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced loan interest rates for April 2026, which are effective April 1, 2026. USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) loans provide important access to capital to help agricultural producers start or expand their farming operation, purchase equipment and storage structures or meet cash flow needs.
Operating, Ownership and Emergency Loans
FSA offers farm operating, ownership and emergency loans with favorable interest rates and terms to help eligible agricultural producers obtain financing needed to start, expand or maintain a family agricultural operation.
Interest rates for Operating and Ownership loans for April 2026 are as follows:
• Farm Operating Loans (Direct): 4.750%
• Farm Ownership Loans (Direct): 5.750%
• Farm Ownership Loans (Direct, Joint Financing): 3.750%
• Farm Ownership Loans (Down Payment): 1.750%
• Emergency Loan (Amount of Actual Loss): 3.750%
FSA also offers guaranteed loans through commercial lenders at rates set by those lenders. To access an interactive online, step-by-step guide through the farm loan process, visit the Loan Assistance Tool on farmers.gov.
Commodity and Storage Facility Loans
Additionally, FSA provides low-interest financing to producers to build or upgrade on-farm storage facilities and purchase handling equipment and loans that provide interim financing to help producers meet cash flow needs without having to sell their commodities when market prices are low. Funds for these loans are provided through the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) and are administered by FSA.
• Commodity Loans (less than one year disbursed): 4.625%
• Farm Storage Facility Loans:
- Three-year loan terms: 3.625%
- Five-year loan terms: 3.750%
- Seven-year loan terms: 3.875%
- Ten-year loan terms: 4.125%
- Twelve-year loan terms: 4.375%
To learn more about FSA programs, producers can contact their local USDA Service Center. Additionally, producers can use online tools, such as the Loan Assistance Tool and Debt Consolidation Tool to explore loan options.
FSA Opens Transition Incentives Program to Expiring CRP Contracts
During the last two years of your Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) contract, expiring CRP acreage may be offered through the Transition Incentives Program (TIP).
If you do not plan to re-enroll your CRP acres that expire in 2026 or 2027, TIP may provide up to two additional annual rental payments after the contract expires, if the landowner sells or rents the land to a beginning or veteran farmer or rancher. New landowners or renters must use sustainable grazing or farming methods as they return the land to production. TIP provides an opportunity to support beginning or veteran farmers and ranchers while maintaining conservation benefits.
The deadline to submit a TIP offer is August 14, 2026.
For more information or to submit a TIP offer, feel free to contact Tammy Stortz at the Allamakee County FSA office at (563) 568-2148 ext. 2, or visit the TIP webpage online.
Creating a Farmers.gov Account Makes Receiving USDA Assistance Easy and Efficient
Are you interested in working with USDA to start or grow your farm, ranch, or private forest operation, but don’t know where to start?
Whether you’re looking to access capital or disaster assistance through USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) or address natural resource concerns on your land with assistance from USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), a great place to start is farmers.gov.
Farmers.gov is a one-stop shop for information about the assistance available from FSA and NRCS. The site also offers many easy-to-use tools for farmers, ranchers, and private forestland owners, whether you are reaching out for the first time or are a long-term customer with a years-long relationship with USDA.
With a farmers.gov account you can:
• Complete an AD-2047, Customer Data Worksheet, prior to your first meeting with FSA and NRCS.
• View farm loan payments history from FSA.
• View cost share assistance received and anticipated from NRCS conservation programs.
• Request conservation assistance from NRCS as well as view and track your conservation plans, practices, and contracts.
• View, print, and export detailed farm records and farm/tract maps for the current year, which are particularly useful when fulfilling acreage reporting requirements.
• Print FSA-156 EZ, Abbreviated Farm Record and your Producer Farm Data Report for the current year.
• Pay FSA debt using the “Make an FSA Payment” feature
• Apply for a farm loan online, view information on your existing loans, and make USDA direct farm loan payments using the Pay My Loan feature.
Learn how to create a farmers.gov account today!
Communication Is Key in Lending
Farm Service Agency (FSA) is committed to providing our farm loan borrowers the tools necessary to be successful. FSA staff will provide guidance and counsel from the loan application process through the borrower’s graduation to commercial credit. While it is FSA’s commitment to advise borrowers as they identify goals and evaluate progress, it is crucial for borrowers to communicate with their farm loan staff when changes occur. It is the borrower’s responsibility to alert FSA to any of the following:
• Any proposed or significant changes in the farming operation
• Any significant changes to family income or expenses
• The development of problem situations
• Any losses or proposed significant changes in security
• If a farm loan borrower can’t make payments to suppliers, other creditors, or FSA on time, contact your farm loan staff immediately to discuss loan servicing options.
For more information on FSA farm loan programs, contact our local Farm Loan Manager (FLM), Shelby Richards, at (563) 382-8777 or visit fsa.usda.gov.
Highly Erodible Land (HEL) and Wetland Conservation Compliance Reminders
Landowners and operators are reminded that in order to receive payments from USDA, compliance with Highly Erodible Land (HEL) & Wetland Conservation (WC) provisions are required.
Farmers with HEL determined soils are reminded of tillage, crop residue, and rotation requirements as specified per their conservation plan. Producers are to NOTIFY the USDA Farm Service Agency BEFORE breaking sod, clearing land (tree removal), & of any drainage projects (tiling, ditching, etc.) to ensure compliance.
Failure to update certification of compliance, with form AD-1026, triggering applicable HEL and/or wetland determinations, for any of these situations, can result in the loss of FSA farm program payments, FSA farm loans, NRCS program payments, and premium subsidy to Federal Crop Insurance administered by RMA.
Contact Stefanie Kappes, at the Allamakee County USDA office (563)-568-2148 with all your HEL or WC compliance related questions!
