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FSA fosters successful farmers and quality environment

Rick Graden is an enthusiastic spokesman for the Farm Service Agency (FSA) and he helped attendees at Chicago Farmers’ October 16 meeting understand why the FSA is beneficial and benefits farmland owners during his presentation.

Stabilizing farm income, helping farmers conserve land and water resources, providing credit to new or disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, and helping farm operations recover from the effects of disaster are the missions of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency (FSA), explained Rick, who is the acting state executive director of the agency. He noted that FSA has been a part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture since the 1930s when it became an initiative through the Agricultural Adjustment Act. While its name changed over the years, FSA has maintained its focus on ensuring that the country has safe and reliable food sources and on keeping farmers on the farm.

Rick noted that FSA is the only U.S. government agency that works with elected county committees that are composed of farmers’ peers. “Because there is local representation, these committees make determinations based on local affairs, and agricultural conditions,” said Rick.

FSA provides numerous programs that benefit farmers, but due to time constraints at the meeting, Rick focused on the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). Implemented in 1985, CRP protects the environment, controls erosion and benefits wildlife, said Rick. CRP acreage is capped at 24 million acres under the current farm bill. “FSA would like to see a cap of 35 million acres,” said Rick.

Currently, FSA is processing CRP applications that were submitted from May to September of this year. Rick urged people to be patient. He said that FSA is always adding more acreage to the CRP pot as CRPs are terminated when farms are passed on through inheritance or when people opt out of the program. Farmers can re-enroll in the CRP program, but owners might have to enhance their CRP practices to remain eligible to re-enroll. However, FSA will cost share in many instances for the enhancements.

Rick noted that FSA has approximately 42 different CRP practices, not all practices are available in Illinois. Among them is the pollinator habitat that was implemented in 2012. A maximum of 100 acres per farm can be set aside as a pollinator habitat.

“Seed for these habitats is expensive, but FSA will cost share with farmers for these plantings and specialists will assist in planting the areas,” said Rick. “A pollinator habitat on your property results in higher CRP cash rental rates.”

Rick noted that FSA monitors practices and spot checks CRPs and pollinator habitats. At times, it might recommend spraying for weeds. There are 106,615 acres of pollinator habitats in Illinois and applications are no longer being taken. Rick said FSA will probably return to the pollinator habitats program because the planting of milkweed, goldenrod and blackeyed Susans are so beneficial for Monarch butterflies and honeybees. He noted that FSA hopes that pollinators could be planted along the interstates and Illinois is considering undertaking this. Iowa already is doing this.

“CRP is the best program FSA has ever had,” Rick said. “Its provisions result in so many benefits for the environment. In my opinion, it is here to stay.”