Posted March 18, 2014
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack recently announced
new and expanded efforts to connect small- and mid-sized farmers and ranchers
with USDA resources, according to a USDA News Release available here.
“The recent Census of Agriculture shows that there is
tremendous growth potential for small and mid-sized producers in the American
agricultural landscape,” said Vilsack. “USDA
is taking a hard look at our existing resources to ensure that they work for
producers of all sizes. We’ve adjusted policies,
strengthened programs and intensified outreach to meet the needs of small and
mid-sized producers.”
New efforts announced include:
Access to capital, including changes to the Farm
Storage and Facility Loan (FSFL) Program to help fruit and vegetable producers
access the program for cold storage and related equipment; funding for producers
under the microloan program; and funding for hoop houses.
Risk management, including developing a whole farm insurance
policy for highly-diversified producers.
Locating market opportunities, including new
coordinators to connect producers with the Farm to School program.
Food safety, including launching pilot programs in five
states to help small and mid-sized farmers achieve Good Agricultural Practices
(GAP) certification.
Educational resource and outreach efforts, including a “Learning
Guide Series” specifically for small and mid-sized farmers and “Small Scale
Solutions for Your Farm” for small livestock and fruit and vegetable producers.
Expansion or modifications for certain programs through the 2014 Farm Bill, including the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program,
Value-Added Producer Grant Program, and the Farmers Market and Local food
Promotion Program.
Additional information on USDA’s Small and Mid-Sized
Farmer Resources is available here.
The National Agricultural Law Center offers more
information on agricultural finance
and credit, risk
management, food
safety, local
food systems, and the 2014
Farm Bill.
