Funding Programs

The Certified Mediation Program (CMP) provides agricultural producers, their creditors, and other stakeholders with a confidential and neutral platform to resolve disputes. This program helps facilitate mutually agreeable solutions through mediation, promoting better communication and reducing the need for litigation.

The Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) is a voluntary program that provides financial incentives to farmers and landowners to implement CRP practices that address high-priority conservation issues. CREP targets specific state, tribal, and nationally significant agricultural and environmental concerns, such as water quality, soil erosion, and wildlife habitat.

The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) provides financial compensation to farmers and landowners to remove environmentally sensitive land from agricultural production and implement conservation practices. This program aims to improve water quality, reduce soil erosion, and enhance wildlife habitat.

The Dairy Indemnity Payment Program (DIPP) provides financial compensation to dairy producers who have suffered income losses due to the contamination of milk or the removal of dairy cows because of residues, chemicals, toxic substances, or nuclear radiation or fallout. The program aims to help dairy farmers recover from these unexpected and unavoidable losses.

The Dairy Margin Coverage Program (DMC) is a voluntary risk management program for dairy producers that provides protection to farmers when the difference between the all-milk price and the average feed cost (the margin) falls below a certain dollar amount selected by the producer. DMC offers catastrophic coverage at no cost to the producer, with options for additional coverage at varying premium rates.

The Disaster Set-Aside Program (DSA) allows farmers and ranchers who have existing FSA loans and are affected by natural disasters to set aside one annual installment payment, enabling them to recover from the disaster's impact and maintain their farming operations.

The Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP) provides financial assistance to eligible producers who experience losses due to disease, adverse weather, or other conditions not covered by other disaster programs. ELAP helps mitigate the financial impact of these unexpected events on livestock, honey bees, and farm-raised fish operations.

The Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) provides financial and technical assistance to farmers and ranchers to help them restore farmland damaged by natural disasters. The program supports emergency measures to address damage and prevent further deterioration of the land.

Emergency Farm Loans provide financial assistance to farmers and ranchers who have suffered losses due to natural disasters. These loans help producers recover from damage and return their operations to normal, ensuring they can continue farming and ranching activities.

The Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP) provides financial and technical assistance to help owners of non-industrial private forests restore forest health and productivity after natural disasters. This program supports the implementation of conservation practices to rehabilitate damaged forests.

The Farm Labor Stabilization and Protection Pilot Grant Program provides financial assistance to agricultural employers to implement practices that improve labor stability, protect farmworkers, and enhance the overall workforce environment. This program supports efforts to address labor challenges and ensure a safe and fair working environment for farmworkers. FSA targets a portion of Direct loan funds to historically underserved farmers and ranchers.

Farm Operating Loans provide financial assistance to farmers and ranchers for a wide range of operating expenses. These loans support the purchase of livestock, equipment, feed, seed, supplies, and other essential items needed to sustain and improve agricultural operations.

Farm Ownership Loans provide financial assistance to farmers and ranchers for the purchase, improvement, or expansion of farm or ranch operations. These loans are designed to help producers acquire land, construct buildings, make improvements, and promote the long-term viability of their agricultural enterprises. FSA targets a portion of Direct loan funds to historically underserved farmers and ranchers.

The Farm Storage Facility Loan (FSFL) Program provides low-interest financing to help producers construct or upgrade farm storage and handling facilities. This program supports the acquisition, construction, and enhancement of storage facilities and equipment to improve on-farm storage capacity and efficiency.

The Farmable Wetlands Program (FWP) provides financial incentives to farmers and landowners to restore farmable wetlands and establish long-term conservation practices. This program aims to improve water quality, enhance wildlife habitat, and reduce soil erosion by restoring wetlands on agricultural lands.

The Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops Program (FSCSC) provides financial assistance to specialty crop producers for obtaining food safety certifications. This program helps ensure that specialty crops meet food safety standards and supports the agricultural sector in maintaining high-quality products.

The Graze-Out Program provides financial assistance to producers who choose to graze livestock on their acreage planted with wheat, barley, oats, or triticale instead of harvesting the grain. This program supports livestock grazing and offers payments in lieu of traditional loan deficiency payments (LDP).

The Indian Tribal Land Acquisition Loan Program provides loans to federally recognized Indian tribes to help them purchase tribal lands within their reservation boundaries. The program aims to support tribal sovereignty, enhance agricultural production, and strengthen the economic base of tribal communities.

The Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) provides compensation to eligible livestock producers who have suffered grazing losses due to drought or fire on federally managed land. The program aims to help mitigate the economic impact of these natural disasters on livestock operations.

The Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) provides financial assistance to eligible livestock owners and contract growers who experience livestock death in excess of normal mortality and injured livestock sold at a reduced price due to adverse weather, disease, or attacks by animals reintroduced into the wild by the federal government or protected by federal law.

Loan Deficiency Payments (LDP) provide financial assistance to producers of eligible commodities who agree to forego a Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) loan in return for a payment when market prices are below the established loan rates. This program supports farmers by providing an alternative to taking out a loan, helping to stabilize income when market prices are low.

Marketing Assistance Loans (MAL) provide interim financing to producers of eligible commodities, helping them meet cash flow needs without having to sell their commodities during low market prices. This program supports farmers by allowing them to store their crops and sell them when market conditions are more favorable.

The Noninsured Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) provides financial assistance to producers of non-insurable crops when low yields, loss of inventory, or prevented planting occur due to natural disasters. This program helps to mitigate the financial impact of these adverse events on agricultural operations.

Operating Microloans provide small, flexible loans to help beginning, niche, and small family farm operations meet their operational needs. These loans support the purchase of equipment, livestock, feed, seed, supplies, and other essential items to sustain and improve farming operations. FSA targets a portion of these loan funds to historically underserved farmers and ranchers.

The Organic Dairy Marketing Assistance Program provides financial assistance to organic dairy producers to offset market volatility, transportation costs, and unstable feed supply and prices. In 2023, ODMAP issued approximately $20 million in payments to organic dairy producers based on 2022 marketing costs.

Ownership Microloans provide small, flexible loans to help beginning, niche, and small family farm operations purchase or improve farmland and buildings. These loans support the acquisition of land, construction or improvement of farm structures, and other capital expenses necessary to establish and sustain agricultural operations. FSA targets a portion of these loan funds to historically underserved farmers and ranchers.

The Reimbursement Transportation Cost Payment (RTCP) program provides financial assistance to geographically disadvantaged farmers and ranchers to help offset the high costs of transporting agricultural commodities and inputs. This program aims to support producers in Alaska, Hawaii, and insular areas where transportation costs are significantly higher.

The Sugar Loan Program provides sugar producers with interim financing at harvest time to meet cash flow needs without having to sell the commodity when market prices are typically at their lowest. This program supports the orderly marketing of sugar throughout the year and ensures a minimum price floor for producers.

The Sugar Storage Facility Loan (SSFL) Program provides low-interest loans to sugar producers and processors to construct or purchase storage and handling facilities, equipment, and trucks. This program aims to improve storage, handling efficiency, and product quality.

The Tree Assistance Program (TAP) provides financial assistance to eligible orchardists and nursery tree growers to replant or rehabilitate trees, bushes, and vines damaged by natural disasters. TAP aims to help producers recover from significant losses and reestablish their operations.

Youth Loans provide financial assistance to young people aged 10 to 20 to finance income-producing, agriculture-related projects. These projects must be part of an organized and supervised program, such as 4-H, FFA, or a similar organization, and are aimed at fostering the development of agricultural skills and experience. FSA targets a portion of these loan funds to historically underserved farmers and ranchers.