USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service to Allow Greater Flexibility Regarding Farm Bill Program Contracts Due to Global Supply Chain Disruptions

SALINA, Kansas, June 17 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service Kansas office issued the following news release:

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is taking several steps to address supply chain disruptions resulting from the pandemic and Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The invasion has cut off a critical supply of wheat, corn, barley, oilseeds, and cooking oil. Global supply chains for fertilizer have also been disrupted, which farmers depend on to maximize yields. As part of USDA's strategy to respond to these disruptions, the Risk Management Agency (RMA) will be expanding crop insurance options for double cropping. We also want to ensure Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) program participants do not face challenges if they want to plan to utilize the new double cropping flexibilities.

* NRCS will provide greater flexibility to modify participant's existing program contracts to shift their current crop management activities to wheat production (or other impacted crops) in the fall.

* Program participants may request to delay practice implementation, substitute a practice or activity, or delete a practice to facilitate double cropping.

The USDA encourages producers to consider NRCS conservation programs, if they are not already involved. These programs help producers integrate conservation on croplands, grazing lands, and other agricultural landscapes. The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) can help producers plant cover crops, manage nutrients, and improve irrigation and grazing systems. In many cases, a combination of approaches can be taken on the same parcel. For example, riparian areas or other sensitive parts of a parcel may be enrolled in the continuous Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) with the Farm Service Agency (FSA), and the remaining land in production may be eligible to participate in CSP or EQIP.

USDA is also encouraging producers to consider organic production. NRCS provides technical and financial assistance to help producers plan and implement conservation practices, including those that work well for organic operations, such as pest management and mulching. Meanwhile, FSA offers cost-share for certification costs and other fees.

For more details on these programs or options for your current contract, please contact your local USDA Service Center or visit https://www.ks.nrcs.usda.gov.

USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America's food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure, and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America.

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Original text here: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/ks/newsroom/releases/?cid=NRCSEPRD1938221