SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Farmers are getting help making their operations a little greener.
The United States Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is reminding agricultural producers that Farm Loan Programs are available to support climate-smart agricultural practices.
Climate-smart agricultural practices capture and isolate carbon, improve water management, restore soil health, and provide other major environmental benefits that build upon practices farmers and ranchers already use like cover cropping and nutrient management.
“Farmers and ranchers are already doing their part to be stewards of our land, but some may lack the financial resources to take their efforts to the next level,” said FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux. “USDA’s Farm Service Agency offers a variety of loans that can help those who would like to explore opportunities in their operations to make them more efficient and make a positive impact on our environment.”
The loans are meant to help producers start, expand, or maintain a family agricultural operation while adopting climate-smart practices, like the FSA’s Conservation Reserve Program, crop insurance options to support conservation, and conservation programs provided by the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) where the USDA shares part of the starting cost.
The funding can also be used to purchase the necessary equipment for some of these practices like rotational grazing systems or precision agriculture equipment to convert to a no-till residue management system.
Additional ways funds can be used:
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Precision Agriculture Equipment
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Cover Crops (seeds)
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No/Reduced Till Equipment
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Livestock Facility Air Scrubber or Waste Treatment Equipment
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Cross Fencing
“There are a multitude of ways our portfolio of loans can be used to support climate-smart practices,” said Ducheneaux. “In some cases, this may even result in lower input costs, higher yields and a positive impact to the producers’ bottom line as well as our natural resources.”
The FSA has also made several improvements to streamline the loan application process including:
For more information visit the Climate-Smart Agriculture and Forestry webpage on farmers.gov or visit www.usda.gov.
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