Farm Service Agency Cooperative Agreement
The Farm Service Agency (FSA) supports farms and farming communities with programs including disaster relief, conservation programs, commodity price guarantee programs, and loan programs. The FSA is opening pilot urban offices in 17 cities across the country, including NYC. Farm School NYC is in a 5-year cooperative agreement to increase the effectiveness of education and engagement around FSA programs in New York City.
The NYC Urban County Committee has been asked to make recommendations on how the FSA can best serve the unique needs of growers in NYC. Are you an urban grower ready to engage with the FSA? Run for a seat on the committee or register to vote here so you can work with these leaders in urban agriculture! If you want to learn more about the Urban County Committee, run for a position or nominate an urban grower to the UCOC, fill out this nomination form, and email Mirem Villamil at Ana.Villamil@usda.gov.
Our team compiled a few videos to make this information easy to find. The videos on elections are below!
Meet the Urban County COMMITTEE
DK Kinard (Manhattan representative and UCOC Co -Chair): DK Kinard is an Urban Agriculture professional & social justice advocate. She is a farm educator, urban grower, green skills education program facilitator, culinary instructor, classically trained pastry chef & more. DK is a co-founding member of GrowNYC's Gardens At NYCHA where she curates green spaces and green skills workshops with residents of public housing communities across NYC. Believing in the mission of fresh, accessible, affordable & culturally relevant food for all, DK is also a program facilitator with New Roots-NY sites in the Bronx and Queens, a program of the International Rescue Committee. DK teaches that when it comes to uplifting, building, and investing in community, "we don't just grow food, we grow people, and when we grow people, we grow community.”
Justin Baker (Staten Island representative and UCOC Co- Chair): Justin Baker is a Staten Island-based urban agriculturist, youth developer, and an anti-oppressive leader. Justin is the Senior Coordinator of Eco-Hub Expansion/Youth Developer at Green City Force (GCF). Before this role, Justin ran the Mariners Harbor farm, which harvested and distributed over 18,000 pounds of produce over 5 growing seasons. Justin is co-creating food justice programming for high school students at Forgotten Foods, a Staten Island organization that trains the next generation of anti-oppressive and liberated leaders. He is committed to strengthening Staten Island’s urban gardens and farms as sites of food access for neighborhoods most impacted by food insecurity.
FSA Resources
To start, take a look at FSA 101 or Cornell Primer this a great video overview of the FSA resources. This RAFI Webinar recording is 55 minutes and includes an overview of FSA loans and application process as well as Q&As. Take a look at these tools and guides once you feel clear about the FSA:
Farm Loan Quick Application Guide - use this guide to better understand how to prepare for your first visit to a Service Center and apply for a loan
USDA Loan Assistance Tool - a new online tool to help farmers and ranchers better navigate the farm loan application process
USDA - FSA Farm Loans Overview
NAP -Two pager fact sheet
Financial Lieracy Khan Academy
Relevant offerings:
FSA Approved Borrower Training Course!
Cultivating Connections Series Session 1 recording
Organic Certification Cost Share fact sheet
Climate-Smart Agriculture and Farm Loan Programs
USDA's Urban Agriculture Programs at a Glance
Get Started at Your USDA Urban Service Center
UCOC Info Sheet
Learn More:
Listening Project
As our community learns more about the FSA, our Farmer Advocate Jocelyn Germany is compiling recommendations for changes to FSA operations, policies, and procedures. We ask our community to support and participate in listening sessions so the recommendations we compile fully represent our urban farming community. The Listening Project will create a space where farmers can share testimonials, examples, and experiences with the USDA and FSA. After listening, Jocelyn Germany will compile the data and recommendations into a report that FSA staff must reference to demonstrate their accountability to the ideas the community it serves recommends. After the listening sessions, the FSA Executive Director will prepare a work plan in response to recommendations for changes to the FSA, and we will share it with all participants.
Listening Session 1:December 12th, 6:00 pm-7:30pm EST (virtual)
Listening Session 2: January 30, 2025, 6:00 pm - 7:30pm EST (in person)
For more information, reach out to Jocelyn@farmschoolnyc.org and register here.
Equity at USDA
Get Started! A Guide to USDA Resources for Historically Underserved Farmers and Ranchers
CCC-860 certification for historically underserved populations, veterans, women, and limited-resource producers - this is a self-certification that adjusts costs and payments on various programs for eligible producers, in some cases waiving or reducing fees, and increasing payment percentages (for NRCS as well). The Non-insured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) is free for historically underserved producers (basic coverage). There is funding set aside for loans to historically underserved populations.
Guidance for Heirs’ Property Operators Participating in Farm Service Agency (FSA) Programs
Representation on County Committees (7.17): Any county with more than a certain percentage of “socially disadvantaged” farmers registered in the NASS Ag Census (as determined each year by the National office) must appoint a 3-year, voting member to represent farmers from the “primary SDA group” that is underrepresented. Their duties are identical to those of elected members who represent a Local Administrative Area (LAA), with the expectation that they will support outreach to their communities. In 2023, more than 90 counties nationwide were required to appoint an SDA member. County Committees can also invite a non-voting advisor to join for a one-year term.
Equity Commission Final Report 2- 2024:
At USDA, we acknowledge we have not done enough to provide all farmers and ranchers with an equal chance of success and prosperity. We are committed to changing that, actively working to build a USDA that ensures none of our customers are ignored or left behind.
Advisory Committee on Minority Farmers
Advisory Committee - Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production
Federal Government links
Racial Equity in U.S. Farming: Background in Brief November 19, 2021 (Congressional Report)
Racial and Ethnic Equity in U.S. Agriculture: Selected Current Issues April 11, 2022 (Congressional Report)