Southwest Crop Insurance Agency

03/24/2026

02/26/2026

County Farm Service Agency Announces County Committee Election Results
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Harris/Muscogee County announced that Kit McClung of Hamilton was elected to represent their Local Administrative Areas (LAA) during the recent county committee election.

David Hanko of Forston will serve as the first alternate.

"County Committee members are a critical component of the day-to-day operations of FSA,” said April Hufstetler, county executive director. "They help deliver programs at the county level and work to serve the needs of local producers. All recently elected county committee members will take office on March 2, 2026.”

Every FSA office is served by a county committee made up of local farmers, ranchers and foresters who are elected by local producers. Other members currently serving on the FSA county committee include Gary Powell, Ruby Killingsworth, Josh Buckner, Dawn Welch SDA Advisor, and Charles Brown Minority Advisor.

Nationwide, more than 7,700 dedicated members of the agricultural community serve on FSA county committees. The committees are comprised of three to 11 members who serve three-year terms. Committee members play a key role in how FSA delivers disaster recovery, safety-net, conservation, commodity and price support programs, as well as making decisions on county office employment and other agricultural issues.

02/26/2026

County Farm Service Agency Announces County Committee Election Results
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Stewart/Webster County announced that Caleb Stephens of Richland and Terrell Jones of Lumpkin were elected to represent their Local Administrative Areas (LAA) during the recent county committee election.

"County Committee members are a critical component of the day-to-day operations of FSA,” said April Hufstetler, county executive director. "They help deliver programs at the county level and work to serve the needs of local producers. All recently elected county committee members will take office on March 2, 2026.”

Every FSA office is served by a county committee made up of local farmers, ranchers and foresters who are elected by local producers. Other members currently serving on the FSA county committee include Robbie Lane, John Redmond, Larry Jones and Mechelle Westbrook SDA Advisor.

Nationwide, more than 7,700 dedicated members of the agricultural community serve on FSA county committees. The committees are comprised of three to 11 members who serve three-year terms. Committee members play a key role in how FSA delivers disaster recovery, safety-net, conservation, commodity and price support programs, as well as making decisions on county office employment and other agricultural issues.

02/24/2026

A tough farm economy demands action from Congress
The Zipline
By Zippy Duvall
February 22, 2026 at 6:50 pm CST

As a farmer, I don’t need a spreadsheet to tell me when times are hard. I see it every day and hear it in conversations with farmers across the country. The farm economy remains under real pressure, and for many farm families, the stress isn’t letting up.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s latest outlook confirms what farmers are experiencing firsthand, and it retells the story released just a few months ago.

The USDA has now sharply lowered its 2025 farm income outlook by $25 billion, reinforcing that this downturn is deeper and more persistent than many anticipated.

And in 2026, farm income is projected $48 billion below the highs we saw just a few years ago. That reality weighs heavily on the people who grow our food, fuel and fiber.

Squeezing The Farm Economy

What makes this period especially challenging is the squeeze farmers are facing from both sides. Commodity prices remain low, while production costs continue to climb.

Inputs like fuel, fertilizer, equipment and labor are still expensive, leaving margins razor-thin, or nonexistent, for many farm families.

The beef market may be strong, but it is masking weakness across the rest of agriculture. Outside of cattle, many farmers continue to face declining receipts, weak prices and little room to recover rising costs.

Even when cash flow improves on paper, that can be a reflection of relief from temporary assistance, not improved margins.

When margins disappear, so does flexibility. It becomes harder to plan, harder to invest and harder to weather unexpected setbacks like droughts, floods, or market disruptions. For farm families, that uncertainty affects day-to-day decisions and long-term sustainability.

Record-high debt levels and strained credit lines are forcing tough choices on farm families who already operate in one of the most unpredictable businesses there is.

Farm bankruptcies have increased for the second year in a row, and we continue to see farms closing at an alarming rate, with more than 160,000 lost since 2017.

Farmers are resilient, but resilience alone can’t carry the weight of this prolonged economic strain. A strong farm economy isn’t just about individual farms. It’s about the stability of rural communities, local businesses and the entire food supply chain Americans rely on.

A New Farm Bill Is Critical

This is exactly the moment when federal farm policy matters most — and why we urgently need a new, modernized farm bill.

Outdated loan limits and underinvestment in research, conservation and rural development leave farmers with fewer options when prices are low and expenses remain high.

A new farm bill is an opportunity to modernize these programs, so they actually work in today’s farm economy, not the economy of nearly a decade ago.

At the same time, farmers can’t afford to wait. While longer-term reforms are debated, farmers are facing immediate financial strain that threatens their ability to secure operating loans and plant another crop.

Short-term economic assistance is needed now to help farmers bridge the gap and keep operations afloat until lasting solutions are in place.

Recent investments and programs like the Farmer Bridge Assistance Program are a welcome first step, but they fall short of addressing the full scope of losses farmers are facing.

Farmers’ Voices Matter

One thing I’ve learned over the years is that we can see real change when farmers speak up. Policymakers need to hear directly from the people living this reality.

That starts with grassroots engagement. And that’s where this Farm Bureau family comes through for our farms and our communities.

If you’re feeling the strain of this farm economy, I encourage you to visit our Action Center — fb.org/action-center — to send a message to your members of Congress and share your story. When farmers engage, it strengthens our collective voice and helps move policy in the right direction.

The American Farm Bureau Federation will keep working for solutions in Washington, but we’re strongest when we do this work together.

02/18/2026

Be the first to apply for the Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) Program online with a secure Login.gov account!

Login.gov uses one account and password for secure private access to participating government agencies, including FSA.

Visit farmers.gov/account to create your Login.gov account and link to your FSA customer record. If you already have a Login.gov account, you do not need to create a new account to work with FSA.

02/18/2026

We're currently accepting offers for Continuous CRP through March 20, 2026. General CRP enrollment will run from March 9, 2026, through April 17, 2026. We'll announce dates for Grassland CRP signup in the near future.

Contact us at your nearest Service Center to discuss enrollment. More details: https://www.fsa.usda.gov/news-events/news/02-10-2026/usda-open-continuous-general-conservation-reserve-program-enrollment

02/18/2026

USDA Launches New Regenerative Pilot Program
USDA recently announced a $700 million Regenerative Pilot Program to help American farmers adopt practices that improve soil health, enhance water quality, and boost long-term productivity, all while strengthening America’s food and fiber supply.



Administered by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), this new Regenerative Pilot Program delivers a streamlined, outcome-based conservation model—empowering producers to plan and implement whole-farm regenerative practices through a single application.



In FY 2026, the Regenerative Pilot Program will focus on whole-farm planning that addresses every major resource concern—soil, water, and natural vitality—under a single conservation framework. USDA is dedicating $400 million through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and $300 million through the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) to fund this first year of regenerative agriculture projects.



Learn more about the Regenerative Pilot Program.

USDA Farm Loan Program Changes Now in Effect
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) updates to the Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) Farm Loan Programs are officially in effect. These changes, part of the Enhancing Program Access and Delivery for Farm Loans rule, are designed to increase financial flexibility for agricultural producers, allowing them to grow their operations, boost profitability, and build long-term savings.



These program updates reflect USDA’s ongoing commitment to supporting the financial success and resilience of farmers and ranchers nationwide, offering critical tools to help borrowers manage their finances more effectively.

What the new rules mean for you:

Low-interest installment set-aside program: Financially distressed borrowers can now defer up to one annual loan payment at a reduced interest rate. This simplified option helps ease financial pressure while keeping farming operations running smoothly.
Flexible repayment terms: New repayment options give borrowers the ability to increase their cash flow and build working capital reserves, allowing for long-term financial planning that includes saving for retirement, education, and other future needs.
Reduced collateral requirements: FSA has lowered the amount of additional loan security needed for direct farm loans, making it easier for borrowers to leverage their existing equity without putting their personal residence at risk.


These new rules provide more financial freedom to borrowers. By giving farmers and ranchers better tools to manage their operations, we’re helping them build long-term financial stability. It’s all about making sure they can keep their land, grow their business, and invest in the future.



If you’re an FSA borrower or considering applying for a loan, now is the time to take advantage of these new policies. We encourage you to reach out to your local FSA farm loan staff to ensure you fully understand the wide range of loan making and servicing options available to assist with starting, expanding, or maintaining your agricultural operation.

02/17/2026

Obtaining Payments Due to Deceased Producers
In order to claim a Farm Service Agency (FSA) payment on behalf of a deceased producer, all program conditions for the payment must have been met before the applicable producer’s date of death.

If a producer earned an FSA payment prior to his or her death, the following is the order of precedence for the representatives of the producer:

administrator or executor of the estate
the surviving spouse
surviving sons and daughters, including adopted children
surviving father and mother
surviving brothers and sisters
heirs of the deceased person who would be entitled to payment according to the State law
For FSA to release the payment, the legal representative of the deceased producer must file a form FSA-325 to claim the payment for themselves or an estate. The county office will verify that the application, contract, loan agreement, or other similar form requesting payment issuance, was signed by the applicable deadline by the deceased or a person legally authorized to act on their behalf at that time of application.

If the application, contract or loan agreement form was signed by someone other than the deceased participant, FSA will determine whether the person submitting the form has the legal authority to submit the form.

Payments will be issued to the respective representative’s name using the deceased program participant’s tax identification number. Payments made to representatives are subject to offset regulations for debts owed by the deceased.

FSA is not responsible for advising persons in obtaining legal advice on how to obtain program benefits that may be due to a participant who has died, disappeared or who has been declared incompetent.

Reminders for FSA Direct and Guaranteed Borrowers with Real Estate Security
Farm loan borrowers who have pledged real estate as security for their Farm Service Agency (FSA) direct or guaranteed loans are responsible for maintaining loan collateral. Borrowers must obtain prior consent or approval from FSA or the guaranteed lender for any transaction that affects real estate security. These transactions include, but are not limited to:

Leases of any kind
Easements of any kind
Subordinations
Partial releases
Sales
Failure to meet or follow the requirements in the loan agreement, promissory note, and other security instruments could lead to nonmonetary default which could jeopardize your current and future loans.

It is critical that borrowers keep an open line of communication with their FSA loan staff or guaranteed lender when it comes to changes in their operation. For more information on borrower responsibilities, read Your FSA Farm Loan Compass.