The mission of USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is to equitably serve all farmers, ranchers, and agricultural partners through the delivery of effective, efficient agricultural programs for all of us in the U.S. This includes administering credit and loan programs, conservation programs, disaster recovery programs, and farm marketing programs through a national network of offices.
But for many farmers — especially farmers of color or those not farming commodities on a large scale — the idea of working with FSA can bring up feelings of anxiety, skepticism, or distrust.
On April 12 RAFI-USA held a webinar about how and why to work with your local FSA office. We covered what an FSA office can do for farmers, how to prepare for an FSA office visit, and how to troubleshoot when you have problems or questions.
We were joined by farmer panelists who shared their experiences and advice for working with FSA.