What Producers Should Know About the Partial FSA Reopening

USDA has announced a partial reopening of 2,100 Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices to deliver critical services during the government shutdown. While this is a positive step, only certain “core Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) programs” are resuming, such as ARC/PLC payments, Marketing Assistance Loans (MALs), Loan Deficiency Payments (LDPs), etc. However, FSA’s Farm Loan Program (FLP) staff, who handle operating, chattel, and real estate loans, have not been recalled. 

FLP staff must still come daily to check mail; during this brief window, many have been endorsing two-party checks. This may not be the case at every local office. If you need your two party check endorsed, we recommend calling ahead to your local office before visiting in person to ask how and when you should come in to get your check signed. 

In this unprecedented time, we encourage producers to stay organized, maintain documentation of all communications, and coordinate with IAC’s Technical Assistance Network for updates and support. Try to meet deadlines when possible, as extensions are not guaranteed. If you experience issues, please complete the IAC Federal Shutdown Survey to help inform our policy and program efforts.