Farm Service Agency

ANNAPOLIS - Elizabeth Anderson, executive director for USDA's Farm Service Agency in Maryland, says FSA is hoping to get more women, ethnic and minority farmers in the state involved in its programs. "FSA programs are available to all producers but we would like to increase participation by traditionally underrepresented groups in all program areas," Anderson said. She said FSA also reserves a portion of its direct and guaranteed loan funds each year for SDA loans for eligible participants.

Farmers in Washington and Frederick counties in Maryland and those in Franklin and Fulton counties in Pennsylvania are eligible for emergency loan assistance, according to the Farm Service Agency. They qualify because of the heavy rains that caused flooding last summer from June 23 through July 10, particularly in Franklin County. There was lighter flooding here, especially along the Antietam and Licking creeks. Now, those farmers can apply for damages and losses that resulted, according to J. Alan Young IV, farm loan manager for USDA's Farm Service Agency in Hagerstown.

May 31 - USDA Service Center at 1260 Maryland Ave., Hagerstown closed due to observance of Memorial Day. June 3 - Washington County Farm Service Agency County Committee regular monthly meeting, 9:30 a.m. The meeting is held in the USDA Service Center Conference Room at 1260 Maryland Ave., Suite 107, Hagerstown. Regular session of meeting is open to the public and handicap accessible. Date subject to change. For more information, call 301-797-0500, ext 2. June 15 - Nominations accepted through Aug. 2 for Farm Service Agency County Committee 2010 election being held for Local Administrative Area No. 3 in Washington County.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the extension of the voluntary claims process for Hispanic and women farmers and ranchers who allege discrimination by the USDA in past decades. All claims must be filed by May 1. The process offers a voluntary alternative to litigation for each Hispanic or female farmer and rancher who can prove that the USDA denied his or her application for loan or loan-servicing assistance for discriminatory reasons for certain time periods between 1981 and 2000.

WASHINGTON COUNTY - A drought disaster has been declared in Maryland, and the federal government has stepped in to help local growers whose crops were affected by the lack of rain. Gov. Martin O'Malley requested that the U.S. Department of Agriculture make that distinction in July, and officials said it will help provide assistance and financial relief to Maryland farmers affected by the severe dry weather and excessive heat from June 1 through the summer months. Officials said Maryland's drought disaster designation makes it possible for farm operators to apply for low-interest emergency loans from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency.

WASHINGTON COUNTY -- Running a farm involves much more than planting crops and milking cows. "Farmers are basically business owners," said Bob Wevodau, an agriculture program specialist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Farm Service Agency. The decisions they make can be complicated, especially under the federal Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008, known as the farm bill. Wevodau and Mark Rose, of USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service, spoke about parts of the bill on Monday at the Maryland Cooperative Extension office on Sharpsburg Pike, south of Hagerstown.

Farmer candidate nominations began June 15 for local Farm Service Agency county committees. The nomination period continues through Monday, Aug. 2, with the election taking place by mail ballot between Friday, Nov. 5, and the close of business on Monday, Dec. 6. In Washington County, the election is for Local Administrative Area No. 3, which is the part of the county west of Interstate 81 and south of Md. 68 running southeast from Williamsport and...

A drought disaster has been declared in Maryland, and the federal government has stepped in to help local growers whose crops were affected by the lack of rain. Gov. Martin O'Malley requested that the U.S. Department of Agriculture make that distinction in July, and officials said it will help provide assistance and financial relief to Maryland farmers affected by the severe dry weather and excessive heat from June 1 through the summer months. More rain has fallen this month in Hagerstown than in June and July combined.