Farm News
USDA launched the second and final round of trade mitigation payments aimed at assisting farmers suffering from damage due to unjustified trade retaliation by foreign nations. Producers of certain commodities will now be eligible to receive Market Facilitation Program (MFP) payments for the second half of their 2018 production.
USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) has been administering MFP to provide the first payments to producers since Sept. 2018 for the first 50 percent of their 2018 production. MFP provides payments to almond, cotton, corn, dairy, hog, sorghum, soybean, fresh sweet cherry, and wheat producers.
Producers need only sign-up once for the MFP to be eligible for the first and second payments. The MFP sign-up period runs through Jan. 15, 2019, with information and instructions provided at www.farmers.gov/mfp. Producers must complete an application by Jan. 15, 2019, but have until May 1, 2019, to certify their 2018 production.
Eligible producers should apply after harvest is complete, as payments will only be issued once production is reported.
For farmers who have already applied, completed harvest, and certified their 2018 production, a second payment will be issued on the remaining 50 percent of the producer’s total production, multiplied by the MFP rate for the specific commodity.
MFP payments are limited to a combined $125,000 for corn, cotton, sorghum, soybeans, and wheat capped per person or legal entity. MFP payments are also limited to a combined $125,000 for dairy and hog producers, and a combined $125,000 for fresh sweet cherry and almond producers. Applicants must also have an average adjusted gross income for tax years 2014, 2015, and 2016 of less than $900,000. Applicants must also comply with the provisions of the Highly Erodible Land and Wetland Conservation regulations.
For detailed information, read the full USDA press release.
For more further information or to locate and contact local FSA offices, interested producers can visit www.farmers.gov.
Dear Members, Farmers& Ranchers:
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue has designated your county as a primary natural disaster area. Producers who suffered losses due to a recent drought, excessive heat, may be eligible for U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) emergency loans. This designation by Secretary Perdue allows FSA to extend much-needed emergency credit to producers recovering from natural disasters. Emergency loans can be used to meet various recovery needs including replacing essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganizing a farming operation or refinance certain debts.
Producers in the bordering counties of your county are also eligible to apply for emergency loans. Arkansas Land & Community Development Corporation (ALCDC) will assist you at no cost with preparing your emergency business loan package along with accessing your overall farming operation for other possible support resources that may be beneficial for you. ALCDC also has trained experienced staff to assist you. We also provide technical assistance for the preparation of Direct Farm Operating Loans, Micro Loans and Farm Ownership Loans.
Land Owners, Rancher and Farmers may contact by email: Albert Jones @ [email protected] Van Banks @ [email protected] or Michael Tucker @ [email protected] or by phone at 870-734-3005 ext. 210 for additional information on eligibility requirements and application procedures for these and other programs.
Upcoming Events
Reminder:
Arkansas Land and Community Development Corporation(ALCDC) will host Arkansas Land & Farm Development Corporation's (ALFDC) Annual Winter Farmers Conference Friday, January 26 2018 at ALFDC's Business Conference Center at 484 Floyd Brown Drive in Fargo Arkansas beginning at 9:00 a.m. with registration beginning at 8:30 a.m.
A copy of the agenda and flyer for the event are presented below. Click on the images for a larger view.
ALCDC's annual Winter Farmers Conference radio advertisement
Arkansas Land Community & Development Corporation (ALCDC) announces their Central Arkansas Community Economic Development Summit being held on Saturday, December 16 @ 9:30 a.m.at the Menifee Community Center, 68 Mustang Street, Menifee Arkansas 7210. Over the past thirty seven (37) years, ALCDC’s program services have been dedicated toward equal access and providing United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) program service delivery to historically underserved communities, ranchers, farmers and landowners. ALCDC’s vision and commitment, along with partnerships, supporters, members and friends through USDA and Arkansas Development Finance Authority (ADFA) continue the processes for addressing the many challenges and needs of the underserved and underprivileged in rural areas. Representatives from USDA’s Natural Resource Service, Farm Service Agency and Rural Development will present on their available services. ALCDC’s successful programmatic partnership approaches have experienced successes in housing and economic development, family farm retention and youth services.
Topics Addressed & Covered at Summit:
ALCDC’s New & Beginning Farmers & Ranchers (Veterans) Program
Equality and Equity Resource Opportunities for Heir Property
Micro-Urban Farming
Conservation Risk Management Practices for Limited Resource & Historically Underserved Farmers, Ranchers & Landowners
Housing, Business & Community Economic Development Opportunities
Participants who want to meet on an individual basis regarding our New Beginning Farmers & Ranchers Program, housing, heir property, protecting your legal property rights and other heir property legal issues that affect your daily life style may engage immediately after Summit for One-On-One Consultations with ALCDC Staff. If there are additional questions, you may contact Mary Harris or Mykela Sparkman at (870) 734-3005. This year’s Summit is designed very specific and relative to you and your community needs and we urge you to attend with Lunch being served at no cost to attendees. ALCDC is looking forward to seeing you on Saturday, December 16 at 9:30 am in Menifee, Arkansas.
Arkansas Land and Farm Development Corporation (ALFDC) and Arkansas Land and Community Development Corporation (ALCDC) will host a Growers and Livestock Technical Meeting Thursday, December 14th at the ALFDC Business and Conference Center at 484 Floyd Brown Drive in Fargo Arkansas. The meeting is open to the public. Additional information will be mailed in the near future. We are anticipating your participation.
For more information contact Van Banks or Albert Jones at 870-734-1140.
Radio Advertisement for ALFDC 37th Annual Conference
and Membership Meeting.
and Membership Meeting.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 2, 2017
Contact: Mary Harris (870) 734-3005
Visit our website at http://alfdc.webs.com/
SUBJECT: ALCDC’s 37th Annual Conference Attention: Farmers, Ranchers, Landowners, Veterans & Members
This letter is to inform and invite you to participate in Arkansas Land and Farm Development Corporation's upcoming Annual Conference/Membership Meeting, hosted by Arkansas Land and Community Development Corporation, scheduled for October 26-27, 2017. This year’s Conference is a very special event, representing 37 years of dedicated service for land retention, family farm development, housing and youth program services. The Theme for this year’s conference is: “Understanding Rural Financial Opportunities UFO Access for Success.” Also, during our 37th Annual Conference, we will pay tribute to individuals and organizations whose collective vision, dedication and partnership support to rural economic sustainability has kept hundreds of farmers on their land and provided economic opportunities for rural community development, investment support for training and technical assistance to limited resource farmers and ranchers, information access on investments for rural affordable housing and business development and access to a constant flow of information that keeps us in touch with issues that’s of importance to local communities and the general public.
ALCDC is proud to announce that Burthel Thomas, George Richardson, Evelyn Bryant & Ruby Johnson have been selected to serve on our Program Policy and Evaluation Committee being recognized at this year’s event.
Planned Order of Events:
Day One, Thursday, October 26th is our "Youth Day", which will be held at our Headquarters in Fargo, Arkansas. "Youth Day" will include guest speakers, a educational panel discussion and youth oratorical leadership speakers along with site tours and other activities. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m.
Day Two, Friday, October 27th is our "Members, Supporters, Partners, and Seniors Day" also to be held at our Headquarters in Fargo, Arkansas. This Day will include guest speakers, workshops, a panel discussion, along with program site tours. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m.
ALCDC is very proud of our program service delivery past contributions to Arkansan through direct service, public policy advocacy and its committed support for the unserved and under-served rural residents. For 37 years ALCDC program services have faced issues surrounding poverty, injustice, housing, education, land ownership and family farm retention along with health and the environment.
To pay Conference registration fees or ALCDC membership dues, click the Make A Donation button at the bottom of the page.
Arkansas Land and Community Development Corporation will host Arkansas Land and Farm Development Corporation's 37th Annual Conference and Membership Meeting Thursday, October 26 and Friday, October 27 2017 in the Fargo Agricultural Business Center located at 484 Floyd Brown Drive in Fargo Arkansas.
Arkansas Land and Community Development Corporation 37th Annual
Conference is designed to address the specific needs of its members, partners, supporters, and family farmers. To achieve this conference purpose, the board and staff has worked to engage leading experts in rural community development for the benefit of all conference participants.
The Conference brings together farmers, government officials, rural residents, youth, faith-based organizations, and community-based organizations interested in sustaining rural communities. Workshops will be in the areas of farm finance program and services, rural economic development, housing, and youth services.
GAP/GHP Training
Arkansas Land & Community Development Corporation (ALCDC) is offering specialized produce safety training through the Produce Safety Alliance of Cornell University on May 22 & 23 in Fargo, Arkansas. Participants who attend and receive their certification are able to offer Produce Safety Alliance's (PSA) (Cornell) standardized curriculum to train fresh produce growers to meet the regulatory requirements in the Food Drug Administration's Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule. Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) & Good Handling Practices (GHP) are component tools of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspection requirements of commercial growers to sell to Walmart/Kroger.
Successful completion of the full two-day PSA TTT allows you to deliver curriculum modules as a trainer in a PSA Grower Training under the direction of a PSA Lead Trainer. The partnership with Cornell is a concerted effort on behalf of ALCDC to show Growers how alternative crops can become viable Business Enterprises in Eastern Arkansas with proper technical assistance and advice.
This initiative is in conjunction with ALCDC's proposed Unifying Farmers Outreach (UFO) Demonstration Project which demonstrates the use of innovative technologies and approaches to address natural resource concern in alternative crop production and marketing.
If there are any additional questions, please do not hesitate in contacting Van Banks & Albert Jones @ 870-734-3005. The Training is Free but, registration is required. Below is the site registration and ALCDC has covered all the costs with our collaborative partners.
https://producesafetyalliance.cornell.edu/training/train-trainer-course/brinkley-arkansas
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Press Release
Attention: Farmers, Ranchers, Landowners, Veterans & Members
Arkansas Land and Community Development Corporation (ALCDC) in conjunction with the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff’s (UAPB) Keeping It in The Family invites you to our 1st Annual Spring-Break Community Economic Development Summit Saturday, April 8, 2017 in Stamps, Arkansas.
The Summit is being held at the Lafayette County High School Cafeteria, located at 1209 Alexander Lane, Stamps, AR. Registration begins at 9:30 am with the Summit beginning at 10:00 am promptly. This year’s Summit theme is, “Addressing Heir Property Barriers,” as related to community economic development.
This year’s Summit agenda has been designed to bring together rural and urban farmers, beginning farmers, veterans, rural residents, government agencies, elected officials, rural business and faith/community based organizations interested in the sustainable economic recovery and renewal of our rural and urban agriculture underserved and unserved communities.
Lunch is being provided at no cost along with One-on-One consultations’ for those individuals interested.
Please feel free to let us know if you have any questions or need any additional information. You may contact Albert Jones at (870) 734-3005 or by email at [email protected] or visit our website at http://alfdc.webs.com/
ALCDC is dedicated to sustaining rural communities
Give us a call if you want to talk to one of our friendly and professional staff members. Our office hours are 8:30 to 5:00 p.m. Monday -Friday or call (870) 870-734-3005 or email us at [email protected]
To pay conference, sponsorship, or membership fees, please click on the Make a Donation button below.
Arkansas Land and Community Development Corporation
533 Floyd Brown Drive, P.O. Box 907 Brinkley, AR 72021
(870) 734-3005
THE ADVANCER: Fall 2018
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