Outreach Education and Technical Assistance for Farm Service Agency Programs, Functions and Activities

Description

This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NFO) seeks proposals to support and further expand Farm Service Agency (FSA)’s existing program outreach and education efforts to socially disadvantaged applicants (SDA), specifically farmers and ranchers. The mission of the Farm Service Agency is equitably serving all farmers and ranchers through the delivery of effective, efficient agricultural programs for all Americans. However, FSA is aware that all farmers and ranchers may not be optimally aware of FSA programs. Therefore, this opportunity is intended to provide additional outreach to SDA farmers and ranchers in areas and communities where additional outreach would be beneficial. With the complex nature of some of FSA’s programs, FSA intends this NFO to focus additional outreach and education to producers in areas who could benefit from additional outreach in order to (1) increase access and participation of SDAs in FSA programs and services and (2) improve technical assistance related to FSA farm and farm loan programs. FSA county and state offices provide outreach and education for producers which typically involve public meetings and workshops with individual producers seeking additional information or to enroll in a program. However, additional targeted outreach efforts are needed for educating socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers on FSA programs and services. Socially disadvantaged groups are defined as a group whose members have been subjected to racial, ethnic, or gender prejudice because of their identity as members of a group without regard to their individual qualities. These groups include: American Indians or Alaskan Natives, Asians, Blacks or African Americans, Native Hawaiians or Pacific Islanders, Hispanics, and in the case of FSA loan farm programs, women. This NFO is intended to provide targeted, focused, specific outreach to socially disadvantaged producers in areas and communities where outreach efforts have not been effective in the past and where participation in FSA programs is historically lower for socially disadvantaged producers. The goal is to increase minority participation in FSA programs through outreach education and technical assistance efforts. Specific FSA programs and services listed in this NFO are focused on educating socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers about one or more of the following programs and increasing the number of successful program participants: Farm Enrollment for Heirs Property Operators/Landowners; FSA Relending Program; Highly Fractionated Indian Land Program; Non-Insured Crop Disaster Assistance Program; Emergency Conservation Program; Agriculture Risk Coverage/Price Loss Coverage; Receipt for Service; FSA County and Urban Committees; Guaranteed Operating and Ownership Loan Programs; Direct Operating and Ownership Loan Programs; Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2; Organic Certification Cost-Share Program; Farm Storage Facility Loan; Tree Assistance Program; Livestock Forage Disaster Program; Emergency Conservation Program; Wildfires and Hurricanes Indemnity Program Plus; Commodity Loans & Loan Deficiency Program; Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program; Urban Ag County Committees, and Quality Loss Adjustment Program. Priority will be given to projects that include focus on the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2 (CFAP 2). Awards will range in amounts from $20,000 to $99,999 for a duration between six (6) months and one (1) year. The estimated total program funding available is $2 million. Additional information is available at www.fsa.usda.gov/cooperativeagreements.

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