Volume 27 ~ Issue 3
A Partnership in Conservation
SCD, NRCS, and FSA Serving Montrose, Gunnison, Ouray, and San Miguel Counties
A Partnership in Conservation
SCD, NRCS, and FSA Serving Montrose, Gunnison, Ouray, and San Miguel Counties
New Marketing Assistance Now Available for Specialty Crop Producers
USDA Expands Funding Opportunities for Specialty Crop Growers to Help
Offset On-Farm Food Safety Expenses for 2024 and 2025
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is expanding the Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops (FSCSC) program to now include medium-sized businesses in addition to small businesses. Eligible specialty crop growers can apply for assistance for expenses related to obtaining or renewing a food safety certification. The program has also been expanded to include assistance for 2024 and 2025 expenses. Producers can apply for assistance on their calendar year 2024 expenses beginning July 1, 2024, through Jan. 31, 2025. For program year 2025, the application period will be Jan. 1, 2025, through Jan. 31, 2026.
Program Details FSCSC assists specialty crop operations that incurred eligible on-farm food safety certification and expenses related to obtaining or renewing a food safety. FSCSC covers a percentage of the specialty crop operation’s cost of obtaining or renewing its certification, as well as a portion of related expenses.
Eligible FSCSC applicants must be a specialty crop operation; meet the definition of a small or medium-size business and have paid eligible expenses related to certification.
Applying for Assistance Interested applicants have until Jan. 31, 2025, to apply for assistance for 2024 eligible expenses. FSA will issue payments as applications are processed and approved. For program year 2025, the application period will be January 1, 2025, through January 31, 2026. FSA will issue 50% of the calculated payment for program year 2025 following application approval, with the remaining amount to be paid after the application deadline. If calculated payments exceed the amount of available funding, payments will be prorated.
Specialty crop producers can apply by completing the FSA-888-1, Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops Program (FSCSC) for Program Years 2024 and 2025 application. The application, along with the AD-2047, Customer Data Worksheet and SF-3881, ACH Vendor/Miscellaneous Payment Enrollment Form, if not already on file with FSA, can be submitted to the FSA office at any USDA Service Center nationwide by mail, fax, hand delivery or via electronic means. Alternatively, producers with an eAuthentication account can apply for FSCSC online. Producers interested in creating an eAuthentication account should visit farmers.gov/sign-in.
Specialty crop producers can also call 877-508-8364 to speak directly with a FSA employee ready to assist. Visit farmers.gov/food-safety for additional program details, eligibility information and forms needed to apply.
More Information To learn more about FSA programs, producers can contact their local USDA Service Center. Producers can also prepare maps for acreage reporting as well as manage farm loans and view other farm records data and customer information by logging into their farmers.gov account. Producers without an account can sign up today.
Program Details FSCSC assists specialty crop operations that incurred eligible on-farm food safety certification and expenses related to obtaining or renewing a food safety. FSCSC covers a percentage of the specialty crop operation’s cost of obtaining or renewing its certification, as well as a portion of related expenses.
Eligible FSCSC applicants must be a specialty crop operation; meet the definition of a small or medium-size business and have paid eligible expenses related to certification.
- A small business has an average annual monetary value of specialty crops sold by the applicant during the three-year period preceding the program year of no more than $500,000.
- A medium size business has an average annual monetary value of specialty crops the applicant sold during the three-year period preceding the program year of at least $500,001 but no more than $1,000,000.
- Developing a food safety plan for first-time food safety certification.
- Maintaining or updating an existing food safety plan.
- Food safety certification.
- Certification upload fees.
- Microbiological testing for products, soil amendments and water.
Applying for Assistance Interested applicants have until Jan. 31, 2025, to apply for assistance for 2024 eligible expenses. FSA will issue payments as applications are processed and approved. For program year 2025, the application period will be January 1, 2025, through January 31, 2026. FSA will issue 50% of the calculated payment for program year 2025 following application approval, with the remaining amount to be paid after the application deadline. If calculated payments exceed the amount of available funding, payments will be prorated.
Specialty crop producers can apply by completing the FSA-888-1, Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops Program (FSCSC) for Program Years 2024 and 2025 application. The application, along with the AD-2047, Customer Data Worksheet and SF-3881, ACH Vendor/Miscellaneous Payment Enrollment Form, if not already on file with FSA, can be submitted to the FSA office at any USDA Service Center nationwide by mail, fax, hand delivery or via electronic means. Alternatively, producers with an eAuthentication account can apply for FSCSC online. Producers interested in creating an eAuthentication account should visit farmers.gov/sign-in.
Specialty crop producers can also call 877-508-8364 to speak directly with a FSA employee ready to assist. Visit farmers.gov/food-safety for additional program details, eligibility information and forms needed to apply.
More Information To learn more about FSA programs, producers can contact their local USDA Service Center. Producers can also prepare maps for acreage reporting as well as manage farm loans and view other farm records data and customer information by logging into their farmers.gov account. Producers without an account can sign up today.
USDA's website has a fresh new look - Check it out!
www.usda.gov
May the Forest Be With You
SCD sponsored 5th and 6th grade Conservation Poster Contest. The theme for this year's Poster Contest was "May the Forest Be With You Always". 7 schools in Montrose, Olathe, Norwood, Nucla, and Telluride participated in the contest. Hayden Sheilds, SCD IRA (Inflation Reduction Act) District Conservation Technician, gave presentations at schools in October and returned to the schools in December to present ribbons and awards. CSCB (Colorado State Conservation Board) Matching Grant funds provided contest supplies, materials, and awards. Hayden's position was granted to Shavano Conservation District through a CSCB IRA District Conservation Technician Grant Program, a federal, state, and local partnership delivering natural resource conservation technical assistance to private landowners.
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Hayden Shields (far right), SCD IRA District Conservation Technician, presents awards to poster contest winners at Olathe Elementary School
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Did You Miss the CCA and Ag
Watch Webinar Recording |
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Changes Around The Office
The Montrose USDA Field Office has a new team-member!
Russ C.L. Zick, PE, CID
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Russ joined the Montrose USDA Field Office this fall as a USDA ACES Enrollee and works half-time in the Engineering Department in the office.
After a career in manufacturing on the front range, Russ relocated to Paonia. His ag experience includes attaining irrigation designer certification, sprinkling system design in private practice and several volunteer assignments in the USAID Farmer to Farmer Program. His interests include hiking, international traveling, volunteering for a local conservation group and developing his residential ag property's pasture and wetland. |
FREE Admittance |
Thank you Vendors and visitors who participated in the first annual Western Colorad Farm & Ranch Innovation Expo this year!
Save the date to join us at the next Expo on November 14th & 15th, 2025
Montrose County Event Center 1036 N 7th St, Montrose, CO |
Current Water & Precipitation Conditions
Click on the icon below for reports, graphs and maps
PrecipitationColorado Precipitation Graphs and Maps |
SnowColorado SNOTEL Graphs and Maps |
Snow Water by BasinInteractive Snow Water Graphs and Maps by Selection of Basins within Colorado |
Dates to Remember
Deadlines, Meetings and Events |
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Dec 25 Christmas Day - Office Closed
Jan 1 New Year's Day - Office Closed
Jan 2 2025 Acreage Reporting Deadline for Honeybee Colonies
Jan 8 Western Colorado Soil Health Committee Meeting, 1pm at Montrose USDA Service Center
Jan 8 Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops Program Deadline
Jan 14 Shavano District Board Meeting, 6:30 pm
Jan 15 2025 Acreage Reporting Deadline for Apples, Grapes and Peaches
Jan 20 Martin Luther King Jr Day - Office Closed
Jan 24-25 Western Colorado Soil Health, Food and Farm Forum, Montrose Pavillion
Jan 31 2024 Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops Program Deadline
Feb 11 Shavano District Board Meeting, 6:30pm
NAP Notice of Loss - within 15 days of occurrence of the disaster or when losses become apparent. For Hand Harvested crops within 72 hours or when the loss becomes apparent
NAP Production - due 60 days following the end of coverage/final harvest date
Additional Partner Organization Events |
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Partner Contact Information
Montrose USDA Service Center102 Par Place
Montrose, CO 81401 970-249-8407 Farm Service Agency..........................................................Ext.2 Natural Resources Conservation Service.................Ext.3 Shavano Conservation Service......................................Ext.3 |
Colorado State Forest Servicecsfs.colostate.edu
Montrose Field Office 535 S Nevada Ave Montrose, CO 81401 ph. 970-249-9051 Gunnison Field Office 106 Maintenance Dr. Gunnison, CO 81230 ph. 970-641-6852 |
West Region Wildfire CouncilServing Delta, Gunnison, Hinsdale, Ouray, and San Miguel Counties
www.cowildfire.org 160 Amelia Street Ridgway, CO 81432 ph. 970-615-7300 |