Important USDA Dates for Producers

Ongoing Program Sign-up

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Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops Program (FSCSC)

Enero 31, 2026

The Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops Program (FSCSC) provides financial assistance for specialty crop operations that incur eligible on-farm food safety program expenses related to obtaining or renewing a food safety certification. This program helps offset costs to comply with regulatory requirements and market-driven food safety certification requirements. The application period for calendar year 2025 is January 1, 2025, through January 31, 2026.

Learn More About FSCSC

County Committee Elections (COC)

Febrero 02, 2026

Farm Service Agency county committees are a critical component of the day-to-day operations of FSA and allow grassroots input and location administration of federal farm programs.

Elections are occurring in certain Local Administrative Areas (LAA) for these committee members who make important decisions about how federal farm programs are administered locally. Producers and landowners must return ballots to their local FSA county office or have their ballots postmarked by Feb. 2, 2026, for those ballots to be counted.

Learn More About County Committee Elections

Dairy Margin Coverage Program (DMC)

Febrero 26, 2026

DMC is a voluntary risk management program that offers protection to dairy producers when the difference between the all-milk price and the average feed price (the margin) falls below a certain dollar amount selected by the producer. Agricultural producers can submit applications to USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) for DMC for the 2026 coverage year from January 12, 2026 to February 26, 2026.

Learn More About DMC

Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (SDRP)

Abril 30, 2026

The Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (SDRP) provides assistance to producers for necessary expenses due to losses of revenue, quality or production of crops due to weather related events in 2023 and 2024. Producers with indemnified losses can apply during the first stage. Stage 1 will leverage Federal Crop Insurance or Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) data as the basis for calculating payments. Producers with non-indemnified (including shallow losses), uncovered (uninsured), and quality losses can apply for Stage 2 assistance. The deadline to apply for Stage 1 and 2 is April 30, 2026.

Learn More About SDRP

Ongoing USDA Programs

The following federal USDA programs either do not have a deadline or have ongoing signup. Check with your local USDA Service Center to learn more about programs that have local or state level deadlines.

Crop Acreage Reporting

Crop acreage reports filed with USDA document the crops grown on your farm or ranch and their intended uses. You must file timely acreage reports to be eligible for many USDA programs.

Deadlines to file crop acreage reports vary by crop and by state and county. Farm Service Agency staff at your local USDA Service Center can help by providing you with maps and acreage reporting deadlines by crop for your county. Your crop insurance agent can assist you with reporting information necessary for crop insurance benefits.

July 15 is a major deadline for most crops.

Learn More About Crop Acreage Reporting

General Disaster Programs

USDA offers a variety of helpful programs with ongoing and localized deadlines to support agricultural producers including:

Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) which provides funding and technical assistance for farmers and ranchers to restore farmland damaged by natural disasters and for emergency water conservation measures in severe droughts.
FSA Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP) which provides funding to restore privately owned forests damaged by natural disasters.
Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) which provides financial assistance to producers of non-insurable crops to protect against natural disasters that result in lower yields or crop losses, or prevents crop planting.
Tree Assistance Program (TAP) which provides financial cost-share assistance to qualifying orchardists and nursery tree growers to replant or, where applicable, rehabilitate eligible trees, bushes, and vines lost by natural disasters.

Learn More About USDA General Disaster Programs

Livestock Disaster Programs

USDA offers a variety of helpful programs with ongoing and localized deadlines to support livestock producers including:

Emergency Livestock Assistance Program (ELAP) which provides financial assistance to eligible producers of livestock, honeybees and farm-raised fish for losses due to disease, certain adverse weather events or loss conditions, including blizzards and wildfires, as determined by the Secretary.
Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) which provides benefits to livestock owners and some contract growers for livestock deaths in excess of normal mortality caused by eligible loss conditions, including eligible adverse weather, eligible disease and attacks by animals reintroduced into the wild by the federal government or protected by federal law (including wolves and avian predators).
Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) provides payments to eligible livestock owners and contract growers who have covered livestock and produce grazed forage crop acreage that has suffered a loss of grazed forage due to a qualifying drought during the normal grazing period for the county.

Learn More About USDA Livestock Disaster Programs

Organic Transition Initiative

If you are considering a transition to organic farming, the Organic Transition Initiative (OTI) may be helpful to you. OTI has programs across many agencies. For help with natural resources on your farm, often aligned with the required organic management plan, contact your local USDA Service Center to apply.

Learn More About OTI

Past Important Dates

The following list shows past important dates, including past federal USDA program enrollment dates. Check with your local USDA Service Center to learn about programs that are currently open or that have local or state level deadlines.

Milk Loss Program (MLP)

Enero 23, 2026

The Milk Loss Program (MLP) provides payments to eligible dairy operations for milk that was dumped or removed without compensation from the commercial milk market because of a qualifying weather event in 2023 and/or 2024. The deadline to apply is January 23, 2026.

Learn More About MLP

On-Farm Stored Commodity Loss Program (OFSCLP)

Enero 23, 2026

The On-Farm Stored Commodity Loss Program (OFSCLP) provides assistance to producers who suffered losses of eligible harvested commodities while stored in on-farm structures in 2023 and/or 2024 due to a qualifying natural disaster event. The deadline to apply is January 23, 2026.

Learn More About OFSCLP

National Batching Deadline for Major Conservation Programs

Enero 15, 2026

USDA has established a national January 15, 2026 batching deadline for the first funding round of key conservation programs: Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP), and Agricultural Management Assistance (AMA). It also includes the Regenerative Pilot Program, which provides targeted Farmer First assistance through EQIP and CSP.

Find Program Information for Your State

Emergency Livestock Relief Program for 2023 and 2024 Flood and Wildfire

Noviembre 21, 2025

The Emergency Livestock Relief Program for 2023 and 2024 Flood and Wildfire (ELRP 2023 and 2024 FW) will provide disaster recovery assistance to livestock producers to help offset increased supplemental feed costs due to a qualifying flood or wildfire. Only qualifying wildfires on non-federally managed lands are eligible. The enrollment period is open from September 15, 2025, through November 21, 2025.

Learn More About ELRP 2023 and 2024 FW

Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (ECAP)

Agosto 15, 2025

ECAP will provide up to $10 billion in direct payments to agricultural producers for 2024 crop year losses. These economic assistance payments will help agricultural producers mitigate the impacts of increased input costs and falling prices for eligible commodities. Applications must be submitted by August 15, 2025.

Learn More About ECAP

USDA Beginning Farmer and Rancher Veterans Webinars (August 13 and 14)

Agosto 13, 2025

Join our free webinars on August 13, 2:00-4:30 pm Eastern and August 14, 2:00-4:00 pm Eastern to learn how to work with USDA and prepare for a career in agriculture.

Grassland Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)

Agosto 08, 2025

Agricultural producers and private landowners can sign up for the Grassland Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) starting July 14, 2025, through August 8, 2025. Among CRP enrollment opportunities, Grassland CRP is a unique working lands program, allowing producers and landowners to continue grazing and haying practices while conserving grasslands and promoting plant and animal biodiversity as well as healthier soil.

Landowners and producers interested in CRP should contact their local USDA Service Center to learn more.

Learn More About Grassland CRP

County Committee Nominations

Agosto 01, 2025

Nominations are now being accepted for farmers and ranchers to serve on local Farm Service Agency county committees. Elections for committee members will occur in certain Local Administrative Areas (LAA). Nomination forms must be returned or postmarked by August 1, 2025.

Learn More About County Committees