 Dewey County, SD USDA Newsletter - December 2025 In This Issue: January 1, 2026 - New Year's Day Holiday - USDA Service Centers Closed January 13-14, 2026 - 2026 South Dakota Soil Health Conference January 15, 2026 - Deadline to apply for NRCS Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) and Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) January 19, 2026 - Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday - USDA Service Centers Closed January 23, 2026 - Deadline to apply for On-Farm Stored Commodity Loss Program January 23, 2026 - Deadline to apply for the Milk Loss Program January 23, 2026 - Deadline to apply for NRCS Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) January 31, 2026 - Deadline to submit application for Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops for calendar year 2025 January 31, 2026 - Deadline for wool and mohair producers to apply for loans and LDP's and submit all required eligibility documents on wool shorn in calendar year 2025 April 30, 2026 - Deadline to apply for Supplemental Disaster Relief Program Stage 1 and Stage 2 December Interest Rates:
Commodity (Grain) Loans - 4.625%
Direct Operating Loans - 4.625%
Direct Farm Ownership Loans – 5.75%
Joint Financing Farm Ownership Loans – 3.75%
FSFL (Grain Bin & other Grain Handling Equipment), 3-Year - 3.500%
FSFL (Grain Bin & other Grain Handling Equipment), 5-Year - 3.625%
FSFL (Grain Bin & other Grain Handling Equipment), 7-Year - 3.875%
FSFL (Grain Bin & other Grain Handling Equipment), 10-Year - 4.125%
FSFL (Grain Bin & other Grain Handling Equipment), 12-Year - 4.250% For more program information, visit www.farmers.gov. Top of page USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA) is delivering more than $16 billion in total Congressionally approved disaster relief. FSA is now accepting applications for assistance through the second stage of the Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (SDRP) from agricultural producers who suffered eligible non-indemnified, uncovered or quality crop losses due to qualifying natural disasters in 2023 and 2024. Stage Two covers eligible crop, tree, bush and vine losses that were not covered under Stage One program provisions, including non-indemnified (shallow loss), uncovered and quality losses. Although the majority of payments from the first stage are already in the hands of producers helping them prepare for and invest in the next crop year, Stage One assistance, announced in July, remains available to producers who received an indemnity under crop insurance or the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) for eligible crop losses due to qualifying 2023 and 2024 natural disaster events. The deadline to apply for both Stage One and Stage Two assistance is April 30, 2026. Additionally, FSA is taking applications for assistance from producers who had to dump or remove milk from the commercial market and who incurred losses of eligible farm stored commodities due to qualifying disaster events in 2023 and 2024. SDRP Stage Two Program Details SDRP Stage Two provides assistance for eligible crop, tree, bush and vine losses not covered under Stage One, including: - Non-Indemnified Losses (Including Shallow Losses)
- Insured losses through federal crop insurance that did not trigger a crop insurance indemnity.
- Losses with NAP coverage that did not trigger a NAP payment.
- Uncovered Losses (Uninsured Losses)
- Includes losses that were not insured through federal crop insurance or NAP.
- Quality Losses
- Includes quality losses to commodities indicated by:
- A decrease in value based on discounts due to the physical condition of the crop supported by applicable grading factors
- A decline in the nutritional value of forage crops supported by documented forage tests.
- Producers will certify to an SDRP quality loss percentage.
FSA is establishing block grants with Connecticut, Hawaii, Maine, and Massachusetts that cover crop losses; therefore, producers with losses on land physically located in these states are not eligible for SDRP program payments. For information on program eligibility and to download an application checklist, visit fsa.usda.gov/sdrp. More information will be provided in early 2026 regarding a separate enrollment period for quality losses covered by SDRP Stage One as well as for insured producers in Puerto Rico who were not included in Stage One because data was not available when pre-filled applications were mailed. Milk and On-Farm Stored Crop Loss Assistance The Milk Loss Program provides up to $1.65 million in payments to eligible dairy operations for milk that was dumped or removed without compensation from the commercial milk market because of a qualifying natural disaster event in 2023 and/or 2024. 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 may be eligible for assistance through the On-Farm Stored Commodity Loss Program, which provides for up to $5 million to impacted producers. The deadline to apply for milk and on-farm stored commodity losses is Jan. 23, 2026. Information and fact sheets for both programs are available online at fsa.usda.gov/mlp for milk loss and fsa.usda.gov/ofsclp for on-farm stored commodity losses. To make an appointment to apply, call the Dewey County FSA Office at 605-865-3522. Top of page FSA offers direct farm ownership and direct farm operating loans to producers who want to establish, maintain, or strengthen their farm or ranch. Direct loans are processed, approved and serviced by FSA loan officers. Direct farm operating loans can be used to purchase livestock and feed, farm equipment, fuel, farm chemicals, insurance, and other costs including family living expenses. Operating loans can also be used to finance minor improvements or repairs to buildings and to refinance some farm-related debts, excluding real estate. Direct farm ownership loans can be used to purchase farmland, enlarge an existing farm, construct and repair buildings, and to make farm improvements. The maximum loan amount for direct farm ownership loans is $600,000 and the maximum loan amount for direct operating loans is $400,000 and a down payment is not required. Repayment terms vary depending on the type of loan, collateral and the producer's ability to repay the loan. Operating loans are normally repaid within seven years and farm ownership loans are not to exceed 40 years. Please contact your local FSA office for more information or to apply for a direct farm ownership or operating loan. Top of page Dewey County, SD USDA Service Center 1015 Main Street Timber Lake, SD 57656 Phone: 605-865-3522
Fax: 855-256-9425 | | | | County Executive Director Deb Ducheneaux 605-865-3522 EXT 2 deb.ducheneaux@usda.gov Farm Loan Manager Sabrina Fanning 605-865-3522 EXT 2 sabrina.fanning@usda.gov Farm Loan Officer Trainee Zoey Osmotherly 605-865-3522 EXT 2 zoey.osmotherly@usda.gov Program Assistants Jennifer Wiedmer, Alyssa Leibel, Tricia Jones, Samantha Goldade County Committee Toby Keller, Colt Peterson, Kyle Schrempp | Acting District Conservationist Ryan Wilen 605-865-3522 EXT 3 ryan.wilen@usda.gov
Soil Conservation Technician Dylan Jones 605-865-3522 EXT 3 dylan.jones@usda.gov | | | | 
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