 Eau Claire County USDA Service Center News - December 31, 2025 In This Issue: January 1, 2026: USDA Service Centers closed in observance of New Year's Day January 2, 2026: FSA Acreage Reporting Deadline for honey and honeybee colonies January 15, 2026: FSA Acreage Reporting Deadline for apples, aronia (chokeberry), asparagus, blueberries, caneberries, cherries, cranberries, currants, grapes, gooseberries, hops, huckleberries, pears, rhubarb, strawberries January 19, 2026: USDA Service Centers closed in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day January 23, 2026: Deadline to apply for the FSA Milk Loss Program and On-Farm Stored Commodity Loss Program January 31, 2026: Deadline for FSA Marketing Assistance Loans for prior year harvested peanuts, wool, mohair and Loan Deficiency Payments only for unshorn pelts February 1, 2026: Crop Insurance Local Sales Closing Dates for onions February 3, 2026: FSA Acreage Reporting Deadline for maple sap 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 2024natural 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 reference resources for both programs are available online at 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 your local FSA Office. The Farm Loan team in Eau Claire County is already working on operating loans for spring 2026 and asks potential borrowers to submit their requests early so they can be timely processed. The farm loan team can help determine which loan programs are best for applicants. FSA offers a wide range of low-interest loans that can meet the financial needs of any farm operation for just about any purpose. The traditional farm operating and farm ownership loans can help large and small farm operations take advantage of early purchasing discounts for spring inputs as well expenses throughout the year. Microloans are a simplified loan program that will provide up to $50,000 for both Farm Ownership and Operating Microloans to eligible applicants. These loans, targeted for smaller and non-traditional operations, can be used for operating expenses, starting a new operation, purchasing equipment, and other needs associated with a farming operation. Loans to beginning farmers and members of underserved groups are a priority. Other types of loans available include: Marketing Assistance Loans allow producers to use eligible commodities as loan collateral and obtain a 9-month loan while the crop is in storage. These loans provide cash flow to the producer and allow them to market the crop when prices may be more advantageous. Farm Storage Facility Loans can be used to build permanent structures used to store eligible commodities, for storage and handling trucks, or portable or permanent handling equipment. A variety of structures are eligible under this loan, including bunker silos, grain bins, hay storage structures, and refrigerated structures for vegetables and fruit. A producer may borrow up to $500,000 per loan. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Risk Management Agency (RMA) made significant enhancements to federal crop insurance programs by expanding benefits for beginning farmers and ranchers, increasing coverage options, and making crop insurance more affordable and accessible across multiple insurance programs. Putting American Farmers First with Enhanced Support for Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Beginning farmers and ranchers will receive substantially increased premium support during their first decade of farming operations, making crop insurance more affordable for the next generation of American agricultural producers. The enhanced benefits mean beginning farmers and ranchers will now receive: - 15 percentage points additional subsidy for the first two crop years
- 13 percentage points for the third crop year
- 11 percentage points for the fourth crop year
- 10 percentage points for years five through ten
These benefits build upon existing support that waives administrative fees and provides base premium subsidies. A beginning farmer or rancher is now defined as an individual who has not actively operated and managed a farm or ranch for more than 10 crop years. Making Crop Insurance More Accessible with Expanded Coverage Options Improvements to area-based crop insurance programs include: - Whole Farm Revenue Protection (WFRP) maximum coverage level increase from 85% to 90%, providing producers with enhanced protection for diversified operations.
- Supplemental Coverage Option (SCO) premium support increase from 65% to 80%, making this valuable gap coverage more affordable. Additionally, producers can now purchase SCO regardless of their Area Risk Coverage (ARC) elections with the Farm Service Agency, dramatically increasing accessibility.
- Enhanced Coverage Option (ECO) and similar programs including Margin Coverage Option (MCO), Hurricane Insurance Protection Wind Index (HIP-WI), and Fire Insurance Protection Smoke Index (FIP-SI) will also receive the increased 80% in premium support, making comprehensive coverage more affordable than ever.
- SCO coverage will also expand to a coverage level of 90% (from 86%). Producers will have access to this option in 2026 via the ECO product, which has identical coverage at the same cost and premium support levels. USDA will then change the SCO policy for the 2027 crop year.
These changes will be effective for all crops with sales closing dates on or after July 1, 2025. RMA will provide additional guidance on other provisions within the One Big Beautiful Bill Act as implementation details are finalized. Producers should contact their local crop insurance agent or visit the RMA website for more information about how these changes may affect their coverage options. Top of page Eau Claire USDA Service Center 1304 N Hillcrest Pkwy, Suite B
Altoona, WI 54720-2598 Phone: 715-832-6547
Fax: 855-733-0174
Email: fsa.altoona@usda.gov | | Wisconsin FSA Public Site
Wisconsin NRCS Public Site
Wisconsin RMA Public Site | | Farm Service Agency - Farm Program
Katie Stariha
Acting County Executive Director
715-832-6547, ext. 2
katie.stariha@usda.gov Natural Resources Conservation Service
Tammy Lindsay
District Conservationist
715-832-6547, ext. 3
tammy.lindsay@usda.gov | Farm Service Agency - Farm Loan
Teresa Engel
Farm Loan Manager
608-637-2183, ext. 2
teresa.engel@usda.gov Risk Management Agency
St. Paul Regional Service Office
30 Seventh Street East, Suite 1890
St. Paul, MN 55101-4901
651-290-3304
rsomn@usda.gov | | Next FSA County Committee Meeting and COC Election Ballot Counting
Wednesday, February 4, 2026 at 9:30 AM FSA County Committee Members
Tamara Smith-Schroeder, Chairperson
James Stensen, Vice Chairperson
Harley Hutchinson, Member | | 
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