 Miner County USDA News - December 2025 In This Issue: Important Dates and Deadlines 12/31/2025 – Final Date to Purchase NAP Coverage on Honey
01/01/2026 – USDA Service Center closed for New Year's Day
01/19/2026 – USDA Service Center Closed for Martin Luther King Jr Day
01/31/2026 – Deadline to apply for 2025 Wool, Mohair & Pelts LDP
02/02/2026 – County Committee Election Deadline
03/01/2026 – Deadline to apply for 2025 LIP/ELAP Application for Payment 04/30/2026 – Deadline to apply for 2023 & 2024 SDRP (Stage 1 & 2) Farm Storage Facility Loan Program Interest Rates:
3 year loan - 3.500%
5 year loan - 3.625%
7 year loan - 3.875%
10 year loan - 4.125%
12 year loan - 4.250% Farm Loan Program Interest Rates:
Farm Operating Loans, Direct - 4.625%
Farm Ownership Loans, Direct - 5.750%
Farm Ownership, Joint Financing - 3.750%
Farm Ownership, Down Payment - 1.750% Stay informed: sign up for Text Messages-text SDMINER to 372-669.
To sign up for the newsletter visit www.farmers.gov Subscribe Top of page The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) reminds foreign investors with an interest in agricultural land in the United States that they are required to report their land holdings and transactions to USDA. The Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act (AFIDA) requires foreign investors who buy, sell or hold an interest in U.S. agricultural land to report their holdings and transactions to the USDA. Foreign investors must file AFIDA Report Form FSA-153 with the FSA county office in the county where the land is located. Large or complex filings may be handled by AFIDA headquarters staff in Washington, D.C. According to CFR Title 7 Part 781, any foreign person who holds an interest in U.S. agricultural land is required to report their holdings no later than 90 days after the date of the transaction. Foreign investors should report holdings of agricultural land totaling 10 acres or more used for farming, ranching or timber production, and leaseholds on agricultural land of 10 or more years. Tracts totaling 10 acres or less in the aggregate, and which produce annual gross receipts in excess of $1,000 from the sale of farm, ranch, forestry or timber products, must also be reported. AFIDA reports are also required when there are changes in land use, such as from agricultural to nonagricultural use. Foreign investors must also file a report when there is a change in the status of ownership. The information from AFIDA reports is used to prepare an annual report to Congress. These annual reports to Congress, as well as more information, are available on the FSA AFIDA webpage. Assistance in completing the FSA-153 report may be obtained from the local FSA office. For more information regarding AFIDA or FSA programs, contact the Sanborn/Jerauld County FSA office at 605-796-4476 or visit farmers.gov. Marketing Assistance Loans (MALs) and Loan Deficiency Payments (LDPs) provide financing and marketing assistance for producers of many commodities, including graded and non-graded wool, mohair, and unshorn pelts. MALs and LDPs are available during shearing and provide interim financing to help you meet cash flow needs without having to sell commodities when market prices are low, enabling you to delay selling until more favorable marketing conditions emerge. LDPs are payments made to producers who, although eligible to obtain an MAL, agree to forgo the loan in return for a payment on the eligible commodity. FSA is now accepting requests for 2025 MALs and LDPs for all eligible wool, mohair and unshorn pelts. These requests should be made on or before the final availability date of Jan. 31, 2026. USDA recently announced 2025 wool and mohair marketing assistance loan rates. Eligibility To be eligible for a wool or mohair MAL or LDP, producers must produce and shear eligible mohair and wool in the U.S. during the applicable crop year and must: - comply with conservation and wetland protection requirements;
- report all cropland acreage on applicable farms where the eligible commodity is produced;
- have and retain beneficial interest in the commodity until the MAL is repaid or the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) takes title to the commodity, and;
- meet Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) limitations.
Unshorn pelts are eligible for LDPs only. In addition to the criteria above, producers of unshorn pelts must have sold the unshorn lamb for immediate slaughter or slaughter the lambs for personal use. LDPs and marketing loan gains are not subject to payment limitation, including actively engaged in farming and cash rent tenant provisions. In addition to producer eligibility, the loan commodity must have been produced and shorn from live animals by an eligible producer, be in storable condition, and meet specific CCC minimum grade and quality standards. Producers are responsible for any loss in quantity or quality of the wool or mohair pledged as loan collateral. To retain beneficial interest, the producer must have control and title of the wool, mohair, or unshorn pelt. If beneficial interest in the commodity is lost, the commodity loses eligibility for an MAL or LDP and remains ineligible even if the producer later regains beneficial interest. The producer must be able to make all decisions affecting the commodity including movement, sale, and the request for an MAL or LDP. Producers may repay an MAL any time during the loan period at the lesser of the loan rate plus accrued interest and other charges or an alternative loan repayment rate, the national posted price, which is announced weekly. Visit the Farm Service Agency (FSA) website for posted loan and LDP rates. How to Apply Producers can apply for an MAL by contacting their local FSA county office. To be considered for a LDP, producers must first have the form CCC-633 EZ, Page 1, on file with FSA prior to losing beneficial interest in the wool, mohair or unshorn pelt. It is best to visit the county office and submit the CCC-633 Page 1 right before you shear. This is completed one time per crop year and indicates your intention to receive LDP benefits. To apply and learn more information, contact your local USDA Service Center or visit fsa.usda.gov. The Farm Loan team in Lake 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. Miner USDA Service Center 601 W Farmer Ave
Howard, SD 57349 Phone: 605-772-4431
Fax: 855-262-0852 | | | | County Executive Director Michaela Iverson
Michaela.Iverson@usda.gov Farm Loan Manager Jessica Broer 605-256-0852
Jessica.Broer@usda.gov
Program Analysts
Heather Harnisch
Jamie Olson
Kim Eddy | Natural Resources Specialist Rachel Walter
Rachel.Walter@usda.gov Conservation District Tami Moore
Tami.Moore@sd.nacdnet.net
FSA County Committee
Verlyn Button
Ashley Schwader
Damon Jacobsen | | Next COC Meeting - January 13, 2025, at 8:30 AM If you need to request an accommodation, please contact Michaela Iverson at (605) 772-4431 ex. 2 or michaela.iverson@usda.gov to request accommodations (e.g., an interpreter, translator, seating arrangements, etc.) or materials in an alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape – captioning, etc.) | | 
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