Rural Energy for America Program

The program provides guaranteed loan financing and grant funding to agricultural producers and rural small businesses for renewable energy systems or to make energy efficiency improvements. Agricultural producers may also apply for new energy efficient equipment and new system loans for agricultural production and processing.

How may the funds be used?

• High efficiency heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems (HVAC).
• Insulation.
• Lighting.
• Cooling or refrigeration units.
• Doors and windows.
• Electric, solar or gravity pumps for sprinkler pivots.
• Switching from a diesel to electric irrigation motor.
• Replacement of energy-inefficient equipment.

What funding is available?



• Loan guarantees on loans up to 75 percent of total eligible project costs.
• Grants for up to 50 percent of total eligible project costs.
• Combined grant and loan guarantee funding up to 75% of total eligible project costs.

Extension of Application Deadline for Revenue Loss Programs

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is extending the deadline for the Emergency Relief Program (ERP) Phase Two and Pandemic Assistance Revenue Program (PARP) to July 14, 2023, to give producers more time to apply for assistance. The original deadline was June 2. 

Eligibility 

To be eligible for ERP Phase Two, producers must have suffered a decrease in allowable gross revenue in 2020 or 2021 due to necessary expenses related to losses of eligible crops from a qualifying natural disaster event. Assistance will be primarily to producers of crops that were not covered by Federal Crop Insurance or NAP, since crops covered by Federal Crop Insurance and NAP were included in the assistance under ERP Phase One. 

To be eligible for PARP, an agricultural producer must have been in the business of farming during at least part of the 2020 calendar year and had a 15% or greater decrease in allowable gross revenue for the 2020 calendar year, as compared to a baseline year. 

FSA offers an online ERP tool and PARP tool that can help producers determine what is considered allowable gross revenue for each respective program. Producers should contact their local FSA office to make an appointment to apply for ERP Phase Two and PARP assistance.

Producers should also keep in mind that July 15 is a major deadline to complete acreage reports for most crops. FSA encourages producers to complete the ERP Phase Two application, PARP application and acreage reporting during the same office visit.

Organic Dairy Marketing Assistance Program

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced assistance for organic dairy producers with the new Organic Dairy Marketing Assistance Program (ODMAP). ODMAP is established to help mitigate market volatility, higher input and transportation costs, and unstable feed supply and prices that have created unique hardships in the organic dairy industry. Specifically, under the ODMAP, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is making $104 million available to organic dairy operations to assist with projected marketing costs in 2023, calculated using their marketing costs in 2022.

FSA is now accepting applications. Eligible producers include certified organic dairy operations that produce milk from cows.

How ODMAP Works

FSA is providing financial assistance for a producer’s projected marketing costs in 2023 based on their 2022 costs. ODMAP provides a one-time cost-share payment based on marketing costs on pounds of organic milk marketed in the 2022 calendar year.

ODMAP provides financial assistance that will immediately support certified organic dairy operations during 2023 keeping organic dairy operations sustainable until markets return to more normal conditions. 

How to Apply

FSA is accepting applications from May 24 to July 26, 2023. To apply, producers should contact FSA at their local USDA Service Center. To complete the ODMAP application, producers must certify to pounds of 2022 milk production, show documentation of their organic certification, and submit a completed application form.

Organic dairy operations are required to provide their USDA certification of organic status confirming operation as an organic dairy in 2023 and 2022 along with the certification of 2022 milk production in hundredweight.  

ODMAP complements other assistance available to dairy producers, including Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) and Supplemental DMC, with more than $300 million in benefits paid for the 2023 program year to date. Learn more on the FSA Dairy Programs webpage

Organic Certification Cost-Share Program

OCCSP provides cost share assistance to producers and handlers of agricultural products who are obtaining or renewing their certification under the National Organic Program (NOP). Certified operations may receive up to 75 percent of their certification costs paid during the program year, not to exceed $750 per certification scope.

As part of USDA’s broader effort to support organic producers and in response to stakeholder feedback, this year FSA increased the cost share to 75 percent or $750 per category, the maximum amount allowed by statute.

Previous Cap & Trade and Carbon Markets Webinar

To ensure you have access to all the valuable insights and resources covered during the webinar in May, you can view a recorded version of the webinar below or at this link: WA Sustainability Series: Cap & Trade and Carbon Markets

What is a "Green Tag"?

Green tags are a voluntary means of officially identifying your unbranded bull calves or freemartins in lieu of livestock inspections. The green tag system, managed by the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA), was implemented in July 2013. Green tags are to be used by WSDA licensed Grade A milk producers to help with animal disease traceability when selling unbranded bull calves or freemartins.



If green tags are voluntary, why should I use them?

When you use green tags, your unbranded bull calves and freemartins are exempt from livestock inspection requirements at the first point of sale. But this exemption is only offered if the green tags are used correctly.

How do I use green tags correctly?

Green tags are only valid if all of the following conditions are met:

• The bull calf or freemartin being tagged is:
• Less than 30 days old and has not been previously bought or sold.
• Not being transported out of the state.
• Unbranded.
• The sale is not through a public livestock market or special livestock sale.
• Each calf has its own green tag.
• A legible certificate of permit (haul slip) and a legible bill of sale listing each calf's green tag number accompanies the calf to the buyer's location.

Green tags may only be purchased by milk producers. 

Green tags are not transferable to others. 

Green tags may only be applied by the assigned licensed milk producer.