President Trump Signed the Farm Bill into Law One Year Ago Today, USDA Highlights Implementation Accomplishments to Date

TITLE I – Commodity Programs

• Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC):
  • On May 8, 2019, FSA announced that participants of the former Margin Protection Program for Dairy were eligible for reimbursements paid between 2014 and 2017, which could be received in a cash or as a credit to DMC. So far, more than 3,700 payments were made, totaling more than $21 million.
  • The 2019 sign-up, which ran through Sept. 27, enrolled more than 23,000 dairy operations. Payments began June 8, 2019, and dairy producers who purchased coverage will receive more than $310 million in much-needed program financial support.
  • DMC signup for 2020 opened on Oct. 7, 2019, and closes today.
• Milk Donation Program:
  • The final rulemaking published on Sept. 5, 2019.
  • On Nov. 4, 2019, USDA extended the application deadline for the Milk Donation Reimbursement Program through Dec. 6, 2019.
• Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC):
  • The final rulemaking published on Sept. 3, 2019, which initiated signup for 2019, which runs from Sept. 9, 2019 to March 15, 2020.
  • On Oct. 15, 2019, FSA announced 2020 signup runs from Oct. 15, 2019 to June 30, 2020.
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TITLE II – Conservation

• Conservation Reserve Program (CRP):
  • FSA accepted applications June 3, 2019 through Aug. 23, 2019, for certain practices under the continuous CRP and Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) agreements.
  • On Dec. 6, 2019, FSA published the interim final rule, which initiated the beginning of a general and continuous signup on Dec. 9, 2019. The general signup runs through Feb. 28, 2020; the continuous signup is ongoing.
  • This general signup is the first since the 49th CRP signup that began on Dec. 1, 2015.
  • On Dec. 6, 2019, FSA also announced the CSP Grasslands signup will run from March 16, 2020, to May 15, 2020.
• Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP):
  • NRCS anticipates publishing an interim final rule in early 2020.
  • Announcement of FY19 Program Funding was released on Sept. 3, 2019. Applications were due by Dec. 3, 2019.
  • Currently, we have 375 active RCPP projects with close to 2,000 partners. Partners are leveraging nearly $1 billion in NRCS investment with close to $2 billion in non-NRCS dollars.
• Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP):
  • The interim final rule published on Nov. 12, 2019.
  • Signup 2019 CSP Grasslands Conservation Initiative began on June 10 and to-date NRCS has received nearly 12,000 applications totaling 826,628 acres.
• Environmental Quality Incentives Program:
  • The interim final rulemaking published on Dec. 17, 2019.
• Agricultural Conservation Easement Program:
  • NRCS anticipates publishing an interim final rule in the coming weeks.
• Review and Update of NRCS Conservation Practice Standards:
  • On March 11, 2019, NRCS published a notice in the Federal Register announcing it was reviewing, evaluating and updating the agency’s 171 conservation practice standards.
  • On Oct. 13, 2019, NRCS published a notice seeking input on 13 updated practice standards.
  • NRCS anticipates additional notices on standards as they’re updated. So far, 58 standards have been improved, and two new ones have been developed.
• Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG):
  • On May 15, 2019, NRCS announced that it is investing up to $25 million per year over the next five years to help support On-Farm Conservation Innovation Trials, part of the CIG and available to farmers eligible to participate in the Environmental Quality Incentives Program. NRCS accepted proposals through July 15, 2019 for the new On-Farm Trials. Awards were announced on Nov. 27, 2019.
  • On May 30, 2019, NRCS announced the availability of $12.5 million to support CIG on agricultural lands. NRCS accepted proposals through July 30, 2019. On Dec. 17, 2019, NRCS announced 19 projects focused on pollinator habitat, water quantity, urban agriculture and accelerating conservation adoption.
• Wetland Reserve Enhancement Program (WREP):
  • On May 16, 2019, NRCS announced a funding opportunity to provide technical and financial assistance to support critical wetlands. NRCS accepted proposals through July 30, 2019 for WREP. On Sept. 13, 2019, $48 million was awarded to support partner projects in eight states.
• Reports to Congress:
  • NRCS submitted the Small Wetlands report to Congress on July 17, 2019.
  • NRCS submitted the Conservation Innovation Grants Status of Activities report on Oct. 11, 2019.
• Emergency Conservation Program (ECP):
  • The final rulemaking published on July 10, 2019.
• Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program (FSCP):
  • On June 20, 2019, USDA announced $75 million in funding for the eradication and control of feral swine through the FSCP in a joint effort between NRCS and APHIS. Applications were accepted through Aug. 19, 2019, for partners to carry out activities as part of these pilot projects in select areas of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Texas. Awards were announced on Nov. 18, 2019.
  • The Notice of Availability (NOA) to recirculate APHIS’ FEIS was posted to the Federal Register on July 5, 2019. NRCS’s Feral Swine Notice of Intent to adopt APHIS’s FEIS published in the Federal Register on July 17, 2019.

TITLE III – Trade

• Food for Progress:
  • The final rulemaking published on Aug. 28, 2019.
  • The report was provided to Congress on Sept. 20, 2019 and is currently posted on FAS’ website.
  • FAS announced FY 2019 funding allocations for projects totaling nearly $140 million to improve agricultural productivity in developing countries and expand trade in agricultural products, adding eligibility for U.S. public and non-profit colleges and universities.
• McGovern-Dole Program:
  • The final rulemaking published on Nov. 26, 2019.
  • FAS announced FY 2019 funding allocations for McGovern-Dole valued at approximately $191 million to provide school meals and nutrition programs for children in countries with high food insecurity.
• USDA International Food Assistance Report FY 2018: The report was provided to Congress on Nov. 4, 2019.
• Agriculture Trade Specialty Crops Report: The report was provided to Congress on July 23, 2019.
• Trade Rules:
  • The Emerging Markets Program final rulemaking published on Dec. 20, 2019.
  • The Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops Program final rulemaking is scheduled to publish on Dec. 23, 2019.
  • USDA anticipates publication within the next couple weeks of the Market Access Program, and the Foreign Market Development Cooperator Program.

TITLE IV – Nutrition Programs

• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): On April 12, 2019, Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) published the solicitation for the FY 2019 SNAP Process and Technology Improvement Grants required by Section 4010 of the Farm Bill. Responses were due by June 10, 2019. FNS announced the awards on Sept. 25, 2019.
• SNAP Quality Control Improvements: The interim final rulemaking began OMB review on Sept. 18, 2019.
• SNAP Employment and Training Program: The proposed rulemaking began OMB review on Dec. 3, 2019.