Source: USDA, 3/26/20
USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) county offices are open by phone
appointment only until further notice, and FSA staff are available to continue
helping agricultural producers with program signups, loan servicing and other
important actions. Additionally, FSA is relaxing the loan-making process and
adding flexibilities for servicing direct and guaranteed loans to provide
credit to producers in need. FSA Service Centers are open for business by phone appointment only. While our program delivery staff will continue to come into to the office, they will be working with our agricultural producers by phone and using email and online tools whenever possible. “FSA programs and loans are critical to America’s farmers and ranchers, and we want to continue our work with customers while taking precautionary measures to help prevent the spread of coronavirus,” FSA Administrator Richard Fordyce said. “We recognize that farm loans are critical for annual operating and family living expenses, emergency needs and cash flow through times like this. FSA is working to find and use every option and flexibility to provide producers with credit options and other program benefits.” FSA
is delivering programs and services, including: =
Farm loans; =
Commodity loans; =
Farm Storage Facility Loan program; =
Disaster assistance programs, including signup for the Wildfire
and Hurricane Indemnity Program Plus (this includes producers now eligible
because of losses due to drought and excess moisture in 2018 and 2019); =
Safety net programs, including 2020 signup for the Agriculture
Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage programs; =
Conservation programs; and =
Acreage reports. Relaxing the Farm Loan-Making Process FSA
is relaxing the loan-making process, including: =
Extending the deadline for applicants to complete farm loan
applications; =
Preparing Direct Loans documents even if FSA is unable to
complete lien and record searches because of closed government buildings. Once
those searches are complete, FSA would close the loan; and =
Closing loans if the required lien position on the primary
security is perfected, even for loans that require additional security and
those lien searches, filings and recordings cannot be obtained because of
closed government buildings. Servicing Direct Loans FSA
is extending deadlines for producers to respond to loan servicing actions,
including loan deferral consideration for financially distressed and delinquent
borrowers. FSA will temporarily suspend loan accelerations, non-judicial foreclosures, and referring foreclosures to the Department of Justice. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will make the determination whether to stop foreclosures and evictions on accounts under its jurisdiction.
Servicing Guaranteed Loans Guarantee
lenders can self-certify, providing their borrowers with: =
Subsequent-year operating loan advances on lines of credit; =
Emergency advances on lines of credit. FSA
will consider guaranteed lender requests for: =
Temporary payment deferral consideration when borrowers do not
have a feasible plan reflecting that family living expenses, operating expenses
and debt can be repaid; and =
Temporary forbearance consideration for borrowers on loan
liquidation and foreclosure actions. Contacting FSA FSA
will be accepting additional forms and applications by facsimile or electronic
signature. Some services are also available online to customers with an eAuth
account, which provides access to the farmers.gov portal where producers can
view USDA farm loan information and payments and view and track certain USDA
program applications and payments. Customers can track payments, report
completed practices, request conservation assistance and electronically sign
documents. Customers who do not already have an eAuth account can enroll at farmers.gov/sign-in. FSA
encourages producers to contact their county office to discuss these programs
and temporary changes to farm loan deadlines and the loan servicing options
available. For Service Center contact information, visit farmers.gov/coronavirus.
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