The Washington State Farm Service Agency serves the agricultural community through 25 county USDA service centers and one state office, located in Spokane. The Washington FSA State Committee and locally-elected county committees provide producer input to federal farm programs.

FSA helps to ensure a stable food supply for the nation by supporting American farmers. This is accomplished through the implementation of farm programs authorized by Congress. The programs currently carried out in Washington State are categorized under the following headings.

To find out more about the rules and regulations related to FSA programs click here.

FSA Ensures the civil rights of every individual who requests access to programs administered by the agency.

Coronavirus Food Assistance Program

Are you a farmer or rancher whose operation has been directly impacted by the coronavirus pandemic? The Coronavirus Food Assistance Program will provide direct relief to producers who faced price declines and additional marketing costs due to COVID-19.

Beginning May 26, FSA will begin accepting applications for CFAP. To find the latest information on CFAP, including forms and the contact information for your local Service Center, visit farmers.gov/CFAP.

Reporting Agricultural Losses and Agricultural Disaster Relief

Farmers and ranchers know all too well that natural disasters can be a common, and likely a costly, variable to their operation. The Farm Service Agency (FSA) has emergency assistance programs to provide financial help when disasters strike. Timely reporting of damage and loss is essential for program participation.  Additionally, some of those programs require a disaster designation to trigger eligibility. Agricultural producers can play a vital role in the disaster designation process. Please report crop and livestock losses and damage to agricultural land or structures to your Farm Service Agency county office and your crop insurance agent, if applicable.

Additional resources available:

Washington State FSA Overview of Disaster Programs
Forest Service Overview of Programs and Temporary Grazing Permit Application
NRCS Overview of the Emergency Watershed Program
WSU Forester Contacts and Forest Stewardship Class Brochure
2020 FSA Disaster Program - Power Point

Resources Available for Small and Midsize Farmers

USDA has put together several resources for accessing capital, risk management and other issues. The information can be viewed here.

County Committee Elections

County Committee (COC) Elections are underway.  The election of responsible agricultural producers to FSA COC is important to ALL farmers and ranchers with large or small operations. It is crucial that every eligible producer take part in this election because county committees are a direct link between the farm community and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Committee members are a critical component of the day-to-day operations of FSA. They help deliver FSA farm programs at the local level. Farmers who serve on committees help decide the kind of programs their counties will offer. They work to make FSA agricultural programs serve the needs of local producers.

The following Local Administrative Areas are currently up for election across Washington stated:  LAA Map

The 2020 Farm Service Agency County Committee Elections will begin on Nov. 2, 2020, when ballots are mailed to eligible voters. The deadline to return ballots to local FSA offices, or to be postmarked, is Dec. 7, 2020.

County committee members are an important component of the operations of FSA and provide a link between the agricultural community and USDA. Farmers and ranchers elected to county committees help deliver FSA programs at the local level, applying their knowledge and judgment to make decisions on commodity price support programs, conservation programs, incentive indemnity and disaster programs for some commodities, emergency programs and eligibility. FSA committees operate within official regulations designed to carry out federal laws.

To be an eligible voter, farmers and ranchers must participate or cooperate in an FSA program. A person who is not of legal voting age but supervises and conducts the farming operations of an entire farm, may also be eligible to vote.

Eligible voters in local administrative areas, who do not receive a ballot can obtain one from their local USDA Service Center.

Newly elected committee members will take office Jan. 1, 2021.

More information on county committees, such as the new 2020 fact sheet, can be found on the FSA website at fsa.usda.gov/elections or at a local USDA Service Center.

Featured Program - Non-Insured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP)

The Non-insured Crop Disaster Assistance Program provides financial assistance to producers when low yields, loss of inventory or prevented planting occur due to natural disasters. more

Featured Program - Tree Assistance Program (TAP)

The Tree Assistance Program provides financial relief to qualifying orchardists and nursery tree growers to replant or rehabilitate eligible trees, bushes and vines damaged by natural disasters. The Bi-Partisan Budget Act of of 2018 made several program changes.  more

IMPORTANT DATES AND DEADLINES

• June 30, 2020 - Deadline for all signatures on 2020 ARCPLC contracts.
• August 1, 2020 - Final date to request farm reconstitutions or farm transfers for 2020.
• August 1, 2020 - Last day to file nomination forms at the local USDA Service Center (Since Aug. 1 falls on a weekend this year, nomination forms will be accepted through Aug 3, 2020)
• September 30, 2020 - Final date for PLC yield updates.
• November 2, 2020 - Ballots mailed to eligible voters
• December 7, 2020 - Last day to return voted ballots to the USDA Service Center
• January 1, 2021 - Newly elected county committee members take office

CROP ACREAGE REPORTING DATES FOR 2021 CROP YEAR

• December 15, 2020 – Fall seeded crops – alfalfa seed, canola, mint, peas and lentils, small grains and onions planted between August 15 and September 15.
• January 2, 2021 – Report honeybee colony inventories.
• January 15, 2021 – Report perennial fruit crops. This includes apples, apricots, blueberries, caneberries, cherries, cranberries, grapes, nectarines, peaches, pears and plums.
• May 15, 2021 – Cabbage planted March 14 and April 20.
• July 15, 2021 – Perennial forage and spring planted alfalfa seed; cabbage planted April 20 to June 10; onions planted March 14 to April 20; all other crops and land uses, including CRP, except crops listed for the other dates.
• August 15, 2021 – Buckwheat, cabbage planted June 11 to August 10.

NAP CROP PRODUCTION REPORTING DATES FOR 2020 CROP YEAR

• December 15, 2020 – NAP covered fall-seeded crops. Fall canola, fall mint, fall peas, fall lentils, fall seeded small grains.
• January 15, 2021 – NAP covered tree fruits, blueberries and cranberries.
• July 15, 2021 – NAP covered crops not listed above, including perenial forage for hay or seed.

NAP APPLICATION CLOSING DATES FOR 2021 CROPS

• August 31, 2020 –Aquaculture, beets (for stecklings), cabbage (for seed or fresh), canola, carrots (for seed), cauliflower (for seed or fresh), Christmas trees, floriculture, mushrooms, onions (for seed, fresh or processing), rapeseed, rutabaga (for seed or fresh), turf grass sod, turnips (for seed or fresh), and any other fall planted crops not mentioned in other closing dates.
• September 30, 2020 – Garlic, mint, perennial grazing, forage, mixed forage, and forage seed crops.
• November 20, 2020 – All Perennial crops not listed under the 9/30 category, along with asparagus, berries, grapes, honey, hops, and tree fruits and nuts.
• March 15, 2021 – Artichokes, beets (for seed or fresh), buckwheat, camelina, carrots (for fresh or processing), mustard, radish (for seed or fresh), small grain forages (wheat, barley, oats, peas), and any other spring planted crops not mentioned in other closing dates.

NAP coverage should be purchased at least 1 day before the crop is planted, but no later that the application closing date.

For perennial forage enrolled in NAP coverage, the acreage must be reported by the earlier of: 15 days before harvest or grazing, the normal harvest date in the county, or July 15. 

NAP coverage cannot be offered on any crop for which Federal Crop Insurance is available in the county. If you have questions regarding NAP availability or NAP application closing dates, please contact your local FSA office for more information.

Stay Current on FSA News - Instant Electronic Bulletins and Texts

GovDelivery is a free email service that enables Farm Service Agency county offices to send you bulletins, deadline reminders, newsletters and texts instantly. For text updates, contact your FSA county office. For bulletins and newsletters via email - sign up now to receive information about program details, signup dates and deadlines. Subscribe now.

Customer Comments

Help us provide quality service. Let us know what we are doing well or where we need improvement by sending us your comments.

Jon Wyss
State Executive Director

Contact us at:

Washington State FSA
11707 E. Sprague Ave., Ste 303
 Spokane Valley, WA 99206
(509) 323-3000
State Office Directory