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Rhode Island NRCS-FSA Newsletter

Check out our monthly Rhode Island FSA - NRCS newsletter for information on programs, funding availability, loans, outreach activities and other USDA happenings in the Ocean State!

2024 American Indian Alaska Native Heritage Month poster - To All Our Relations, by Dawn M. Spears, Narragansett Tribal Elder.

Fiscal Year 2025

  • January 2025 - Funding availability, new Low Tunnel practice, RI Disaster Aid survey, Local Working Meetings, Specialty crop assistance, Farm loans, Pasture training & more!
  • December 2024 - Funding availability, Specialty crop assistance, World Soil Day, Producer reminders, FSA loans & more!
  • November 2024 - Funding availability, Urban ag & specialty crop assistance, Producer reminders, RI artist selected for national AIAN poster, New RCPP easement project, Salt marsh restoration, New staff & more!
  • October 2024 - Funding availability, Program outreach, Pollinator conservation, Producer reminders, New staff and more!

Fiscal Year 2024

A bee visits a coreopsis flower planted as part of a pollinator garden at the RI USDA Service Center offices in June 2024.
  • September 2024 - Hispanic American Heritage Month, FSA Online business tools, Funding opportunities and farm loans, FY25 Conservation Program signup, Pocasset River watershed flood control, new RI Pollinator Garden Design Guide, Rural Development Feds Feed Families volunteer day.
  • August 2024 - American Indian Heritage Month poster contest, Water quality month, New England grazing lands project, Conservation at Work videos, new RI-NRCS staff, Farm loan program updates, Funding opportunities, Energy grants, Urban ag resources
  • July 2024 - Disability Pride Month, FSA County Committee nominations, Customer kiosks, Funding opportunities, American Indian Heritage Month poster contest, Soil Survey birthday, State Technical Committee meeting
  • June 2024 - RI Envirothon, Pride month, Hurricane season, Pollinator month, Organic assistance, Wetlands funding, Acreage reporting, and Nursery insurance
  • May 2024 - RI Envirothon, Farm loans, Farm equipment replacement webinar, New employees, and Shellfish insurance - check out what we’re doing in the Ocean State!
  • April 2024 - RI Success story, Online assistance, Funding opportunities, and Nursery insurance.
  • March 2024 - Disaster assistance, Conservation program signups, Funding opportunities, Safety net & insurance programs, Outreach activities and Women's History Month.
  • February 2024 - Disaster assistance, Microloans, Conservation program signup, Black History Month, Crop insurance.
  • January 2024 - Disaster assistance, Conservation easements signup, CIG awardees, Urban ag assistance, New employees, Upcoming activities & events.
  • November 2023 - CSP annual payment increase, Diesel tractor/ equipment replacement, Federal urban advisory committee meeting, Tribal scholarships, Upcoming activities & events.
  • October 2023 - FY24 Conservation program signup, Tribal Conservation Advisory Committee, Feds Feed Families, Welcome new staff, Join our conservation team, Upcoming activities & events.

Fiscal Year 2023

  • September 2023 - Financial assistance & loans; commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion; outreach and training the next generation
  • August 2023 - Disaster assistance for flood-impacted producers in Northeast, discrimination financial assistance, stay prepared for hurricane season, application deadlines for noninsured crop disaster assistance (NAP), 'Soil Your Undies' soil health challenge, disaster assistance, wetland restoration
  • July 2023 - Reminder to file acreage reports, FSA county committee nominations, financial assistance for farm loan borrowers who faced discrimination
  • June 2023 - Simplified direct loan applications, gear up for hurricane season, organic transition initiative signup, RI Conservation Innovation Grants, Regional Conservation Partnership Program funding notice, RI Envirothon
  • May 2023 - 2022 Census of Agriculture, improved processes for noninsured crops, avoiding scams, signup for farmers transitioning to organic, People's Gardens, conservation webinars, NRCS' 88th birthday, AANHPI month
  • April 2023 - Assistance for distressed farmers, disaster & pandemic assistance programs, underserved farmers guide, Farmers.gov expands to include farm records, Second signup for Conservation Program assistance, State Technical Team meeting, underserved producers grants, compost & food waste reduction cooperative agreements, Soil Lab Data mart website
  • March 2023 - Commodity safety net, direct loans, easements
  • February 2023 - Disaster & pandemic assistance programs, Emergency conservation program, crop year elections, Sakonnet River Watershed water quality improvement funding, RI Women in Agriculture Conference
  • January 2023 - Emergency conservation program, 2022 Census of Agriculture, Underserved farmers guide, RI Forest Health Works signup, Wood-Pawcatuck Rivers watershed flood protection project, conservation resolutions, new NRCS website
  • December 2022 - Customer survey, online document sharing, on-farm food safety funding, Intertribal Agriculture Council conference, RI Forest Health Works RCPP project

Julie Wright

Rhode Island NRCS Public Affairs Specialist

Claire Vaterlaus Staby

Connecticut - Rhode Island FSA Outreach Coordinator