For those interested in these programs or want more information on what the Farm Service Agency offers, our office number is 770-834-2097 extension 2 and our office email is gacarrollt-fsa@usda.gov
 Maps are now available at the Carroll, Coweta, Douglas, Haralson, Heard, Meriwether, Paulding and Troup County FSA Office for acreage reporting purposes. If you wish to receive your maps by e-mail, please call our office or email gacarrollt-fsa@usda.gov. Please see the following acreage reporting deadlines for Carroll, Coweta, Douglas, Haralson, Heard, Meriwether, Paulding and Troup County:July 15, 2025: All other crops and perennial forageIn order to maintain program eligibility and benefits, you must file timely acreage reports. Failure to file an acreage report by the crop acreage reporting deadline may cause ineligibility for future program benefits. FSA will not accept acreage reports provided more than a year after the acreage reporting deadline.Producers are encouraged to file their acreage reports as soon as planting is completed. |
Celebrating 25 Years of USDA’s Farm Storage Facility Loan Program
USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) celebrated 25 years of the agency’s popular Farm Storage Facility Loan Program (FSFL) this May. For a quarter century, family-owned agricultural operations have received low-interest financing through the program to enhance or expand their operations and manage marketing of the commodities they produce by building or upgrading permanent and portable storage facilities and purchasing needed handling equipment.
The FSFL program was created in May 2000 to address existing on-farm grain storage needs. Since the program’s inception, more than 40,000 loans have been issued for on-farm storage, increasing storage capacity by one billion bushels. While many producers primarily associate the program with grain storage, over the past 25 years the eligible storage has expanded to include a wide variety of facilities and related equipment – new or used and permanent or portable – including hay barns, bulk tanks, and facilities for cold storage. Drying, handling and storage equipment is also eligible, including skid steers and storage and handling trucks.
Eligibility
Eligible commodities for storage loans include grains, oilseeds, peanuts, pulse crops, hay, hemp, honey, renewable biomass commodities, fruits and vegetables, floriculture, hops, seed cotton, wool, maple sap, maple syrup, milk, cheese, yogurt, butter, eggs, unprocessed meat and poultry, rye and aquaculture. Most recently, controlled atmosphere storage was added as an eligible facility and bison meat has been also added to the list of eligible commodities.
FSFL is an excellent financing program to address on-farm storage and handling needs for small and mid-sized farms, and for new farmers. Loan terms vary from three to 12 years. The maximum loan amount for storage facilities is $500,000. The maximum loan amount for storage and handling trucks is $100,000.
In 2016, FSA introduced a new storage loan category, the microloan, for loans with an aggregate balance up to $50,000. Microloans offer a 5% down payment requirement, compared to a 15% down payment for a regular FSFL, and microloans waive the regular three-year production history requirement.
How to apply
Loan applications should be filed in the administrative FSA county office that maintains a producer’s farm records. Producers can contact their FSA County Office to make an appointment. Beginning farmers who haven’t worked with FSA can visit farmers.gov/your-business/beginning-farmers for more information or view the New Farmers Fact Sheet.
For more information, visit the FSFL webpage, view the fact sheet and our Ask the Expert Blog, or contact your FSA County Office.
 The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Georgia is accepting applications for the Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP) in all 159 counties in Georgia to address damages from the southern pine beetle infestation. EFRP provides financial cost-share and technical assistance to restore nonindustrial private forestland (NIPF) damaged by a qualifying natural disaster. The EFRP sign-up period opened May 14, 2025, and ends on Aug. 14, 2025. “Southern pine beetle damage to forestlands is extensive and recovery from the impact is never easy, but EFRP can provide much-needed financial support,” said Duncan Johnson, State Executive Director for FSA in Georgia. “If you have an immediate need to restore your operation, please call your local office to discuss authorized restoration practices and approval to start recovery efforts before you take any action.”EFRP Participation Requirements Approved EFRP practices include hardwood forest restoration, softwood forest restoration, mixed forest restoration, and longleaf pine restoration. Cost-share is reimbursed for up to 75% of the lesser of the actual costs incurred or allowable cost after a restoration activity is complete. If an EFRP application is approved, the program participant is expected to perform restoration and conservation practices based on the FSA-848A Cost-Share Agreement and restoration plan provided. Maximum cost share for EFRP is $500,000 per entity, per natural disaster event. To participate in EFRP, eligible applicants must: complete restoration to meet technical standards established through FSA by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service or the state forestry agency, anddocument and keep records of all costs incurred to complete the restoration activities, including costs associated with personal labor. To meet eligibility requirements, NIPF land must have existing tree cover or had tree cover immediately before the natural disaster occurred and be suitable for growing trees. The land must also be owned or leased by a nonindustrial private individual, group, association, corporation or other private legal entity that has definitive decision-making authority over the land. To expedite approvals of restoration work for EFRP, FSA has waived the onsite inspection for all EFRP forest types to remove hazard trees, surface debris, and fence repair to expedite needs determinations and approvals of restoration work. Additionally, FSA waived the requirement for applicants to obtain prior approval to conduct surface debris removal, fence repair and hazard tree removal to support critical disaster recovery efforts. Applicants should not begin any restoration activities that could be potentially ground-disturbing prior to notifying FSA and receiving approval to begin restorative activities.Applicants should contact the Carroll, Coweta, Douglas, Haralson, Heard, Meriwether, Paulding, and Troup County FSA Office at (770) 834-2097 ext. 2 with questions on eligibility, authorized activities and applying for EFRP assistance. |
Samantha Fowler
County Executive Director
Carroll County Farm Service Agency | Serving Carroll, Coweta, Douglas, Haralson, Heard, Meriwether, Paulding, & Troup
Farm Service Agency
1003 Newnan RD, STE 301, Carrollton, Georgia, 30116
p: (770) 834-2097 ext. 2
