The Farm Service Agency does not hand out grants the way people picture them, a check you apply for to start or grow a farm. Most of what FSA does is lend money. But FSA also runs a long list of payment programs you never pay back: disaster aid, price and revenue protection, conservation rent and cost-share.
If you searched “FSA grants,” this is the list you were looking for, with what each pays and when to apply.
FSA payments you do not repay
Disaster programs
| Program | What it pays for | Deadline or timing |
|---|---|---|
| ELAP | Livestock, honeybee and farm-raised fish losses not covered by other programs | For 2026 losses, file by March 1, 2027 |
| LFP | Grazing losses from qualifying drought or fire | For 2026 losses, apply by March 1, 2027 |
| LIP | Livestock deaths above normal mortality from weather, disease or protected predators | Notice of loss and application by March 1 after the year of the loss |
| TAP | Replanting or rehabilitating orchard and nursery trees, bushes and vines after a disaster | Apply within 90 days of the disaster or when the loss is apparent |
| ECP | Restoring disaster-damaged farmland, including fences, debris removal and grading | Sign-ups announced after a disaster |
| NAP | Crop losses on crops federal crop insurance does not cover | Coverage must be bought by crop-specific deadlines |
A few recent changes from the Working Families Tax Cuts Act, per FSA:
- LIP now pays 100% of market value for losses to predators protected by the federal government (75% for other losses), retroactive to January 1, 2026.
- TAP reimbursement for pruning, removal and site preparation rose from 50% to 65%, and the old 15% mortality threshold is gone.
- LFP now pays one month for a county in D2 drought for four straight weeks during the grazing season, and two months for D2 in seven of the previous eight weeks.
Our guides to ELAP and LFP and NAP coverage go deeper.
Price and income protection
- ARC and PLC pay producers with base acres when county revenue or national prices fall below set levels. The 2026 election runs through December 11, 2026. See our ARC/PLC enrollment guide.
- Dairy Margin Coverage pays dairies when the milk-to-feed margin falls below the level they chose. 2027 enrollment runs through December 18, 2026. See our DMC guide.
Conservation and certification
- Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) pays yearly rent to take sensitive land out of production. Both 2026 sign-ups (general and continuous) are closed, and USDA has not announced the next one. See CRP rental rates.
- Organic Certification Cost Share (OCCSP) pays back up to 75% of certification costs, up to $750 per scope. Apply by December 31, 2026 for both the 2025 and 2026 program years. See our OCCSP guide.
FSA loans (these you repay)
FSA’s main job is lending to farmers who cannot get reasonable credit elsewhere. There is no sign-up deadline for these:
- Microloans: up to $50,000 for operating costs, and up to $50,000 for farm ownership purposes.
- Operating loans: direct loans up to $400,000 for livestock, equipment, feed, seed and other operating costs.
- Farm ownership loans: direct loans up to $600,000, plus a Down Payment Loan that lets beginning and veteran farmers buy with 5% down.
- Emergency loans: after a disaster declaration covering your county.
- Youth loans: up to $10,000 for 4-H and FFA members ages 10 to 20.
- Farm Storage Facility Loans: up to $500,000 for grain bins, cold storage and handling equipment.
Interest rates for direct loans as of October 1, 2026: 5.375% for operating loans and operating microloans, 6.25% for farm ownership, 2.25% for the Down Payment Loan and 3.75% for emergency loans. Rates change monthly.
How to get any of it
Everything above runs through your county FSA office at a USDA Service Center. Two things to do before you need help:
- Get your operation on file with FSA so you have a farm number and records, and keep your acreage reports current. farmers.gov notes you must file timely acreage reports to be eligible for many USDA programs.
- Ask about deadlines for your crops and livestock. NAP coverage and some disaster notices have short windows.
Our guide to finding your local FSA office shows how to find yours.
Frequently asked questions
Does FSA give grants to farmers? Not grants in the usual sense, but FSA runs many payment programs you do not repay, including disaster aid (ELAP, LFP, LIP, TAP, ECP, NAP), ARC/PLC, Dairy Margin Coverage, CRP rent and organic certification cost share.
What is the difference between FSA and NRCS? FSA handles farm loans, disaster aid, commodity programs and CRP. NRCS handles conservation cost-share like EQIP and CSP. Both work out of USDA Service Centers.
Is there an FSA grant to start a farm? No. FSA’s tools for new farmers are loans: microloans up to $50,000 and farm ownership loans, including the Down Payment Loan with 5% down.
What FSA programs have deadlines coming up? ARC/PLC 2026 election by December 11, 2026; Dairy Margin Coverage 2027 enrollment by December 18, 2026; OCCSP by December 31, 2026; and ELAP and LFP for 2026 losses by March 1, 2027.
The bottom line
FSA is a lender first, but its payment programs are real money you keep, mostly tied to disasters, prices and conservation. Get your farm on file, know your deadlines, and call your county office the week something goes wrong.
Want to see which programs fit your operation? Run our free eligibility checker or browse the deadline calendar.
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