USDA Farm Service Agency

What USDA Farm Service Agency does

The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) is a federal government agency within the U.S. Department of Agriculture, established in its current form in 1994 to consolidate farm service, credit, and conservation programs under a single administrator. The agency serves U.S. agricultural producers — crop farmers, livestock operators, ranchers, and increasingly urban and tribal growers — through a nationwide network of approximately 2,100 county offices and state offices, supplemented by online service portals (ola-fsa.fpac.usda.gov for loan applications, pml-fsa.fpac.usda.gov for payment management, and an ARC/PLC signup portal). FSA's product portfolio spans five categories: Farm Loans (operating, ownership, emergency, microloans, youth loans, and specialized Indian land programs), Conservation Programs (CRP, CREP, CRP Grasslands, Water-Saving Commodities), Disaster Recovery (ERP, LIP, LFP, ELAP, NAP, TAP, SDRP), Income Support (ARC/PLC, DMC, Farmer Bridge Assistance, ECAP), and Price Support (MAL, LDP, Commodity Loans). Technology infrastructure consists of standard government web platforms with Login.gov serving as the SSO authentication layer; the agency publishes Economic and Policy Analysis reports covering commodity markets and operates the Acreage Crop Reporting Streamlining Initiative (ACRSI). No public API, SDK, or AI capabilities are documented.

FSA operates on a non-commercial revenue model funded entirely through congressional appropriations; it does not generate revenue but administers tens of billions of dollars in program payments annually. Recent program throughput includes $16 billion in Supplemental Disaster Relief Program payments for 2023-2024 losses and $12 billion in Farmer Bridge Assistance funding. Go-to-market is direct-to-producer through field offices and self-serve online portals, with outreach supplemented by partner organizations (Extension Risk Management Education Centers, NIFA, Distressed Borrowers Assistance Network grantees, qualified universities). The agency is currently undergoing reorganization aimed at improving delivery efficiency, with reported 27% personnel reductions in some states and concerns about reduced office hours. William 'Bill' Beam was sworn in as FSA Administrator on March 24, 2025, signaling a strategic transition.

Name

USDA Farm Service Agency

Legal name

Farm Service Agency

Website

https://fsa.usda.gov

Company type

Public

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

The USDA Farm Service Agency is a federal agency within USDA that administers farm loans, disaster assistance, conservation, income support, and price support programs to U.S. agricultural producers through a nationwide network of county offices and online portals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Government Services

NAICS

Farm Management Services (115116), Support Activities for Crop Production (1151), Support Activities for Agriculture and Forestry (115), Support Activities for Animal Production (1152)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700), Federal & Federally-Sponsored Credit Agencies (6111)

akta.pro primary industry

Capital Projects & Farm Expansion Advisory (Feasibility, Site Planning, ROI) (AFACAJAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Regulatory Compliance, Permitting & Audit Readiness (Food Safety, Environmental, Labor) (AFACAJAE), Government-Insured Mortgage Origination (FHA/VA/USDA) (FSALAAAI)

Keywords

• Farm loan programs
• Disaster assistance
• Conservation programs
• Agricultural lending
• Commodity price support

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington, District of Columbia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government Appropriation and Program Administration: FSA is a government agency funded through federal appropriations. It does not generate revenue but administers farm programs, distributes payments, and provides loans to agricultural producers. The agency operates on taxpayer funding allocated by Congress through the USDA budget.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

FSA administers and delivers the U.S. federal government's primary farm support programs, including direct and guaranteed farm loans, disaster assistance payments, conservation incentive programs, and commodity price support to agricultural producers. Services are delivered through approximately 2,100 county and state offices nationwide and a suite of online service portals for loan applications, payments, and program enrollment. The agency distributes billions of dollars in congressional appropriations annually to eligible farmers, ranchers, and underserved agricultural producers across all U.S. states and territories.

Product overview

The USDA Farm Service Agency operates as a platform delivering a comprehensive suite of farm credit, disaster assistance, conservation, and income support programs to agricultural producers nationwide. The offering functions as an integrated portfolio of government programs organized into core product categories: Farm Loans (operating, ownership, emergency, microloans, and specialized programs for youth, Indians, and distressed borrowers), Conservation Programs (CRP, CREP, CRP Grasslands, and Water-Saving Commodities), Disaster Recovery (ERP, LIP, LFP, ELAP, NAP, TAP, SDRP, and Milk Loss Program), Income Support (ARC/PLC, DMC, Farmer Bridge Assistance, ECAP), and Price Support (MAL, LDP, Commodity Loans). The FSA also publishes Economic and Policy Analysis Reports covering commodity markets. These programs are delivered through a nationwide network of county and state offices, supported by online service portals for enrollment and payments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Farm Operating Loans Direct and guaranteed loans providing capital to farmers and ranchers for operating expenses, equipment purchases, livestock purchases, and general farm operating costs.
• Farm Ownership Loans Loans enabling producers to purchase farmland, construct or improve farm buildings, and make farm improvements.
• Guaranteed Farm Loans Loans where FSA guarantees a portion of loans made by private commercial lenders to eligible farmers and ranchers who cannot obtain credit elsewhere.
• Emergency Farm Loans Loans to help producers recover from production losses or physical losses caused by natural disasters.
• Operating Microloan Short-term loans up to $50,000 designed to meet financing needs of small and beginning farmers for operating expenses.
• Farm Storage Facility Loan (FSFL) Program Loans for constructing, upgrading, or acquiring storage facilities for commodities including cold storage and hay facilities.
• Youth Loans Loans to eligible youth ages 10-20 for supervised agricultural projects.
• Highly Fractionated Indian Land Loan Program (HFIL) Loans to help purchase farmland within Indian reservation lands affected by fractionated ownership.
• Indian Tribal Land Acquisition Loan Program Loans to help Indian tribes acquire land within or adjacent to reservations.
• Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Program offering annual rental payments and cost-share assistance to farmers who remove environmentally sensitive land from agricultural production and plant species that improve environmental health.
• CRP Grasslands A companion program to the general CRP that focuses on protecting grassland areas while maintaining grazing opportunities.
• Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) Partnership program where states, tribal governments, or entities can propose conservation targets in exchange for federal matching funds.
• Water-Saving Commodities (WSC) Program Conservation program providing incentives for producers to grow water-saving commodities in water-short areas.
• Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) & Price Loss Coverage (PLC) Commodity programs providing income support tied to historical base acres, with ARC covering revenue losses and PLC providing payments when prices fall below reference prices.
• Dairy Margin Coverage Program (DMC) Program providing dairy operations with protection against declining margins between milk prices and feed costs.
• Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) Program Program providing bridge payments to American farmers facing market disruptions, as part of a $12 billion aid package.
• Emergency Relief Program (ERP) Program providing payments to producers who experienced losses due to qualifying 2022 natural disasters.
• Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) Payments to livestock producers for deaths exceeding normal mortality caused by eligible natural disasters.
• Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) Payments to livestock producers who suffer grazing losses due to drought or fire on qualifying land.
• Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish (ELAP) Program providing payments for losses not covered by other disaster programs, including feed, transportation, and water-related losses.
• Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (SDRP) Program providing over $16 billion in payments to agricultural producers for crop and vine losses incurred in 2023 and 2024, utilizing existing crop insurance data.
• Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) Financial assistance to producers of non-insurable crops against natural disasters causing crop losses.
• Tree Assistance Program (TAP) Cost-share assistance for orchardists and growers to replant trees, vines, or shrubs lost due to natural disasters.
• Marketing Assistance Loans (MAL) Loans providing interim financing for commodities, allowing producers to store production at harvest when market prices are typically low.
• Loan Deficiency Payments (LDP) Payments made when the loan repayment rate falls below the county loan rate, allowing producers to forgo placing commodities under loan.
• Organic Dairy Marketing Assistance Program (ODMAP 2024) Financial assistance for organic dairy operations to expand or maintain markets for their products.
• Distressed Borrowers Assistance Network Partnership with community organizations and agricultural experts providing technical assistance to financially distressed producers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2.2 million acres accepted through 2026 Conservation Reserve Program enrollment
• +2 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• To Improve Mississippi Economics (T.I.M.E.)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 8 October 2024USDA invested $9 million through FSA in partnership with T.I.M.E. to support urban agricultural producers in 10 U.S. cities. This funding is part of a broader $40 million initiative under the American Rescue Plan, providing subawards to local organizations for outreach, education, and technical assistance to urban farmers.
• Extension Risk Management Education CenterscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFSA partners with Extension Risk Management Education Centers to establish a Farm Loans Technical Assistance Provider Network. This network comprises agricultural service providers that deliver high-quality technical assistance to help producers access FSA farm loan programs.
• National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFSA partners with NIFA as part of the Farm Loans Technical Assistance Provider Network to help agricultural producers access FSA farm loan programs through quality technical assistance.
• Distressed Borrowers Assistance Network PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFSA has partnered with trusted community organizations and agricultural experts to launch the Distressed Borrowers Assistance Network. The network provides technical assistance to address the unique challenges faced by financially distressed producers.
• Oregon Department of ForestryminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorState forestry department administers USDA Forest Service programs and grants, including bark beetle mitigation, community forests, and wildfire risk reduction, in coordination with local Farm Service Agency offices.
• Qualified Universities and University-Based OrganizationsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAuthorized under the Agricultural Act of 2014, Section 1614(c)(3), to develop online tools and provide education to farmers and ranchers through state extension services.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS): Sister USDA agency with an analogous conservation mandate; jointly delivers conservation programs (e.g., CRP partners) and shares the nationwide field-office footprint with FSA.
• USDA Rural Development: Companion USDA agency administering federal loan, grant, and guarantee programs for rural communities, mirroring FSA's structure of government-backed agricultural and rural lending.
• USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA): Sister USDA agency that administers Federal crop insurance; highly complementary to FSA's disaster assistance and NAP program, sharing data systems with FSA offices nationwide.

Broad incumbents

• Farm Credit System: Government-sponsored enterprise providing wholesale and retail agricultural credit across the U.S., functionally parallel to FSA's guaranteed farm loan programs but operating as a private cooperative system.
• USDA Forest Service: Sister USDA agency delivering federal forestry programs with state forestry partners; coordinates with FSA county offices on related programs (e.g., Emergency Forest Restoration Program).
• USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS): Sister USDA agency administering marketing, commodity grading, and specialty-crop programs that interface with FSA's price support and income support offerings.

Others

• USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA): USDA partner agency co-funding research, extension, and education that supports FSA's Farm Loans Technical Assistance Provider Network; enabling partner rather than a direct competitor.
• USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS): Sister USDA agency producing the acreage, yield, and price data underlying FSA's ARC/PLC, MAL, and disaster program payment calculations — a key upstream data provider.

Regional players

• National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA): Umbrella organization for state departments of agriculture that frequently co-deliver FSA programs at the state and county level across U.S. regions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/usdafsa
• YouTubeyoutube.com/usda
• Facebookfacebook.com/USDAFSA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/usda-farm-service-agency

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about USDA Farm Service Agency