USDA Adapts Acreage Reporting for Urban and Innovative Producers

Urban and innovative agriculture producers will be able to more easily participate in USDA programs as a result of acreage reporting improvements, says USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA). The provide more flexibility for reporting acreage on a smaller scale and identifying innovative planting practices like multi-level planting or vertical farming practices. FSA’s acreage reporting software previously allowed acreage to be reported down to .0001 acres, approximately a four-square foot area. Producers will now be able to report acreage-based crops at a minimum size of .000001 acre, approximately a 2.5-inch by 2.5-inch area. Additional improvements will distinguish alternate growing methods such as crops grown within multiple levels of a building, or crops grown using multi-level or multi-layer growing structures such as panels or towers within a container system. USDA is also establishing 17 new Urban Service Centers, to better serve urban farmers. The Urban Service Centers are staffed by FSA and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) employees and offer farm loan, conservation, disaster assistance, and risk-management programs.