Beech Tree News Network

MORGANTOWN – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) invites minority farmers and ranchers in Butler  County and across the nation to voluntarily join the USDA Minority Farm Register to receive information and opportunities from USDA agencies.

“The new Minority Farm Register is an outreach tool to reach underserved farmers and ranchers who are not currently enrolled in USDA loan, farm or conservation programs,” said Dan Styke, Butler  County FSA acting county executive director. “The Register is a shared outreach list that will help USDA, community-based organizations and minority-serving educational institutions to communicate with minority farmers and ranchers.”

By joining the Register, minority producers may receive outreach materials, newsletters, and program announcements from USDA agencies. They may also receive information and assistance from other USDA-approved outreach partners, such as community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, and minority-serving educational institutions. USDA will carefully control access to and use of the Register.

Individuals wishing to join the Register must sign and date a form that provides their name and address. Providing phone numbers, e-mail address, race, ethnicity, gender and farm or ranch location will be voluntary, although the additional information increases the producer’s opportunities for receiving timely assistance.

The Register pamphlet with the registration form is available at the Butler County USDA Service Center or from approved USDA outreach partners. Completed forms may be mailed to: USDA Minority Farm Register, USDA Stop Code 0503, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250. FSA and USDA’s Office of Advocacy and Outreach are jointly administering the Register. Registration forms are available in Spanish (AD-2035SP) and English (AD-2035) on the FSA web site (www.fsa.usda.gov) under “Forms”.

An individual may remove his or her name from the Register by writing to the Minority Farm Register, USDA Stop Code 0503, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250.

For more information, please contact the Farm Service Agency, STOP 0503, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-0503 (Call 1-866-538-2610; Fax: 1-866-302-1760; E-mail: [email protected]).