Farm Service Agency highlighted during Kansas Ag Roundtable

Kansas Wheat welcomed Richard Fordyce, USDA Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation, to the Kansas Wheat Innovation Center on June 17, for a roundtable discussion with agricultural stakeholders on USDA program delivery, technology modernization and the future of Farm Service Agency (FSA) programs.

The discussion brought together representatives from Kansas Wheat, commodity organizations, producers and USDA leadership to discuss challenges facing farm country, including drought, crop insurance, staffing at local USDA service centers and efforts to streamline interactions between producers and federal agencies.

A key focus of the discussion was USDA’s “One Farmer One File” initiative, an effort to better integrate the FSA, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Risk Management Agency (RMA) under a single mission area. The initiative seeks to simplify interactions between producers and USDA by consolidating forms and creating a more seamless experience for farmers working across multiple agencies.

Fordyce outlined USDA’s ongoing information technology modernization efforts, including a partnership to replace dozens of aging systems with a unified platform capable of improving efficiency, strengthening data security and reducing administrative burdens on both producers and staff.

Among the projects discussed was an acreage reporting tool that will use geospatial mapping technology to simplify acreage reporting and improve accuracy. Future enhancements could allow producers to integrate precision agriculture data directly into USDA reporting systems, reducing time spent on paperwork and improving data quality.

The roundtable also included discussion of provisions in the Working Families Tax Cut Act, including the addition of approximately 30 million base acres nationwide. USDA is currently working through the implementation process and communicating with eligible landowners regarding enrollment opportunities.

Kansas wheat farmers emphasized the importance of a strong farm safety net, particularly as producers face continued weather challenges and market uncertainty. Crop insurance was a major topic of discussion, with participants highlighting the value of risk management tools and exploring opportunities to improve policy flexibility for wheat producers.

KAWG President Chris Tanner addressed two issues of which Kansas wheat growers have developed resolutions: wheat as a harvestable cover crop and the separation of Enterprise Units between fallow and continuous. Continuous wheat yields significantly lower than fallow; when these two practices are combined, “You have no safety net whatsoever,” said Tanner. “I’m hoping to see this one because that would be a huge asset in wheat farm operations.”

“Wheat fits into these environments well and checks all the boxes of a harvestable cover crop. Representative Sharice Davids actually got this put into the Farm Bill, which will be a huge deal for wheat growing areas,” said Tanner. “I am excited to see if that makes it through the House.”

Fordyce noted that USDA remains committed to supporting local service centers and ensuring county offices have the resources needed to effectively serve producers. He added that new technology systems are intended to reduce administrative workloads, allowing staff to spend more time assisting farmers and ranchers.

“Thank you, Under Secretary, for all your work on behalf of farmers. You yourself as a farmer understand just how important USDA and the programs that it provides are to us, and that they need to be efficiently run, rolled out and executed,” said Derek Sawyer, Chairman of the Kansas Wheat Commission. “We also want to thank all the county office staff that work tirelessly to make sure we are all taken care of.”

The discussion also highlighted research and outreach efforts supporting wheat production in Kansas, including the Musil Center for Sustainable Wheat Production. The center brings together research, extension and industry partners to address production challenges and strengthen the long-term viability of wheat farming.

“Farmers have invested heavily in infrastructure for research, and this building is the perfect example,” said Sawyer. “Work with USDA on public private partnerships is essential and the need to solve problems through public research is very important.”

Throughout the meeting, participants emphasized the importance of continued communication between USDA leadership and producers to ensure programs are responsive to the needs of farmers.