The Center for Rural Affairs’ Sustainable Options Hotline is now available to help farmers and ranchers learn how to access farm bill programs for their operations. For those looking to get a start in agriculture, the Hotline is a great source of information.

You can find out about the Conservation Stewardship Program, the Environmental Quality Incentives Organic Transition Provision, the Value Added Producer Grants Program, as well as a host of beginning farmer and rancher programs and incentives.

We also want to learn from your experience in signing up for these programs. That helps us ensure they are implemented on the ground as intended. When you identify problems or barriers, we can encourage USDA to make the needed changes.

Contact the Hotline, via the web at www.cfra.org/09/sustainable-options or call Traci Bruckner at 402.687.2100.