Happy New Year!

As the winter season progresses, I thought this would be the perfect time to remind you about the importance of checking your buildings for snow loads to help prevent the chance of barn collapses.

Managing Farm Snow Load 

Snow loads can bring about a collapse in farm building roofs. It is therefore very important to ensure your farm buildings are safe during winter.

What is Snow Load?
Snow load is the downward force on a building’s roof by the weight of accumulated snow and ice. The roof or the entire structure can fail if the snow load exceeds the weight the building was designed to shoulder, or if the building was poorly designed or constructed. Blizzards aren’t the only cause of problems; an imbalance of drifting snow can cause one part of a roof to give, causing a domino effect that affects the rest of the structure.
Tips for guarding against snow load damage:
-Know the snow load of your area
-Calculate how much snow your roof can handle: Use this formula provided by OMNI Calculator to calculate an estimated snow load: Calculated Roof Loading (lb/ft2) = Depth (ft) x Density (lb/ft2/ft depth). The approximate density (lb/ft2/ft depth) is: light snow=5-20; packed snow=20-40; packed snow with ice=40-58; ice=58.
-Clear snow whenever you see more than four feet of dry snow or more than two feet of heavy snow or ice on the roof.
-Keep a watchful eye on your roof all winter. Look for the warning signs of overbearing loads, such as sagging, misaligned or bowed trusses, creaking sounds
-Ensure that you have the correct insurance coverage
Safety Tips When Removing Snow:
Snow removal must be done carefully and with the proper approach. Protecting your safety should be a topmost priority! Cornell University Extension offers the following suggestions:
-Use caution if standing on the roof
-Make sure to wear a safety harness and use securing ladders
-Use a snow rake and avoid chipping or picking away at ice as that may damage the roof
-Remove snow in narrow strips to keep the load somewhat even as unbalanced loads can lead to more problems
-Not all snow needs to be removed. A thin layer of snow can protect the roof from damage while snow is being removed
-Ask for help and never work alone – ensure there are others nearby in the event of a problem
-Stay informed

 

FSA Online Loan Application

The Farm Service Agency has launched an online application for Direct Loan customers. Applicants can now use an online, interactive, guided application that is paperless and provides helpful features including an electronic signature option, the ability to attach supporting documents such as tax returns, complete a balance sheet, and build a farm operating plan.

Online services are commonplace in commercial lending, and with this online loan application feature it is easier for producers to access the financing they need to start, expand, or maintain their farming and ranching operations. The online farm loan application replicates the support an applicant would receive when completing a loan application in person with a Farm Service Agency (FSA) Farm Loan Officer, while continuing to provide customers with one-on-one assistance as needed.

This tool is part of a broader effort by FSA to streamline its processes, improve customers service, and expand credit access. It allows farmers and ranchers to submit complete loan applications and reduce the number of incomplete and withdrawn applications.

To use the online loan application tool, producers must establish a USDA customer account and a USDA Level 2 eAuthentication (“eAuth”) account or a Login.gov account. For this initial stage, the online application tool is only available for producers who will be, or are currently, operating their farm as an individual. FSA is expanding the tools availability to married couples applying jointly and other legal entities in 2024.

Producers can access the tool on farmers.gov or by completing FSA’s Loan Assistance Tool on a computer, tablet, or smartphone. The online application tool is built to run on any modern browser like Chrome, Edge, Firefox, or Safari.

Upcoming Capital Area Agricultural and Horticultural Program (CAAHP) Events!

Click the link below to be directed to the CAAHP website and a listing of upcoming programs!

https://blogs.cornell.edu/capitalareaagandhortprogram/main/

USDA’s Discrimination Financial Assistance Program (DFAP)