Bangor, ME<\/b> \u2013 October 17, 2018 \u2013 Farmers, ranchers and agricultural producers in Maine have new online options to access U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs. Through USDA\u2019s new streamlined process producers can now register, track and manage their applications for the Market Facilitation Program (MFP) and 2017 Wildfires Hurricanes Indemnity Program (2017 WHIP) on the secure and convenient Farmers.gov Dashboard<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cYou can conduct business with USDA from the comfort of your home, office, or mobile device,\u201d said SED Dave Lavway, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) State Executive Director for Maine. \u201cThese online services save time, reduce paperwork and, in some cases, speed up processing.\u201d<\/p>\n MFP and 2017 WHIP are administered by FSA and are currently available on the\u00a0Farmers.gov Dashboard<\/a>. To apply and manage their applications online, producers first need to sign up for the Level 2 eAuthentication<\/i> access. Enrolling is a two-step process. For producers who do not already have an account can register for an account at USDA eAuthentication<\/a>. After creating the account, customers receive a confirmation email with instructions for identity verification. Identity verification can be completed online or by presenting a government issued photo ID in person at a USDA service center.<\/p>\n In addition to the programs available through the farmers.gov portal, other programs offered by FSA can be managed at the Online Services page<\/a> with the same eAuthentication credentials.<\/p>\n \u201cWe know doing business online has become a key part of many agricultural operations and hope our online services can provide the ease and convenience you\u2019ve come to expect,\u201d said Lavway.<\/p>\n Individual producers have many options available for conducting business online with USDA agencies including FSA, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Risk Management Agency (RMA). Online tools such as the NRCS Conservation Client Gateway<\/a> offer customers added flexibility and a secure web portal to track payments, report completed practices, request assistance, and sign documents. Level 2 eAuthentication access is not yet available for entities, but it is available for individuals.<\/p>\n