What's Up at the FSA Office?

by Jeremy Leitz, Allamakee County Executive Director (563) 568-2148

Upcoming Deadlines and Important Dates
May 15 - August 1: Primary Nesting Season.  No MCM activities on CRP acres
June 3 - August 23: CRP Continuous Signup 52 Begins 
June 14: COC Nominations Begin
June 17: Dairy Margin Coverage Program Sign-Up Begins
July 15: Last Day to Certify Crop Acres

Crop Reporting
Allamakee county farmers are reminded to report all spring planted crops to the FSA office by July 15 to remain eligible for FSA and other USDA programs.   Please remember to bring planting dates with you. It is the producer’s responsibility to accurately report acres and producer’s shares in individual crops. Discrepancies found later may affect eligibility for all FSA-administered programs. Late-filed crop reports are assessed a farm visit fee.

File a Notice of Loss for Prevented Planting
Producers should report crop acreage they intended to plant, but due to natural disaster, were prevented from planting. Prevented planting acreage must be reported on form CCC-576, Notice of Loss, no later than 15 calendar days after the final planting date as established by FSA and Risk Management Agency (RMA). The final planting date for corn is May 31, 2019 and June 15 for soybeans.

Completion of the 576 form requires you to show intent to plant such as having the ground worked up, fertilizer applied, seed purchased, etc. We take these requests to our county committee for approval or denial. They will verify the acres did not get planted and will look at the ability of other producers in the immediate area to get crops planted.  They will then make the decision to approve or deny. A denial has no effect on your FCIC prevented planting claim.

If you are unable to report the prevented planting acreage within the 15 calendar days following the final planting date, a late-filed report can be submitted. Late-filed reports will only be accepted if FSA conducts a farm visit to assess the eligible disaster condition that prevented the crop from being planted. A measurement service fee will be charged.

Once you submit the prevent plant form, we cannot withdraw it so we highly encourage you to visit with your crop insurance agent before applying for prevent plant. They may have other recommendations for you. 

If you do have prevent plant acres, remember that these maintained and protected form wind and water erosion, as well as noxious weeds. 

USDA Accepting Applications to Help Cover Producers’ Costs for Organic Certification
Organic producers and handlers can apply for federal funds to assist with the cost of receiving and maintaining organic certification through the Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP). Applications for fiscal 2019 funding are due October 31, 2019.

OCCSP received continued support through the 2018 Farm Bill. It provides cost-share assistance to producers and handlers of agricultural products for the costs of obtaining or maintaining organic certification under the USDA’s National Organic Program. Eligible producers include any certified producers or handlers who have paid organic certification fees to a USDA-accredited certifying agent. Eligible expenses for cost-share reimbursement include application fees, inspection costs, fees related to equivalency agreement and arrangement requirements, travel expenses for inspectors, user fees, sales assessments and postage.

Certified producers and handlers are eligible to receive reimbursement for up to 75 percent of certification costs each year, up to a maximum of $750 per certification scope, including crops, livestock, wild crops, handling and state organic program fees.

County Committee (COC) Election
It’s that time of year when FSA begins the process of the county committee election. This year the election will be for LAA -1, which includes Waterloo, Union City, Hanover, French Creek, Union Prairie, and Makee townships.  Essentially the NW portion of the county. The nomination period begins June 14 and runs through August 1. You can nominate yourself or someone else by completing the appropriate form at our office or download it online. Once nominations are finalized, producers who reside in LAA-1 will cast ballots which will be mailed to you on November 4. These ballots are due back to the FSA office by December 2. The elected member will take office on January 1.  We’ll be getting more information out, posting flyers around town, and folks in these townships will be getting a postcard in June.