What's up at the FSA Office?

by Joyce Davidshofer, Allamakee County Executive Director

Reminders
April 15, 2014 – January 30, 2015 sign-up for the LIP/LFP/ELAP/TAP programs.
June 9, 2014 – September 30, 2014 – CRP Continuous CRP Sign-up 46.
November 1, 2014 – December 30, 2015 – Forage, pasture, grasses certification due for spring 2015 year. Late file fee will apply - no waivers.

Margin Protection Program for Dairy Producers
The 2014 Farm Bill authorizes the Margin Protection Program for Dairy Producers (MPP-Dairy), a new dairy program to replace the MILC program no later than September 1, 2014. The MPP-Dairy program is a voluntary program that provides dairy operations with risk management coverage that will pay producers when the difference between the national price of milk and the average cost of feed falls below a certain level selected by the producers in a dairy operation.
The MPP-Dairy program offers dairy producers the following:
• Catastrophic coverage, at no cost to the producer, other than an annual $100 administrative fee
• Greater coverage at various levels for a premium in addition to the $100 administrative fee.
Sign-up will be September 2, 2014 through November 28, 2014.
The Allamakee County FSA office will be trained August 26-27 on this new program. More information will be provided after this training.

2012 NAP Frost Freeze (NAPFF) Program
NAPFF provides additional assistance coverage under NAP to eligible producers of  2012 fruit crops grown on a bush or tree who have experienced losses in Allamakee County. A Secretarial disaster designation was issued due to frost or freeze. Examples of fruit are apples, aronia berries, peaches, pears, etc. The eligible crop would end as a product sold commercially.
The sign-up is July 22, 2014 through September 22, 2014. For more information about this program, contact the Allamakee County FSA Office.

Continuous CRP Sign-Up until September 30, 2014
Under continuous sign-up authority, environmentally sensitive land devoted to certain conservation practices can be enrolled in CRP at any time. Offers are automatically accepted provided the land and producer meet certain eligibility requirements. Unlike CRP enrollments under general sign-up authority, offers for continuous sign-up are not subject to competitive bidding.
The effective date of the CRP contract is the first day of the month following the month of approval. In certain circumstances, producers may defer the effective date for up to six months.
If the acreage is currently under CRP contract and is within one year of the scheduled expiration date, the effective date is October 1 following the expiration date.
To offer land for continuous sign-up, producers should contact the Allamakee County FSA Office.
Land must be cropland that is planted or considered planted to an agricultural commodity four of the previous six crop years from 2008 to 2013, and is physically and legally capable of being planted (no planting restrictions due to an easement or other legally binding instrument) in a normal manner to an agricultural commodity.
Land within an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-designated public wellhead area also may be eligible for enrollment on a continuous basis.
Contact the Allamakee County FSA Office as soon as possible if you are interested in signing up for the Continuous CRP sign-up.

Early Contract Termination Provisions - CRP
The Agricultural Act of 2014 requires that the Secretary offer producers the opportunity for an “early out” for certain CRP contracts during FY 2015, if those contracts have been in effect for at least five years. June 5, 2014 USDA announced its intent to offer “early outs.”
The “early out” option will be available to CRP participants with acreage devoted to certain practices that meet eligibility criteria. The sign-up period for CRP participants to terminate acreage under the “early out” provisions is August 6, 2014 through January 30, 2015. Effective dates for “early outs” shall be no earlier than October 1, 2014.
Contracts must be in effect for at least five years to be eligible for termination under the “early out” provisions. Only CRP contracts with effective dates of October 1, 2009 or earlier are eligible for termination under the “early out” provisions.
Contact the Allamakee County FSA Office at 563-568-2148 or stop in at 635 9th Street NW, Waukon.

Allamakee County FSA Crop Loan Rates for 2014
Corn - $1.87
Barley - $1.72
Oats - $1.43
Soybeans - $4.99
Eligibility for loans is as follows:
• Has the risk in the crop.
• Can be a measured farm loan, certified farm loan or warehouse storage receipts loan.
• All necessary Payment Limitation forms, lien searches have been conducted, and HELC form on file.
Policies:
• Need to notify the Allamakee County FSA Office if you plan on selling the loan crop. Prior authorization from the Allamakee County FSA Office is needed or a penalty will be assessed.
• Subject to spot check during the nine-month loan.
• Check condition of the commodity under loan.
If there are any questions on the loan program contact the office. Harvest will be here in no time.