What's up at the FSA Office?
by Allamakee County Executive Director Joyce Davidshofer
Reminders
April 15, 2014 – January 30, 2015 sign-up for the LIP/LFP/ELAP/TAP programs
September 2, 2014 – November 28, 2014 – MPP- Dairy Program
November 1, 2014 – December 30, 2015 – Forage, pasture, grasses certification due for spring 2015 year. Late file fee will apply, no waivers.
ARC/PLC Farm Program
For the 2014 and 2015 farm bill election of PLC, ARC-CO or ARC-IC, the Allamakee County FSA office need landowners to notify the Allamakee County FSA Office if there is a change of operator on their farm from 2014 to 2015 crop year. FSA will need to know who the current operators on the farm.
If a landowner sold their farm and the new owner did not come into the Allamakee FSA Office to report the change, this will affect the new farm program. The records need to be updated as soon as possible.
The landowners for the PLC/ARC-CO/ARC-IC program selects the base acres reallocation or if they keep the current 2013 base and if the yields will be updated or yields will stay the same.
The current producer with the interest in cropland will elect which farm bill program - PLC, ARC-IC or ARC-CO option to go with. There will be no changing each year. The program that is elected for 2014 will be in effect for the 2014-2018 crop years.
More information will be coming on the farm bill program as the Allamakee County updates crop history, update ownerships and operators. Letters will be sent to producers who have updates to crop history to verify if the information is now correct.
MPP- Dairy Program
The sign-up for the MPP-Dairy Program is from September 2, 2014 to November 28, 2014 for the 2014 and/or 2015 milk calendar years. If producers have questions on this program, contact the Allamakee County FSA Office. We are willing to work with small groups in the office to talk over the MPP program with you. Please call to set up an appointment. Eventually the FSA office will need the 2011, 2012 and 2013 pounds for each year before signing up.
Livestock Producers Urged to Enroll in Disaster Assistance Program by Oct. 1
Producers who have suffered eligible disaster-related losses are encouraged to act to secure assistance by Sept. 30, 2014, as congressionally mandated payment reductions will take place for producers who have not acted before that date. Livestock producers that have experienced grazing losses since October 2011 and may be eligible for benefits but have not yet contacted their local Farm Service Agency (FSA) office should do so as soon as possible.
The Budget Control Act passed by Congress in 2011 requires USDA to implement reductions of 7.3 percent to the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) in the new fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1, 2014. However, producers seeking LFP support who have scheduled appointments with their local FSA office before Oct. 1, even if the appointment occurs after Oct.1, will not see reductions in the amount of disaster relief they receive.
USDA is encouraging producers to register, request an appointment or begin a Livestock Forage Disaster Program application with their county FSA office before Oct. 1, 2014, to lock in the current zero percent sequestration rate. As an additional aid to qualified producers applying for LFP, the Farm Service’s Agency has developed an online registration that enables farmers and ranchers to put their names on an electronic list before the deadline to avoid reductions in their disaster assistance. This is an alternative to visiting or contacting the county office. To place a name on the Livestock Forage Disaster Program list online, visit http://www.fsa.usda.gov/disaster-register.
Producers who already contacted the county office and have an appointment scheduled need do nothing more.
