What's Up at the FSA Office?

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

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
November 11: Closed in Observance of Veterans Day
December 6: Market Facilitation Program
December 11: ARC/PLC Decision Meeting
December 13: Dairy Margin Coverage Program for 2020

Upcoming Public Meeting for the 2019/2020 Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage Programs
The Allamakee and Winneshiek FSA offices are partnering with Iowa State Extension to hold a Farm Bill Decision meeting on December 11.  The meeting will take place at the Danan Lansing Building, Winneshiek County Fairgrounds, and begins at 1pm.  Topics will include program rules and regulations, the ARC or PLC decision, farm stress management and related resources. There is no registration fee to attend, but pre-registration is strongly encouraged to allow planning for materials and seating.  Pre-register by calling your local ISUEO County Extension office hosting the meeting.  Dates and nearby locations are listed below.  Allamakee County FSA also plans to hold one or two other meetings (with just FSA) around the county including in Waukon and Lansing-area.  Those dates have not been set yet.  We’d encourage you to attend at least one of the meetings before signing up for the program.

Signup for the 2019 crop year closes March 15, 2020 while signup for the 2020 crop year closes June 30, 2020. Producers can enroll for both 2019 and 2020 during the same visit to an FSA county office.

ARC provides income support payments on historical base acres when actual crop revenue declines below a specified guaranteed level. PLC provides income support payments on historical base acres when the effective price for a covered commodity falls below its reference price. The 2018 Farm Bill reauthorized and updated both programs.  More information can be found at: https://www.extension.iastate.edu/agdm/info/farmbill.html

ARC and PLC have options for the farm operator who is actively farming the land as well as the owner of the land. Farm owners also have a one-time opportunity to update PLC payment yields beginning with crop year 2020. If the farm owner and producer visit the FSA county office together, FSA can also update yield information during that visit.

Winneshiek County & Allamakee County
563-382-2949
Wednesday, December 11, 1 p.m., Danan Lansing Building, Winneshiek County Fairgrounds, 900 E. Main St., Decorah

Clayton County
563-245-1451
Wednesday, November 13, 6 p.m., Keystone AEA, 1400 2nd St. NW, Elkader

Fayette County
563-425-3331
Wednesday, December 18, 1 p.m., Opera House, Corner of Main & Clark, Fayette

Howard County
563-547-3001
Tuesday, December 17, 9 a.m., Fairgrounds, Featherlite Center, 220 7th St. W, Cresco

Dairy Margin Coverage Program (DMC)
Sign up for 2020 coverage runs from Oct. 7 – Dec. 13, 2019.  Every operation that will participate in 2020 needs to stop in and sign a new application that certifies you are still marketing milk, including those producers who locked in for 5 years (even though you can’t change your coverage levels).
Every participating operation will have to pay the $100 Admin Fee (unless waived) at the time of application, and pay the 2020 premium by September 1, 2020.  If you did not lock in you can make the same elections, new elections, or choose not to participate in 2020.  If you decide not to participate in 2020, you can still participate in later years.

We’re Moving!
Later this Fall, both NRCS and FSA are moving to a new location!  Many of you may have seen our new building being built across from Fareway.  The new address is 770 11th Ave SW, Waukon, IA.  Our anticipated move date is November 25th.  We ask for your patience as we go through the move process, get all the files boxed up, moved over, and unpacked.  We will plan an open house once we’re all settled in.