USDA Update
By Eads USDA Service Center Staff
IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:
- County Committee Meeting - 2nd Tuesday each month – May 9th- 9:00 a.m.
- May 31st - final loan available date for corn, grain sorghum and sunflowers.
- March 15th – July 15th - CRP Primary Nesting Season – NO Activity permitted on CRP
- CRP Continuous Signup - Lesser Prairie Chicken, CRP Grassland acres are available. Producers interested are urged to contact FSA Office.
Disclaimer: Information in this UPDATE is pertinent to Kiowa County FSA only. Producers reading this and that do not have FSA interest in Kiowa County are advised to contact their local FSA Office.
Census of Agriculture Countdown Begins for America’s Farmers and Ranchers
America’s farmers and ranchers will soon have the opportunity to strongly represent agriculture in their communities and industry by taking part in the 2017 Census of Agriculture. Conducted every five years by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), the census, to be mailed at the end of this year, is a complete count of all U.S. farms, ranches, and those who operate them.
The Census of Agriculture highlights land use and ownership, operator characteristics, production practices, income and expenditures, and other topics. The 2012 Census of Agriculture revealed that over three million farmers operated more than two million farms, spanning over 914 million acres. This was a four percent decrease in the number of U.S. farms from the previous census in 2007. However, agriculture sales, income, and expenses increased between 2007 and 2012. This telling information and thousands of other agriculture statistics are a direct result of responses to the Census of Agriculture.
Producers who are new to farming or did not receive a Census of Agriculture in 2012 still have time to sign up to receive the 2017 Census of Agriculture report form by visiting www.agcensus.usda.gov and clicking on the ‘Make Sure You Are Counted’ button through June. NASS defines a farm as any place from which $1,000 or more of agricultural products were produced and sold, or normally would have been sold, during the census year (2017).
Payment Limitations by Program
The 2014 Farm Bill established a maximum dollar amount for each program that can be received annually, directly or indirectly, by each person or legal entity. Payment limitations vary by program for 2014 through 2018.
Below is an overview of payment limitations by program.
Commodity and Price Support Programs
The annual limitation for the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs, Loan Deficiency Payments (LDPs) and Market Loan Gains is $125,000 total.
Conservation Programs
The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) annual rental payment and incentive payment is limited to $50,000. CRP contracts approved before Oct. 1, 2008, may exceed the limitation, subject to payment limitation rules in effect on the date of contract approval.
The Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) has an annual limit of $200,000 per disaster event. The Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP) has an annual limit of $500,000 per disaster event.
Disaster Assistance Programs
The annual limitation of $125,000 applies to the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP), Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) and Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP). The total payments received under ELAP, LFP and LIP may not exceed $125,000. A separate limitation of $125,000 applies to Tree Assistance Program (TAP) payments. There is also a separate $125,000 payment limit for the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP).
Payment limitations also apply to Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) programs. Contact your local NRCS office more information.
2016 LDP rates
The date has passed for producers to request an LDP for 2016 wheat. However, producers with outstanding marketing loans can complete a ‘lock-in’ or purchase a commodity certificate. Contact the FSA office for more information.
The website to check daily LDP rates is as follows:
http://www.fsa.usda.gov/programs-and-services/price-support/ldp-rates/index
Kiowa County FSA Committee
- Destiny Haase - LAA 2 – Central area – Committee Chairperson
- Sean Harkness – LAA 1 – East area – Committee Vice-Chairperson
- Michael Zimmerman – LAA3 – West area – Committee Regular Member
USDA SERVICE CENTER CONTACT INFORMATION
Telephone 719-438-5851 FSA (Ext 2), NRCS (Ext 3). FSA Fax number: fax2mail 844-332-7501
E-mail individuals firstname.lastname@co.usda.gov (Example firstname.lastname@co.usda.gov, dawna.weirich, charla.ferris, hallie.barlow, marvin.watson, marlin.miller, Alicia.L.james
KIOWA COUNTY FARM LOAN CONTACT INFO – CALL FOR AN APPOINTMENT
Telephone 719-336-3437 (ext2) Mary Rhoades, mary.rhoades@co.usda.gov
SERVICE CENTER OFFICE HOURS:
Monday through Friday - 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. By appointment only on Friday.
FSA INFORMATION
For information on programs visit our website located at www.fsa.usda.gov or like us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter.
