IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER

• 2023 LIVESTOCK FORAGE PROGRAM or LFP – Kiowa County eligible
• ERP Phase 2 and PARP Deadline – REVISED Deadline July 14, 2023 
• SPRING ACREAGE REPORTING DEADLINE – July 17, 2023
• COUNTY COMMITTEE NOMINATIONS -  DEADLINE August 1, 2023 

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. 

THE USDA SERVICE CENTER HAS A DROP BOX AVAILABLE ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE BUILDING. 

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

SERVICE CENTER CLOSED

The USDA Service Center will be closed on Tuesday, July 4^th in observance of Independence Day.  

DROUGHT MONITOR

This week’s Drought Monitor is to remind us all just how blessed we have been regarding the moisture received.  It’s been a long time since Colorado has had virtually a colorless drought map and it’s a welcome site to see. 

ON-GOING PROGRAMS 

Currently in Kiowa County the office is accepting applications for the following programs.  

•  PARP – Pandemic Assistance Revenue Program  provides direct financial assistance to producers of agricultural commodities who suffered at least a 15% loss in gross revenue in calendar year 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 
  • Benchmark & Disaster Years To be eligible for PARP, an agricultural producer must have been in the business of farming during at least part of the 2020 calendar year and had a 15% loss in allowable gross revenue for the 2020 calendar year, as compared to: 
    •  The 2018 or 2019 calendar year, as elected by the producer, if they received allowable gross revenue during the 2018 or 2019 calendar years, or 
    •  the producers’ expected 2020 calendar year allowable gross revenue if the producer had no allowable gross revenue in 2018 or 2019
• ERP2 or Emergency Revenue Program, phase 2 provides direct financial assistance to producers who suffered an eligible revenue loss in the applicable disaster year, compared to the benchmark year. Benchmark & Disaster Years ERP Phase 2 applicants will use the following tax years when selecting allowable gross revenue: 
• Benchmark years:  2018 and/or 2019, or adjusted for new producers with no 2018 or 2019 revenue, or if the benchmark years are not representative of the disaster year due to a change in operation size; 
• Disaster years: 2020 and/or 2021. The allowable gross revenue for the specific disaster year will be based on the tax year applicable to that revenue (2020, 2021 or 2022).

The deadline to submit the application and crop insurance agreement is Friday, July 14, 2023.  There is a wealth of information available on both programs and other FSA programs at farmer.gov website. 

2023 LIVESTOCK FORAGE PROGRAM 

Kiowa County and other surrounding counties triggered for the LFP program for small grains, planted specifically for grazing in January 2023.  Kiowa and counties south of Kiowa triggered for LFP on native pasture in April 2023. Producers must own, lease or be a contract grower of qualifying livestock and also have control and risk of eligible grazing lands.  

The deadline to apply for LFP is  January 30, 2024.  

COUNTY COMMITTEE NOMINATIONS

Sean Harkness, current County Committee member who represents LAA or Local Administrative Area 1 is not eligible to be a candidate for this years COC election.  Nomination forms or FSA-669A form is now being accepted for eligible candidates.  To be eligible for nomination the producer must reside in the administrative area and be an eligible voter for COC elections.  The deadline to submit a nomination form is August 1, 2023.  

County Committees are a vital part of the Farm Service Agency as they are unique in the fact the committees are made up of local farmers and ranchers and are elected by other farmer and ranchers and landowners in their specific LAA.   The County Committees meet generally when necessary; in Kiowa County that is usually every other month; which is only 6 meetings a year.   

ACREAGE REPORTING DEADLINE 

It appears that wheat harvest may be delayed due to the moisture received.  While waiting on wheat harvest; producers can get their acreage reporting requirements completed with FSA or insurance agent.  The deadline for spring acreage reporting is Monday, July 17^th due to the fact the 15^th falls on a Saturday.  

KIOWA COUNTY FARM SERVICE AGENCY COUNTY COMMITTEE

• Sean Harkness – LAA 1 – East area – Committee Chairperson
• Destiny Haase - LAA 2 – Central area – Committee Vice-Chairperson
• Michael Zimmerman – LAA 3 – West area – Committee Regular Member

USDA SERVICE CENTER CONTACT INFORMATION

409 E Lowell Ave.

PO Box 188 – Eads, CO  81036

Telephone 719-438-5851 FSA (Ext 2), NRCS (Ext 3). FSA Fax number: fax2mail 844-332-7501

FSA - Farm Service Agency  

• Dawna Weirich – CED dawna.weirich@usda.gov
• Charla Ferris – PT  charla.ferris@usda.gov
• Brandi Nevius – PT brandi.nevius@usda.gov
• Teri Ellis – PT teri.ellis@usda.gov

NRCS – Natural Resource Conservation Service

• Scott Smith – Resource Team Leader 719-767-5648 ext. 3 scott.smith3@usda.gov - Cheyenne Wells
• Steve Schmidt – steven.schmidt2@usda.gov  Eads Office
• Marty Miller - marlin.miller@usda.gov Eads Office

KIOWA COUNTY FARM LOAN CONTACT INFO – CALL FOR AN APPOINTMENT

Telephone 719-336-3437 (ext. 2) 

Mary Rhoades, mary.rhoades@usda.gov, 

Nicole Lubbers, nicole.lubbers@usda.gov

SERVICE CENTER OFFICE HOURS:  

Monday through Friday - 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

RECEIVE USDA INFORMATION

Visit website www.Farmers.gov  for up-to-date information for FSA/NRCS programs.

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Subscribe to GovDelivery emails:  Visit www.fsa.usda.gov/subscribe  or contact your local FSA Office. 

For information on programs visit our website located at www.fsa.usda.gov or like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter. USDA is an equal opportunity employer.