IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:

• EMERGENCY GRAZING AVAILABLE ON CERTAIN CRP CONTRACTS
• February 27, 2023 - April 7, 2023 - CRP General Sign Up 60 signup period
• March 15 – July 15 - PRIMARY NESTING SEASON for CRP contracts
• March 15, 2023 - 2023 ARCPLC Election and Enrollment 
• March 15, 2023 – SPRING NAP APPLICATION FOR COVERAGE DEADLINE 
• June 2, 2023 - ERP Phase 2 and PARP Deadline

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. 

U.S. DROUGHT MONITOR 

The entire western slope has been receiving good snowfall this winter and the drought monitor reflects that fact.  The eastern edge of the state is still seeing remnants of drought conditions due to continuing drought conditions in Kansas.  

CRP SIGNUP

CRP contract that are expiring 9-30-2023; those participants should be receiving a letter possibly later this week or early next week regarding available options for the expiring contract(s).  

CRP signup 60 is currently available and will end April 7, 2023.  Kiowa County has around 15 contracts that are expiring this year.  Once the office obtains the necessary information from the computer system; we will be in touch with the contract producer on each expiring contract.  

Producers who would like to offer new land into CRP need to contact the office with the legal description of the land.  

CRP SIGNUP PROCESS

The office fields questions frequently regarding the CRP signup process.  The signup process is as follows. 

• Producer notifies FSA office of the tract(s) they wish to offer into CRP. 
• Eligible participant submits an offer for eligible land by signing the CRP-1 contract and CRP-2, worksheet. Only one signature is required to submit an offer. DEADLINE TO SUBMIT OFFER is April 7, 2023.  
• All submitted offers are ranked by the National Office. 
• County Office is notified of accepted/rejected offers. FSA County office notifies all producers of results.   
• Producers with accepted offers determine to move forward with the offer or withdraw the offer. 
• Producers who determine to move forward; NRCS begins work on conservation plan with the participants. 
• All participants sign the conservation plan. This is the last opportunity to withdraw the offer. 
• 10-01-2023 the new contract takes effect.  First annual rental payment will be issued after October 1, 2024.  

ARCPLC ELECTION AND ENROLLMENT

Operators of farms that have not signed the 2023 ARCPLC election and enrollment contracts have been notified.  The notification operators received last week, is the last one from this office. Wednesday, March 15, 2023, is the deadline for all signatures required on the ARCPLC contract to be returned to the office.  

NONINSURED NAP DEADLINE – MARCH 15, 2023

The 2023 application for coverage for spring seeded crop deadline for NAP eligible crops is fast approaching.  Interested producers must apply for coverage using FSA form CCC-471, “Application for Coverage,” and pay the applicable service fee by Wednesday, March 15, 2023, at the FSA office where their farm records are maintained. These must be filed by the application closing date. Closing dates vary by crop, so it is important to contact your local FSA office as soon as possible to ensure you don’t miss an application closing date. At the time of application, each producer will be provided a copy of the NAP Basic Provisions, which describes how NAP works and all the requirements you must follow to maintain NAP coverage. NAP participants must provide accurate annual reports of their production in non-loss years to ensure their NAP coverage is beneficial to their individual operation. 

Producers are required to pay service fees which vary depending on the number of crops and number of counties your operation is located in. The NAP service fee is the lesser of $325 per crop or $825 per producer per administrative county, not to exceed a total of $1,950 for a producer with farming interests in multiple counties. Premiums also apply when producers elect higher levels of coverage with a maximum premium of $15,750 per person or legal entity depending on the maximum payment limitation that may apply to the NAP covered producer. The service fee can be waived for beginning, socially disadvantaged, qualifying veteran, and limited resource farmers and rancher. These farmers and ranchers can also receive a 50 percent reduction in the premium.