USDA Update – November 11, 2019

Eads USDA Service Center Staff

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:

2020 Acreage Reporting Deadline - November 15, 2019 Wheat, perennial grasses and alfalfa
NAP DEADLINE - Perennial Grass - December 1^st
Farm Loan personnel in Eads Office – 2^ndTuesday every month
2019 Market Facilitation Program - Deadline to apply December 6, 2019 - Call and schedule your appointment!
2019 & 2020 - ARCPLC signup - Begins October 1st
COC Meeting - TBA

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.

REMINDER: FSA OFFICE

Beginning the week of November 18, through the end of November, the FSA Office will have only one employee working in the office. We ask that producers plan accordingly and be patient.

2020 Acreage Reporting Deadline

Friday, November 15, is the last date to timely report planted fall crops for 2020 harvest, in Kiowa this is mainly winter wheat and triticale. There are exceptions to the acreage reporting deadline:

Producer has purchased the acreage or acquired a lease for the acreage after the ARD for the crop, such as perennial forage. The producer has 30 calendar days after purchasing the acreage or acquiring the lease. Appropriate documentation must be date-stamped and provided to the County Office to the County Office’s satisfaction.
If the crop has not been planted by the acreage reporting date, the producer has 15 days after planting the crop to report to complete an acreage report.
perennial forage crop is reported with an intended use of “green manure”, “left standing”, or “seed”.

Acreage reports with the November 15 deadline filed that do not meet the above-mentioned scenarios will be charged $46.00 per farm.

NAP Deadline - December 1, 2019

December 1 is the last day for producers to purchase a 2020 NAP policy on perennial grass and alfalfa. The 2018 Farm Bill did increase the service fees from $250 per crop to $325, per crop and producer. $825 maximum per county, not to exceed a total of $1950 for a producer with farming interests in multiple counties.

Beginning, limited resource, socially disadvantaged and qualifying veterans’ farmers or ranchers are eligible for a waiver of the service fee and a 50 percent premium reduction when they file form CCC-860, "Socially Disadvantaged, Limited Resource, Veteran, or Beginning Farmer or Rancher Certification." To be eligible for a service fee waiver or premium reduction, the NAP covered producer must qualify as one of the following:

Beginning farmer or rancher– a person or legal entity who: • Has not operated a farm or ranch for more than 10 years; and • Materially and substantially participates in the operation.

For legal entities to be considered a beginning farmer, all members must be related by blood or marriage and must be beginning farmers.

Limited resource farmer or rancher– a person or legal entity that: • Earns no more than $177,300 (for FY2019) in each of the two calendar years that precede the complete taxable year before the program year, to be adjusted upwards in later years for inflation; and • Has a total household income at or below the national poverty level for a family of four, or less than 50 percent of county median household income for both of the previous two years. Limited resource producer status may be determined using the USDA Limited Resource Farmer and Rancher Online Self Determination Tool located at https://lrftool.sc.egov.usda.gov/

The automated system calculates and displays adjusted gross farm sales per year and the higher of the national poverty level or county median household income. For legal entities requesting to be considered Limited Resource Farmer or Rancher, the sum of gross sales and household income must be considered for all members.

Socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher –a farmer or a rancher who is a member of a group whose members have been subject to racial, ethnic or gender prejudice because of their identity as members of a group without regard to their individual qualities. Groups include: • American Indians or Alaskan Natives; • Asians or Asian Americans; • Blacks or African Americans; • Native Hawaiians or other Pacific Islanders; • Hispanics; and • Women. For legal entities to be considered socially disadvantaged, the majority interest must be held by socially disadvantaged individuals.

Veteran farmer or rancher– a farmer or rancher who has served in the Armed Forces (as defined in 38 U.S.C. 101) and who: • has operated a farm or ranch for less than 10 years, or • first obtained status as a veteran during the most recent 10-year period.