IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:

• NOVEMBER 25, 2021 - SERVICE CENTER CLOSED – THANKSGIVING DAY HOLIDAY
• DECEMBER 1, 2021 - Noninsured Assistance Program (NAP) application for coverage deadline - native grass
• DECEMBER 3, 2021 - NRCS & EQIP APPLICATION DEADINE
• DECEMBER 6, 2021 – DEADLINE TO RETURN COUNTY COMMITTEE BALLOT
• DECEMBER 17, 2021 –   NRCS DEADLINE PRODUCER SIGNED CRP GRASSLANDS CONSERVATION PLANS DUE TO FSA.  
• JANUARY 30, 2022 - 2021 LIVESTOCK FORAGE PROGRAM - January 31, signup 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. 

COVID-19 UPDATE - The USDA Service Center received instructions last week that all customers visiting any Service Center will be required to wear a mask, regardless of vaccination status. 

SERVICE CENTER CLOSED

The USDA Service Center will be closed on Thursday, November 25, 2021, in observance of Thanksgiving Holiday.  The Service Center will be open Friday, November 26, 2021. 

FSA and NRCS Employees wish all our producers a Happy Thanksgiving; may you all enjoy time spent with family and friends.  

NRCS Accepting Applications for Conservation Programs for 2022

Do you have resource concerns on your land? NRCS conservation programs, such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) and Agricultural Management Assistance (AMA), can help. While NRCS accepts program application year-round, you should apply by your state’s program-specific ranking dates to be considered in this funding cycle.  Friday, December 3, 2021, is the deadline for applications.  Contact your local NRCS office for more information.  

2021 LIVESTOCK FORAGE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM or LFP

Deadline to apply – January 30, 2022

Kiowa County and most all counties in Colorado were eligible for 2021 LFP January 1, 2021 to drought designation and other eligibility factors that were changed to make Kiowa and other Colorado counties eligible.     

This designation does make producers in the county eligible for Livestock Forage Program or LFP for a 5-month payment.   

The Kiowa County FSA Office has been accepting applications for 2021 LFP  and will continue to do until signup ends on January 31, 2022.  The office currently has a questionnaire that producers need to complete; for the office to complete the LFP application.  Due to rise in active COVID-19 cases in the county; the FSA office is required to limit visitors to the office.  The office can email the questionnaire; producers can complete it and return it to the drop box or by email or call into the office with the needed information.  The application process can be completed in the same manner.  

The office will need to know the number of head that were grazing eligible grazing land as of January 1, 2021.  This can include weaned livestock that was still in inventory. Applying for LFP is a self-certification; however, the County Committee can request any records to substantiate the number of livestock claimed.  

Eligible producers: 

To be eligible for LFP, persons or legal entities must be a U.S. citizen, resident alien, partnership of U.S. citizens, or a legal entity organized under State law

that:

• Own, cash or share lease, or be a contract grower of covered livestock during the 60 calendar days before the beginning date of a qualifying drought or fire.
• Provide pastureland or grazing land for covered livestock, including cash-rented pastureland or grazing land as of the date of the qualifying drought or fire that is either: - Physically located in a county affected by a qualifying drought during the normal grazing period for the county; and
• Timely file an acreage report for all grazing land for which a grazing loss is being claimed.

Payments: 

FSA will calculate LFP payments for an eligible livestock producer for grazing losses because of a qualifying drought equal to payment factors of one, three, four or five times the LFP monthly payment rate. The LFP monthly payment rate for drought is equal to 60 percent of the lesser of either the monthly feed cost:

• For all covered livestock owned or leased by the eligible livestock producer; or
• Calculated by using the normal carrying capacity of the eligible grazing land of the eligible livestock producer.

2020 rates – 

• Beef cows and bulls - $31.89 each, 
• Beef non adult 500# or more - $23.92 each.  
• Calves that are not weened do not qualify.  

Example of payment computation.  

• Livestock:  20 cows and bulls - $31.89 x 20 = 637.80
• Forage:  400 acres native pasture – 400 / 24 (Kiowa animal unit per acre) = 16.66 x $31.89 = 531.51

FSA will pay on lesser of livestock or forage value, in this example it will be the forage value of $531.51 x 5 (months qualified) x 60% (national payment reduction factor) = 1594.53.  

There is also a sequestration rate applied to the payment of 5.7%; for this example, the producer would receive a payment equal to $1500.46.  

Eligible livestock must: 

• Have been owned, purchased or entered into a contract to purchase during the 60 days prior to the beginning date of a qualifying drought or fire condition.
• Have been held by a contract grower or sold or otherwise disposed of due to a qualifying drought condition during the current production year or one or both two production years immediately preceding the current production year.
• Have been maintained for commercial use as part of a farming operation on the beginning date of the eligible drought or fire condition.
• Not have been produced and maintained for reasons other than commercial use as part of a farming operation (such excluded uses include, but are not limited to, wild free-roaming animals or animals used for recreational purposes such as pleasure, hunting, pets, roping or for show); and
• Not have been livestock that were or would have been in a feedlot on the beginning date of the qualifying drought or fire as part of the normal business operation of the livestock owner or contract grower.

ELIGIBLE GRAZING LAND

The following are considered eligible pastureland and grazing land for grazing losses because of

drought:

• privately owned, cash or share leased pasture or rangeland that is used to provide grazing for covered livestock
• State and Federal lands if either of the following apply:
  • the land is leased on a long-term basis that COC determines requires lessee
    • contribution, including but not limited to wells, fences, or other maintenance and
    • upkeep inputs
    • pasture or grazing land is leased for cash or fixed amount for an established grazing period
• previously irrigated grazing land that was not irrigated during the current production year because of lack of surface water due to a qualifying eligible drought condition.