USDA Update – September 2, 2019

Eads USDA Service Center Staff

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:

Farm Loan personnel in Eads Office – 2^ndTuesday every month
COC Meeting - September 25 – 9:00 a.m.
CRP Routine Haying & Grazing -
Marketing Assistance Loans Available - $2.80 loan rate - wheat
2019 MFP - Call and schedule your appointment!

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.

FARM BILL TRAINING

Two employees of the FSA Office will be attending Farm Bill Training the week of September 16 – 19, Monday through Thursday and will be away from the office for that week. That will leave one employee to answer phones and handle the counter traffic. We ask that please be mindful when visiting or calling the office of this fact. If whatever you may be needing, we ask that if it can wait until the next week when we are fully staffed once again, please do so.

ARCPLC SIGNUP

Producers will be seeing and hearing much about the 2019 ARCPLC signup beginning on Tuesday, September 3^rd. However, be mindful that signup for 2020 will begin October 1, 2019 (new fiscal year) and the office will be completing both 2019 and 2020 signup after that date. The plan at this point will be when you call to make an appointment to complete your 2020 acreage report for planted wheat, the staff will also complete the 2019 and 2020 ARCPLC signup.

In the coming weeks look for information concerning the 2019 and 2020 ARCPLC signup, as each week will have different information on various topics. Including, signup dates, election and enrollment criteria and deadlines.

2019 MFP UPDATES

The software fixes that the office and some producers have been waiting on, has arrived. The staff has attempted to reach out to the producers who were delayed from signing an application, but if we missed contacting you please call the office and make an appointment. For complete details concerning the 2019 Market Facilitation Program (MFP) visit the following website.

https://www.farmers.gov/manage/mfp

Few things to point out concerning the 2019 MFP as it is different than the 2018 MFP.

Payments are based on planted acreage, NOT harvested production.
Eligible acres are the 2019 planted acreage reported for all eligible MFP crops, not to exceed 2018 planted acres and approved prevented planted acres. However, payment acres can be increased for excepted acreage.
- Excepted acres are considered the following:
  - Expired CRP acreage
  - New farmer
  - Added land, and share changes or entity changes
  - Fallow, if part of a rotation
  - Approved double crop rotations
  - Prevented planting acreage, followed by a planting of a crop, which is not approved for double-cropping.
Payments are computed by physical location of the land.
Each county has a separate county rate. Kiowa’s is $26.00 an acre.
Total acres for a producer are by physical location and producers share of the planted acres.
2019 prevented planted acres will only be computed if the prevented planted acreage is planted to an NRCS approved cover crop.
2018 prevented planted acres will be computed only if the claim was approved by the County Committee.
Producers sign one application for the program, in their specific recording county. Whatever county producers complete their eligibility paperwork, i.e. Adjusted Gross Income form, AD-1026, CCC-902 - that is considered for FSA purposes - your recording county.
Payments are split into three potential payments. Kiowa County producers will earn $15.00 an acre in the first payment. It has not been announced that second and third round payments will be issued.
Deadline to apply for the 2019 MFP program is December 6, 2019.