By Eads USDA Service Center Staff

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:

•                CCC-633EZ Page 1 – Loan Deficiency Payment (LDP) agreement and request – MUST BE SIGNED AND ON FILE WITH FSA OFFICE BEFORE SELLING THE GRAIN. 

•                2nd Tuesday each month - Farm Loan personnel in Kiowa County FSA Office. 

•                August 1 – Deadline to request farm reconstitution or farm transfer for 2016.  This includes transfers for physical county ARC-CO yields. 

•                August 1 -   2016 ARC-PLC Enrollment Deadline

•                August 1 -  County Committee Nomination Deadline -  LAA 3 – west end

•                CRP GRASSLANDS SIGNUP - No date announced for deadline.

COUNTY COMMITTEE NOMINATIONS

The deadline for County Committee nomination petitions is fast approaching.  The western portion of the county, LAA3 which is the area from county Rd 27 to Crowley county line will hold an election this year.  Current eligible voters received a postcard informing them of the election.  Producers   Deadline for submitting a petition is by close of business on Monday, August 1st, 2016. 

Current Kiowa County Committee members are:

Jeff Salisbury - West end representative - term limited this year.

Destiny (Duff) Haase – Central area representative.

Sean Harkness - East area representative.

ACREAGE REPORTING

Thanks to our producers for helping the office meet the acreage reporting deadline.  It’s always a wild couple of weeks up until the deadline and this year was no different as we threw in a couple of computer crashes, delayed wheat harvest and tired producers and employees.  Everyone lived through another year.  Every year I am amazed with the work ethic of Hallie and Charla as we work toward the deadline. As many of you know, the office doesn’t require appointments producers can walk in and complete acreage reports and/or ARC-PLC enrollment at any time during office hours.  I do hope you appreciate their efforts as they both do a tremendous job in serving the producers of Kiowa County. 

WHEAT HARVEST

Great to hear the amazing wheat yield reports from producers.  Everything considered; the county had a good harvest, unfortunately producers will need a large number of bushels to make up for the current price.  Some producers at press time were still cutting and some had another 5 to 6 before completion. 

LOAN DEFICIENCY PAYMENT (LDP)

Producers who now have their wheat in storage and still have ownership now need to keep a close eye on the LDP rates for the county where the grain is stored.  As I have reiterated the past two weeks below are the requirements for being eligible for LDP.

•                Grain must be mechanical harvested.   

•                Page 1 of the CCC-633EZ must be on file in the FSA office prior to losing title and control of the commodity. 

•                Page 2 of the CCC-633EZ is the part of the form the producer will complete to request the LDP.   The producer requesting the LDP must have be an eligible producer with interest in the crop.  Producers that have not completed their annual acreage report will reflect as an ineligible producer. 

•                Both page 1 and page 2 must be signed and dated by the producer. 

•                When producer requests an LDP - FSA will use the LDP rate which is either the Date of LDP request or Date Beneficial interest was lost. 

•                Bushels requested for LDP are not eligible for marketing assistance loan. 

•                Producer will receive the rate for the county where grain is stored. 

Ex.  Producer sells 10,000 bushels on 7/31/2016 that FSA in the county where the grain is stored has a 10 cent LDP.  The producer can wait until January 1, 2017 to request that $1,000.00 LDP.  The producer has page one of the form CCC-633EZ signed prior to loss of beneficial interest and FSA will use the date for LDP when beneficial interest was lost which in this case was 7/31/2016. 

Producers with farm storage and sale contracts with future delivery dates; be certain that title and control of the grain is retained until delivery. 

LDP rates for Hard Red Wheat in Kiowa County from last week.   Rates are updated daily by 8:00 a.m. MST. 

Effective Date      Loan Rate ($)       POSTED COUNTY PRICE   Effective LDP Rate* ($)

07/08/2016        $ 3.03    $ 2.97    $ 0.06

07/11/2016        $ 3.03    $ 3.02    $ 0.01

07/12/2016        $ 3.03    $ 3.03    $ 0.00

07/13/2016        $ 3.03    $ 3.05    $ 0.00

07/14/2016        $ 3.03    $ 3.04    $ 0.00

07/15/2016        $ 3.03    $ 3.02    $ 0.01

BIN MEASUREMENTS

The office relies on a few neighboring county employees to complete measuring grain bins.  Producers who need their bins measured are asked to visit the office, mark the bins that need measured, pay the measurement service fee which a minimum fee of $46.00 per bin site.  It will be at least a week before the bins will be measured; so plan accordingly.      

FARM STORAGE FACILITY LOAN

Speaking of bins, would imagine there were some producers that wished during harvest they had a few more bins or even one bin to store the commodity.  The FSA Farm Storage Facility Loan program can remedy that problem.  This program is one of the best programs FSA has to assist farmers in marketing their grain.  Eligible producers can obtain low interest loans from 7-12 years depending on the amount of the loan. 

Producers must meet the following eligibility requirements for an FSFL loan:

•                Produces an eligible facility loan commodity - majority of Kiowa County grown crops are eligible with the exception of millet and triticale.

•                Has a satisfactory credit rating -  as determined by (CCC) Commodity Credit Corporation

•                Demonstrates ability to repay the loan and has no delinquent federal debt.

•                Demonstrates the need for storage based on the previous three year average acreage and share of production minus any current storage.

•                Proof of crop insurance and all peril insurance with CCC as loss payee.

•                In compliance with HELC and wetlands requirements - AD-1026 filed.

•                Compliance with local zoning, land use and building codes

•                Has not been convicted of a controlled substance violation

TERMS OF THE LOAN

•                15% cash down - CCC loan is limited to 85% of the net cost of the eligible storage facility and permanent drying and handling equipment.

•                Interest rate is fixed for the loan based on the rate in effect during the month the loan is initially approved. 

•                Loans are to be repaid in equal amortized installments.

•                Loan will be not be disbursed until the facility has been erected and inspected.   It is important to NOT begin construction on the bins until the loan has been approved by the County Committee.  Construction prior to approval will make the site ineligible for loan. 

Producers interested can contact the FSA office or the Farm Loan staff in Prowers County; contact information is listed below.

USDA SERVICE CENTER CONTACT INFORMATION

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

E-mail individuals firstname.lastname@co.usda.gov (Example firstname.lastname@co.usda.gov, dawna.weirich, charla.ferris, hallie.barlow, marvin.watson, marlin.miller,

KIOWA COUNTY FARM LOAN CONTACT INFO

Telephone 719-336-3437 (ext2) Natalie Bond; natalie.bond@co.usda.gov; Mary Rhoades, mary.rhoades@co.usda.gov

SERVICE CENTER OFFICE HOURS: 

Monday through Friday - 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  By appointment only on Friday.

FSA INFORMATION

For information on programs visit our website located at www.fsa.usda.gov or like us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter.