IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:

• CONTINUOUS CRP SIGNUP 61- Deadline July 31, 2024
• GRASSLAND CRP SIGNUP – SCHEDULED TO BEGIN April 29
• CRP PRIMARY NESTING SEASON - March 15 through July 15

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.

CRP GRASSLAND SIGNUP

As of Thursday, April 25, FSA Offices have not received any information regarding the scheduled CRP Grasslands signup which is scheduled to begin April 29, 2024.

Administrative Policy Reminders

Receipt for Service - Improving Customer Service

Did you know that, as a customer in any USDA service center, employees are required, per federal law and USDA regulations, to provide you with a computer-generated receipt at the end of your visit?  This Receipt for Service details the type of service you requested, the service and response provided by the staff, and the date and time of your visit.

The 2014 Farm Bill designated that FSA, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Rural Development (RD) employees are statutorily required to provide producers a receipt when a current or prospective producer or landowner interacts or engages with the Agency regarding a USDA benefit or service. 

On behalf of our customers, FSA employees are required to enter receipts timely and create only one receipt per customer per visit, regardless of the number of employee interactions a customer may encounter in a single visit.  A single receipt will be generated that provides a summary of the customer’s visit on behalf of the other employees who also met with the customer on the same day.  Employees must also ensure that all services rendered are properly reflected in that receipt.

Don’t leave the office without your receipt!

Changing Bank Accounts

FSA program payments are issued electronically into your bank account. To make timely payments, you need to notify your FSA servicing office if you close your account or if your bank information is changed for whatever reason (such as your financial institution merging or being purchased). Payments can be delayed if FSA is not notified of changes to account and bank routing numbers.

For some programs, payments are not made until the following year. For example, payments for crop year 2023 through the Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage program aren’t issued (dispersed) until 2024. If the bank account was closed due to the death of an individual or dissolution of an entity or partnership before the payment was issued, please notify your local FSA office as soon as possible to claim your payment.

Civil Rights/Discrimination Complaint Process

As a participant or applicant for programs or activities operated or sponsored by USDA you have a right to be treated fairly. If you believe you have been discriminated against because of your race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA, you may file a discrimination complaint. The complaint should be filed with the USDA Office of Civil Rights within 180 days of the date you became aware of the alleged discrimination. To file a complaint of discrimination, write U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Adjudication,1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington DC 20250-9410 or call 202-260-1026 (voice or TDD), USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender. To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at How to File a Program Discrimination Complaint and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: program.intake@usda.gov.

Power of Attorney

FSA has a power of attorney form available that enables persons and legal entities to designate another person to conduct business on behalf of the person or legal entity. If you are interested, please contact our office or any FSA office near you for more information. FSA’s power of attorney form and provisions do not apply to farm loan programs, nor can it be used outside of FSA.

Reasonable Accommodations

Special accommodations will be made upon request for individuals with disabilities, vision impairment or hearing impairment. If accommodations are required, individuals should contact the county FSA office directly or by phone or dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunication relay services.