IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:

• USDA SERVICE CENTER CLOSED - MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2026 for Labor Day Holiday.
• CRP EMERGENCY GRAZING available. Contact FSA to begin the process. GRAZING IS NOT AUTHORIZED UNTIL FSA APPROVAL IS GRANTED.
• CRP CONTRACT MANAGEMENT - management activities are now authorized. For grazing activities, producers MUST contact FSA to determine if grazing can be completed.
• SIGNUP EXTENDED TO SEPTEMBER 30, 2026 2023, 2024 and 2025 SDRP - Supplemental Disaster Relief Program – Stage 1 and Stage 2 and quality loss
• AUGUST 31, 2026 - Review base allocation summary, deadline to notify FSA regarding acreage corrections, resolving subsequent acres or opting-out.
• SEPTEMBER 15, 2026 - Deadline for notifying FSA to be considered a Qualifying Pass-Through Entity or QPTE for 2026 forward. Specific to LLC’s and S-Corps only.
• LIVESTOCK FORAGE PROGRAM - Kiowa County eligible for 5-month payment. Apply before March 1, 2027.

VISIT Farmers.gov for more information regarding deadlines and programs available through FSA and NRCS.

OCTOBER PAYMENT CYCLE

Hard to believe but October is just around the corner. FSA offices will be busy issuing the FY26 CRP payments and 2025 ARCPLC payments. Be reminded, for 2025 due to One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the election of ARC-CO or PLC does not matter. Producers will be paid the higher of ARC-CO or PLC for the commodity. Currently, in Kiowa County, PLC is winning the race with the following rates:

• Wheat - 1.29 bu. - final rate
• Corn - .27 bu. – projected
• Grain Sorghum – 1.12 bu. - projected
• Sunflower - .0025 lbs. – projected

Rates that are projected will be finalized in October; due to the marketing year requirement for the specific crop.

For ARC-CO currently the only projected payment is on oats.

If you are expecting one or more of these program payments, make sure FSA has the correct bank account information on file as most of FSA payments are issued by direct deposit.

SUPPLEMENTAL DISASTER REVENUE PROGRAM or SDRP stage 1 and 2 – signup deadline extended to September 30, 2026.

The signup deadline for SDRP stage 1 and 2 was extended to September 30, 2026. Producers who have not contacted their recording county to file an application will need to do so by September 30th. These applications WERE NOT mailed to producers; it is the producers responsibility to contact the FSA office to file an application. It provides financial relief to agricultural producers for production, quality, or revenue losses cause by weather-related natural disasters during calendar years 2023 and 2024.

Program Structure

• Stage 1: Focuses on producers with indemnified losses, using existing Federal Crop Insurance or Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) data to calculate payments.
• Stage 2: Targets producers with non-indemnified, shallow, uncovered/uninsured, or quality losses that fall outside traditional insurance triggers.

 CONTRACT MANAGEMENT ACTIVITES

There are many producers who are having their CRP grazed for contract management requirements. The grazing for contract management MUST END on September 30th or before if the cover is not supporting the grazing. It is the contract participant's responsibility to monitor the grazing and contact FSA once the grazing has been completed and the livestock are removed. There is paperwork that the CRP producer will need to complete to finalize the contract management, so please contact FSA when grazing is completed.

Again, contract management is a requirement on all CRP contracts (except Grassland CRP) and must be completed before the end of year six of the CRP contract. CRP contract years are not the normal calendar year; but is equal to the government fiscal year of October 1st to September 30th. Failure to comply with the contract management requirement will be considered a compliance issue and those are taken to the County Committee. County Committee can terminate the contract with refunds required due to lack of good faith on the CRP participant’s part.

Contract management can be completed anytime outside of the primary nesting season which is March 15th to July 15th .

STRIP TILLAGE

If producers are doing strip tillage on 51% of the acres, it’s always a good idea to contact FSA to ensure that all the necessary paperwork has been completed. NRCS maintains a list of contractors that can complete the activity. The list can be emailed if you contact the FSA office.

GRAZING

Producers begin the grazing requests with FSA, NRCS completes a site visit to determine if the land is suitable for grazing. If the land can be grazed, NRCS will complete a grazing plan and a revision of the conservation plan. The CRP producer will sign the required paperwork, not the individual with the livestock. It is the responsibility of the CRP producer to maintain compliance with the terms and conditions of the CRP contract. Once all the paperwork has been completed and approved, grazing can begin. FSA will issue final approval.

DROUGHT MONITOR

Didn’t see much change to the drought monitor. It’s been nice to see the area turn green with the moisture that has been received. Hopefully we’ll continue to see more rain in the coming weeks. It’s wheat drilling time, moisture is welcomed.

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