PROMO 660 x 440 Agriculture USDA Service Center Update

USDA Update – December 3, 2024

Eads USDA Service Center Staff

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:

2024 Livestock Forage Program – Kiowa, Prowers, Baca eligible for one month payment. DEADLINE TO APPLY - January 30, 2025
COC Ballot Count and COC meeting: December 10, 2025

UPCOMING SERVICE CENTER CLOSURES:

Wednesday, December 25,2024, Christmas Holiday
Wednesday, January1, 2025 New Year’s Day Holiday
Monday, January 20, 2025, Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Holiday

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.

CONTRACT MANAGEMENT LETTERS MAILED

A reminder letter was mailed out last week to the contact producer on CRP contracts that have a contract management due to be completed by 9/30/2026. The letter instructs the CRP participant to contact the Eads NRCS office, if the producer wishes to complete a different contract management other than light disking on 100 percent of the acres. Light disking is currently the planned contract management activity listed on the conservation plan of operations. The envelope also contained a map of the required tract and approved contractors located in the county. It is the responsibility of the producer to contact a local contractor, FSA nor NRCS will not recommend the contractor to use. There is no cost share available for contract management. Once the management practice is completed a copy of the paid invoice and cancelled check will be required to be submitted to FSA. NRCS will complete a field visit to determine the activity performed meets the contract management requirements.

All CRP contracts, except for grassland contracts are required to complete a contract management before the end of year 6 of the contract. Once producers receive the letter and if they have questions, please contact either the FSA or NRCS office.

KIOWA, PROWERS and BACA COUNTIES ELIGIBLE FOR 2024 LFP

DEADLINE TO APPLY: JANUARY 30, 2025

Due to an extended grazing period in Colorado, Kiowa, Prowers and Baca counties became eligible for a one-month payment on native grass for LFP or Livestock Forage Program for 2024. To be considered eligible for LFP a livestock producer must have risk and control in both:

Eligible livestock -
- livestock that were or would have been grazing on native grass. Livestock located in feedlots are not eligible.
- must have been owned, leased, purchased, entered a contract to purchase, or held by a contract grower during the 60 days prior to the beginning date of a qualifying date.
- Have been maintained for commercial use.
Eligible producer –
- 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.
- Provide pastureland for covered livestock, including cash-rented land that is physically located in a county affected by a qualifying drought.
- Certify that they suffered a grazing loss because of a qualifying drought.
- Timely file an acreage report for all grazing land for which grazing loss is being claimed.

NOTE: If a producer has grazing land that is physically in Kiowa, but another FSA office administers the land, the producer must apply for LFP in that administrative FSA office.