Agriculture USDA Service Center Update

USDA Update - February 24, 2018

Eads USDA Service Center Staff

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:

  • CRP Contract Management - Contact FSA or NRCS with questions.  Producers have been notified of required completion dates.   
  • FARM LOAN Personnel in Kiowa County Service Center – Tuesday, March 13th
  • NAP APPLICATION FOR COVERAGE DEADLINE -  March 15th for spring crops
  • County Committee Meeting – Wednesday, March 21st
  • FINAL DATE FOR 2017 WHEAT MARKETING ASSISTANCE LOAN REQUEST -  March 31st 
  • CRP Continuous Signup - CRP Grassland OFFERS ONLY.  Producers interested are urged to contact FSA Office.  NOW!! - File form CCC-633 EZ page 1 with FSA before losing beneficial interest to maintain Loan Deficiency Payment (LDP) eligibility.  (To request payments, producers need to submit page 2 of the CCC-633EZ)
  • 2018 ARCPLC Enrollment deadline -  August 1, 2018

                                                                                                  

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.

U.S. DROUGHT MONITOR

This last week, the State of Colorado saw some dramatic changes in the U.S. Drought Monitor.  The Southwest portion of the state was designated as a D3 category with that area experiencing extreme drought conditions.  Kiowa County remains in a D2 category as a severe drought.  The majority of the state is experiencing some level of drought conditions that are reflected on the map.  KiowaCountyPress.net publishes drought updates each week.

For FSA purposes, the Drought Monitor dictates when counties become eligible for (LFP) Livestock Forage Program.  However, that program will not trigger until the growing season for the native grass, which in Kiowa County for 2018 currently is April 1st.  Therefore, as an example if the county is designated in a category D3 on April 1st, the LFP automatically will trigger for program participation.  An explanation of the drought categories are below. 

Grazing losses for the covered livestock must occur on land that is physically located in a county that is, during the normal grazing period for the specific type of grazing land or pastureland for the county, rated by the U.S. Drought Monitor as having any of the following:

  • D2 - severe drought - intensity in any area of the county for at least 8 consecutive weeks during the normal grazing period for the specific type of grazing land or pastureland for the county.  (Duff, I think I misspoke on this one) as we are not in the normal grazing period.
  • D3 - extreme drought intensity in any area of the county at any time during the normal grazing period for the specific type of grazing land or pastureland for the county or is rated as having a D4 intensity in any area of the county at any time during the normal grazing period. 
  • D4 - exceptional drought intensity in any area of the county for at least 4 weeks during the normal grazing period. 

NOTE:  The grazing losses that occur because of a qualifying drought MUST occur during the normal grazing period for the specific type of grazing land.   

Again, normal grazing period in Kiowa County begins April 1, 2018. 

ARC/PLC Acreage Maintenance

Producers enrolled in the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) or Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs must protect all cropland and noncropland acres on the farm from wind and water erosion and noxious weeds. Producers who sign ARC county or individual contracts and PLC contracts agree to effectively control noxious weeds on the farm according to sound agricultural practices.  If a producer fails to take necessary actions to correct a maintenance problem on a farm that is enrolled in ARC or PLC, the County Committee may elect to terminate the contract for the program year. 

Kiowa County FSA Committee

  • Destiny Haase -  LAA 2 – Central area – Committee Chairperson
  • Sean Harkness – LAA 1 – East area – Committee Vice-Chairperson
  • Michael Zimmerman – LAA3 – West area – Committee Regular Member

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 – CALL FOR AN APPOINTMENT

Telephone 719-336-3437 (ext2) Mary Rhoades, mary.rhoades@co.usda.gov

SERVICE CENTER OFFICE HOURS: 

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

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.

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