USDA Update – July 20, 2024
IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:
- Non-Emergency Haying and Grazing available
- ERP Track 1 and Track 2 applications deadline - August 14, 2024
- Continuous CRP Signup 61- Deadline July 31, 2024
- County Committee LAA 2 Nominations – Deadline August 1, 2024
- Deadline to request a Reconstitution - August 1, 2024
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
Non-Emergency Haying and Grazing
July 15th was the end of the CRP primary nesting season. Currently, the county is not approved for Emergency Grazing, but producers can request non-emergency haying and grazing.
Non-emergency haying and grazing required a 25 percent payment reduction in annual rental payment. For haying, the 25 percent is computed on the acres hayed, which is limited to half of the contract acres.
All non-emergency haying and grazing must be discussed and approved by FSA prior to starting the activity. Under no circumstances may non-emergency haying or grazing be permitted if such activity would cause long-term damage to the vegetative cover on the land, determined by on a site-by-site basis.
Marketing Assistance Loans
Marketing Assistance Loans (MALs) provide financing and marketing assistance for wheat, feed grains. MALs provide you with interim financing after harvest to help you meet cash flow needs without having to sell your commodities when market prices are typically at harvest-time lows.
The 2024 loan rates for Kiowa County are as follows – loans rates vary by state and county. Farm stored loans will receive the loan rate for the county loan rate the bin is physically located in.
- Wheat per bushel – 3.15
- Grain Sorghum per cwt. - $3.89
- Corn per bushel - $2.35
There are two types of Marketing Assistance Loans –
- Farm storage - stored in a grain bin and producer has retained beneficial interest in the commodity.
- Warehouse - stored in a Commodity Credit Corporation approved warehouse. Producer must pay 9 months of storage and supply the FSA office with a warehouse receipt.
Interest rate for the loan will be the interest rate on the day of disbursement of the loan. For July, interest is 6.125 percent.
Farm Service Agency Seeking Nominations for Farmers and Ranchers to Serve on Local County Committees
Nominations are now being accepted for farmers and ranchers to serve on local U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) county committees. These committees make important decisions about how federal farm programs are administered locally. All nomination forms for the 2024 election must be postmarked or received in the local FSA office by Aug. 1, 2024.
Elections for committee members will occur in certain Local Administrative Areas (LAA). LAAs are elective areas for FSA committees in a single county or multi-county jurisdiction and may include LAAs that are focused on an urban or suburban area.
Customers can locate their LAA through a geographic information system locator tool available at fsa.usda.gov/elections and determine if their LAA is up for election by contacting their local FSA office.
Agricultural producers may be nominated for candidacy for the county committee if they:
- Participate or cooperate in a USDA program.
- Reside in the LAA that is up for election this year.
A cooperating producer is someone who has provided information about their farming or ranching operation to FSA, even if they have not applied or received program benefits.
Individuals may nominate themselves or others and qualifying organizations may also nominate candidates. USDA encourages minority, women, urban and beginning farmers or ranchers to nominate, vote and hold office.
Nationwide, more than 7,700 dedicated members of the agricultural community serve on FSA county committees. The committees are made up of three to 11 members who serve three-year terms.
Committee members are vital to how FSA carries out disaster recovery, conservation, commodity and price support programs, as well as making decisions on county office employment and other agricultural issues.
You should contact your local FSA office today to register and find out how to get involved in your county’s election, including if their LAA is up for election this year. To be considered, you must be registered and sign an FSA-669A nomination form. This form and other information about FSA county committee elections are available at fsa.usda.gov/elections.
