USDA Update - June 2, 2018

Eads USDA Service Center Staff

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:

· PRIMARY NESTING SEASON - March 15^th- July 15 - NO CRP Contract Management ALLOWED

· FARM LOAN Personnel in Kiowa County Service Center – Tuesday, June 12^th

· FSA County Committee Meeting – June 12^th

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 SPRING ACREAGE REPORTING DEADLINE - July 15^th

· 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.

CRP

The FSA Office did receive information late on Friday afternoon concerning CRP Grasslands and Continuous signups. Next week’s article will cover the CRP information.

DROUGHT MONITOR

The U.S. Drought Monitor placed a portion of the SW corner of the county in a D3 – Extreme drought category on May 22^nd. The majority of the balance of the county remains in a D2 category – Severe Drought. Details about drought conditions can be found in this article. It’s amazing how fast conditions change, as just one year ago, 94% of the state was NOT listed in any intensity of drought; today that number is only 24.6%.

The area didn’t receive any moisture during the Memorial Day weekend, the clouds did build either right around us or at times even right over the county, but still no rain. The winds during the weekend didn’t help the conditions. Unfortunately, the words hot, dry and windy seem to describe Kiowa County these days. Pray for rain!

LIVESTOCK FORAGE PROGRAM - KIOWA COUNTY ELIGIBLE

The Drought Monitor drought intensity of D3 triggered Kiowa County for the Livestock Forage Program for 2018. Eligible livestock producers grazing pasture land in Kiowa County are now eligible for a 3 month payment.

The FSA Office will be scheduling appointments for producers to apply for the program. Producers need to call the office @ 719-438-5851 and schedule an appointment. Producers will be required to provide the following on the date of their appointment.

Proof of ownership or lease of eligible current inventory livestock.
Receipts of livestock purchases. Livestock purchased after March 22^ndwill not be considered eligible livestock for the program. Livestock must have been owned or leased 60 days before the beginning date the qualifying drought, for Kiowa County that date is May 22^nd.
Grazing leases (if office does not have on file).

ELIGIBLE PRODUCERS

To be eligible for LFP, producers must:

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 or grazing land for covered livestock, including cash-rented pastureland or grazing land that is either:
- Physically located in a county affected by a qualifying drought during the normal grazing period for the county; or
- Certify that they have suffered a grazing loss because of a qualifying drought or fire; and

o Timely file an acreage report for all grazing land for which a loss of grazing is being claimed.

ELIGIBLE LIVESTOCK

Eligible livestock types under LFP include beef cattle, buffalo, beefalo, equine, goats, llamas and sheep that have been or would have been grazing the eligible grazing land or pastureland:

During the normal grazing period for the specific type of grazing land or pastureland for the county. In Kiowa County those dates for native pasture are April 15^th– October 31^st.

Eligible livestock must:

Have been owned, purchased or entered into a contract to purchase during the 60 days prior to the beginning date of a qualifying drought or fire condition;
Have been maintained for commercial use as part of a farming operation on the beginning date of the eligible drought.

PAYMENTS

FSA will calculate LFP payments for an eligible livestock producer for grazing losses because of a qualifying drought equal currently three times the LFP monthly payment rate. The LFP monthly payment rate for drought is equal to

60 percent of the lesserof either the monthly feed cost:

o For all covered livestock owned or leased by the eligible livestock producer; or

o Calculated by using the normal carrying capacity of the eligible grazing land of the eligible livestock producer.

Total LFP payments to an eligible livestock producer in a calendar year for grazing losses will not exceed five monthly payments for the same livestock.

PAYMENT RATES

The monthly feed cost for covered livestock is based, in part, on the number of pounds of corn equivalent per head, as established by FSA, determined necessary to provide the energy requirements for the specific kind/type of livestock for 30 calendar days.

· Beef calves that are not weaned are not eligible for the program.

The following provides the monthly payment rate per head by covered livestock category.

2018 LFP rates

· Beef Adult Cows and Bulls - $28.07

· Non-adult 500 pounds or more - $21.05

· Buffalo/BisonAdult Cows and Bulls- $28.07

· Non-adult 500 pounds or more - $21.05

· Sheep -$7.02

· Goats -$7.02

· Equine All -$20.77

Payments will be subject to a sequestration rate and reduced by 6.6%.

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