IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:

• GRASSLAND CRP SIGNUP 206- June 3 through June 28
• SERVICE CENTER CLOSED, Wednesday, June 19 - Juneteenth Federal Holiday
• 2024 SPRING ACREAGE REPORTING - Deadline July 15, 2024
• 2023 NAP PRODUCTION RECORDS DUE - July 15, 2024
• CONTINUOUS CRP SIGNUP 61- Deadline July 31, 2024
• CRP PRIMARY NESTING SEASON - March 15 through July 15

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

U.S. DROUGHT MONITOR

Last week the Drought Monitor author moved all Kiowa County to a drought intensity of D0 = abnormally dry. Prowers County moved to D1 = moderate drought with a sliver of D2 = severe drought in the eastern portion of the county that drops down to some of Baca County.

Image

CRP CONTRACT COMPLIANCE

Once CRP cover is considered established, it is the responsibility of the CRP contract participants to maintain the permanent cover. Examples of non-compliance include control of the following;

• other undesirable weeds, plants, insects, or pests, as determined by COC, are not controlled on the designated acreage.

Prairie dogs are considered a ‘pest’ and must be controlled outside the primary nesting season.

If the FSA County Committee determines that the producer has not made a good faith effort in controlling the pests, the contract can be terminated with refunds required.

GRASSLAND CRP SIGNUP 206

Grasslands CRP signup 206 was announced on Monday, June 3^rd. FSA will accept offers for eligible land beginning June 3^rd through Friday, June 28^th.

The rental rate for Kiowa County land is $18.00 per acre. Contract length can be 10 or 15 years. Payment limitation is $50,000, whether payment is received directly or indirectly. All payments are attributed to the producer’s social security number.

Duplication of Benefits

Cropland enrolled in grassland CRP cannot receive a payment under the ARC or PLC

program. Grassland CRP is potentially eligible for grazing losses because of natural disasters under NAP, LFP, or ELAP if all eligibility requirements in 1-NAP, 1-LFP or 1-ELAP are met.

Eligible land –

for grassland CRP is land on a tract or a portion of a tract that:

• is classified according as:

•   cropland if the land use or land cover is an improved pasture or hay-land established to a permanent vegetative cover

• rangeland including native pasture or native land.

• contains forbs or shrubland (including improved rangeland and improved pastureland)  for which grazing is the predominant use

• is expiring CRP

Note: Expiring CRP devoted to tree practices are not eligible.

• land that was previously enrolled in NRCS EQIP and the contract is currently expired, however the land is currently within the EQIP practice lifespan.

Eligible producer –

An owner is eligible to offer land for enrollment in CRP if the owner meets the following requirements:

• owned the land for 12 months before the close of signup grassland CRP offers.

Exception: Owners of land under expiring CRP-1 may reoffer such land for enrollment regardless of the length of ownership if all other eligibility requirements are met.

An operator is eligible to offer land for enrollment in CRP when the operator meets all the following requirements:

• operated the land for 12 months before the close of current of signup for general CRP

and grassland CRP.

• provides satisfactory evidence, as determined by COC, that control of the land will

continue uninterrupted for the CRP-1 period.

Note: Satisfactory evidence may include any of the following:

• statement signed by the owner

• written lease for the appropriate period.

• owner’s signature on CRP-1

Ranking factors – maximum of 195 points.

All offers submitted nationally will be ranked according to the following 7 ranking factors. 

F1 - Expiring CRP and practice. Maximum of 30 points.

F2 – 50 percent of the producers on an offer are beginning, limited resource,

socially disadvantaged (including women), or veteran farmers or ranchers. Maximum of 20 points. A CCC-860 form must be on file or completed to receive these points.

F3 – A - offer in risk of conversion area – maximum of 10 points.

   B - 50 percent of offer in national threat of conversion – maximum of 20 points.

   C - 15-year contract offered - maximum of 5 points.

F4 – Vegetation cover – maximum of 30 points.

F5 – A- 50 percent of the offer is in a current CRP general signup wildlife zone - maximum.

      15 points.

   B – 50 percent of the offer is in the State grassland CRP zone - maximum of 15 points.

   C – 50 percent of the offer is in the national priority zone - maximum of 15 points.

F6 – If the producer certifies they are eligible for small-scale livestock option on

    form CRP-2G-1 – maximum of 10 points.

F7 – A – if the maximum grassland CRP rental rate for a county is less than or equal.

       to $15.00 the offer will receive 15 points.

    B - cost factors, not to exceed 25 points. FSA will award each offer 2 points.

       for each percentage the producer voluntarily lowers the offered rental rate.

After the national ranking, FSA will notify producers if their offer(s) were accepted or rejected. Producers with accepted offers will be sent a letter and if choose to move forward with the offer will need to work with NRCS on developing a conservation plan. Producers can withdraw the offer without liquidated damages at any time before signing the conservation plan.