IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:

• PRIMARY NESTING SEASON - March 15 - July 15 - NO ACTIVITY PERMITTED ON CRP
• CFAP – Signup May 26 – August 28
• LFP – Signup end January 30, 2021
• 2020- ARCPLC enrollment - Deadline June 30, 2020 
• 2020 PLC YIELD UPDATE – Deadline September 30, 2020
• WHIP+ signup - Begins March 23, 2020

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.

COVID-19 USDA GUIDANCE

There is no public access allowed into the Service Center at this time.  Customers can call 719-438-5851 and schedule a phone appointment or can call with questions.  The staff is working and will continue to provide customer service.  Customers can use email, fax and phones to contact the office and/or employees.   Contact information is provided below. 

USDA Service Centers Open for Business by Phone Appointment Only 

U.S. Department of Agriculture Service Centers are encouraging visitors to take precautionary measures to help prevent the spread of coronavirus.  

The Kiowa County USDA Service Center will continue to be open for business by phone appointment only and field work will continue with appropriate social distancing. While our program delivery staff will continue to come into the office, they will be working with our producers by phone, and using online tools whenever possible. All Service Center visitors wishing to conduct business with the Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, or any other Service Center agency are required to call to schedule a phone appointment.   

Farm Service Agency: (719) 438-5851 extension 2 - Natural Resources Conservation Service: (719) 438-5851 extension 3 

Employees may also be contacted by email; the addresses are listed below in the Service Center contact information.   

Online services are available to customers with an eAuth account, which provides access to the farmers.gov portal where producers can view USDA farm loan information and payments and view and track certain USDA program applications and payments. Online NRCS services are available to customers through the Conservation Client Gateway. Customers can track payments, report completed practices, request conservation assistance, and electronically sign documents. Customers who do not already have an eAuth account can enroll at farmers.gov/sign-in. 

For the most current updates on available services and Service Center status visit farmers.gov/coronavirus.

DROUGHT CONDITIONS

Memorial Day weekend didn’t produce the potential for rain that was forecast, at least not here in Eads.  Hopefully there were some areas that received some moisture.   There weren’t any big changes to the drought monitor from last week for this area, unfortunately this area continues to be rated in a D3 drought.

CRP EMERGENCY HAYING AND GRAZING

The office has received numerous calls regarding Emergency Haying and Grazing for CRP acres. With the 2018 Farm Bill, counties do not have to submit information for Emergency Haying and Grazing; if the U.S. Drought Monitor places a county (any portion of the county) in a D3 or greater drought designation; the county is eligible, unless it’s during primary nesting season.  Primary Nesting in Colorado is set to end on July 15^th, to date the office has received not authorization to allow Emergency Haying and Grazing during this time, but we have pleaded our case to the State Office, and we are hopeful that authorization will be coming.  

Producers who are interested in haying or grazing CRP - please call the office and we will put your name on the list; so that when guidance and authorization is received, we can call you and complete the required paperwork prior to moving cattle onto the CRP acres. 

CORONAVIRUS FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM or CFAP

We are urging producers to do these items before calling the office and scheduling an appointment for the CFAP program.   Signup for the program is May 26 – August 28.  

First -  producers are urged to visit www.farmers.gov/cfap and read the information on the program and use the online calculator to determine eligibility.

Second - be certain that you qualify for the program.  Two BIG items to be aware of are:

• 2019 Crop Production - only durum wheat is eligible; hard red winter and white wheat are not eligible since there has not been over a 5% decrease in the price. 
• January 15^th is the magic date to remember for both livestock and production.  If you are had only 2019 crop production and you sold that production prior to January 15^th – that production is not eligible.   Livestock sold prior to January 15^th does not qualify. 

The office has begun scheduling appointments beginning on June 1^st.  When you call the office to schedule an appointment, we will be asking you a few questions as we will be doing this program in conjunction with 2020 Livestock Forage Program or LFP for those producers who are eligible.

Below is a breakdown of the livestock and commodity portion of the CFAP.   

LIVESTOCK

• Livestock owned on January 15, 2020, and sold between January 15, 2020, and April 15, 2020
• Offspring born from January 15, 2020 and April 15, 2020, inventory
• Highest owned inventory subject to price risk between April 16, 2020, and May 14, 2020

Eligible livestock:

All Other Cattle (commercially raised/maintained, excluding animals used or intended for dairy production).  This is the livestock category that most of Kiowa’s livestock will qualify.  However, if producers do have feeders or slaughter cows – they are also eligible if owned on or after January 15^th. 

• Feeder Cattle Less Than 600 Pounds                                                                  
• Feeder Cattle 600 Pounds or More 
• Slaughter Cattle-Fed Cattle (1,200-1,600 pounds/market ready)
• Pigs (less than 120 pounds)
• Hogs (120 pounds or more)
• Lambs and Yearlings (less than 2 years)
• Slaughter Cattle-Mature Cattle (culled)

CROPS

Qualifying 2019 planted and harvested crops for grain or silage are:

Corn, soybeans, oats, sunflowers, canola, sorghum, wheat only durum and hard red spring, millet, barley (malting)

2019 Total Production & 2019 Production Not Sold (as of January 15, 2020)

Unpriced (or subject to price risk) means not subject to an agreed-upon price in the future through a forward contract, agreement, or similar binding document as of January 15, 2020. The producer’s eligible commodity and/or livestock must still be at risk of price fluctuations after January 15, 2020, to be eligible for payment.

Production, sales, inventories, and/or acreage, as applicable, will be a self-certification by the producer and is subject to spot check. COC’s may request additional documentation from a CFAP applicant to support a producer’s certification of eligible commodities.