The Press-Dispatch
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/870146
The Press-Dispatch Pike County Planter SWCD Newsletter September and October 2017 C- 9 The Pike County Planter is a great place to advertise your agri- business! This is targeted advertising at its best! The Dispatch Press PIKE COUNTY'S NEWS NETWORK be SEEN IN THE pd CALL JOHN, CINDY, PAM OR MATT TODAY at 812-354-8500 to see how your business can be seen in 5,000 households. Plus, your ad is available online for no additional charge on NetEdition. CALL NOW! Pike County FSA news By Amy R Barber CED CONSERVATION RESERVE PROGRAM Have you checked on your CRP acres lately? Does the cover look like it should? Do you have undesirable weeds showing up along the roadside? Is there woody vegetation creeping into your grass practice? Do you have a Mid- contract Management Activ - ity to perform this year? The CRP program involves a long term commit- ment to the conser vation practice that you decided to put on your field. In order for your CRP practice to remain viable for the length of your contract, you will need to keep an eye on the practice and take actions to keep it maintained. The 2017 Wildlife Nesting Season came to a close on August 1st, which will ease restrictions on spot- treating undesirable vegetation. If you have any questions about your CRP acreage, please contact the local FSA Office. UPDATE YOUR RECORDS FSA is cleaning up our producer record database. If you have any unreported changes of address or zip code or an incorrect name or business name on file they need to be reported to our office. Changes in your farm op - eration, like the addition of a farm by lease or purchase, need to be reported to our office as well. Producers partici- pating in FSA and NRCS programs are required to timely report changes in their farming operation to the County Committee in writing and update their CCC-902 Farm Operating Plan. If you have any updates or correc - tions, please call your local FSA office to update your records. CHANGING BANK ACCOUNTS All FSA payments should be elec- tronically transferred into your bank account. In order to make timely pay- ments, you need to notify the office if you close your account or if your bank is purchased by another financial insti- tution. Payments can be delayed if we are not aware of changes to account and routing numbers. 2016 PLC Payment Rates and ARC Actual Prices for Wheat, Barley and Oats The Agricultural Act of 2014 provides for payments for covered commodities through the Price Loss Coverage (PLC) program when the market year average price is below the reference price. Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) program payments are triggered when the actual revenue is below the guarantee established for the program. The Marketing Year Average (MYA) price for wheat, barley and oats was announced June 29, resulting in a PLC payment rate of $1.61 per bushel for 2016 wheat and $0.34 per bushel for 2016 oats. There is no PLC payment on 2016 barley. For Agriculture Loss Coverage – County (ARC-CO), actual crop revenue is calculated by multiplying the actual average yield for your county times the higher of the MYA price or the national loan rate. For 2016, the fol - lowing prices have been set – wheat at $3.89 per bushel; barley at $4.96 per bushel; and oats at $2.06 per bushel. 2016 county yields will not be available until this fall. Agriculture Loss Coverage–In - dividual Option (ARC-IC) will utilize the same prices as ARC-CO, however the actual crop revenue cannot be calculated until participating pro- ducers report all production for all covered commodities planted on the farm and all MYA prices for all covered commodities planted on the farm are known. Both of these items are neces- sar y to calculate the ARC-IC actual revenue for the farm. All 2016 ARC and PLC payments cannot be made until after Oct. 1, 2017, or the announcement of the final 2016 MYA price for the applicable covered commodity. For information on release dates for MYA prices, ARC-CO yields and projected and final PLC payment rates, visit www.fsa.usda.gov/arc-plc and click on the "ARC/PLC Program Data" link. CRP ROUTINE GRAZING AND MANAGED HARVESTING Conser vation Reser ve Program (CRP) participants can utilize routine grazing and managed har vesting as outlined in their conser vation plan. Managed har vesting and routine grazing are authorized under certain conditions to improve the quality and performance of the CRP cover. Routine grazing is authorized ever y other year. Contracts approved prior to July 28, 2010, and still considered man - aged grazing can only participate in grazing one out of ever y three years. Managed har vesting for hay is au- thorized no more frequently than one in three years. Under normal conditions, managed haying and routine grazing can be requested at the local FSA office by the landowner or producer on the CRP contract. The same acreage cannot be hayed and grazed. CRP acres must be considered fully established before haying or grazing can be authorized. In addition, haying or grazing CRP acres is not authorized during the primar y nesting season. For Indiana, the primar y nesting season is April 1 through August 1. Producer must request approval be - fore haying or grazing the acreage. For routine grazing, the authoriza- tion can not begin before August 2 and all livestock must be removed by the 120th day or sooner (November 29). CRP participants must report the number of acres grazed to FSA by no later than December 9. Before grazing eligible acreage, CRP participants must request ap - proval and obtain a modified conser va- tion plan to include routine grazing requirements. CRP participants are not permitted to graze any acreage hayed or grazed under managed or emergency provisions. Participants must report the number of acres rou - tine grazed by Oct. 10, 2017. For haying, the authorization ex- pires 120 days from August 1 which is November 29th and all hay bales must be completely removed from CRP con- tract acres by no later than 10 calendar days from the date notified by Farm Ser vice Agency (FSA) that managed haying authorization has ended. CRP participants must report the number of acres hayed to FSA by no later than no later than 10 calendar days of the end of managed har vesting period. Haying is limited to one cutting. Routine grazing and managed har vesting will result in an annual rental payment reduction of no less than 25 percent based on the number of acres actually grazed or har vested. Producers who qualify as a beginning farmer or rancher will not be assessed a payment reduction. All hayed and grazed acres are sub - ject to FSA spot-check at any time dur- ing or after the authorization period. It is important to contact your local FSA office prior to any haying or graz- ing activities on CRP acres to ensure your contract remains in compliance. COMMUNICATION IS KEY IN LENDING Farm Ser vice Agency (FSA) is committed to providing our farm loan borrowers the tools necessar y to be a success. A part of ensuring this suc - cess is providing guidance and counsel from the loan application process through the borrower's graduation to commercial lending institutions. While it is FSA's commitment to advise borrowers as they identify goals and evaluate progress, it is crucial for borrowers to communicate with their farm loan staff when changes occur. It is the borrower's responsibility to alert FSA to any of the following: • Any proposed or significant changes in the farming operation; • Any significant changes to family income or expenses; • The development of problem situations; • Any losses or proposed significant changes in security In addition, if a farm loan borrower cannot make payments to suppliers, other creditors, or FSA on time, con - tact your farm loan staff immediately to discuss loan ser vicing options. For more information on FSA farm loan programs, visit www.fsa.usda.gov. BE PALMER AMARANTH AWARE Palmer amaranth is a fast-growing, problematic broadleaf weed native to the Southwest. Recently, this weed has been spread to other parts of the nation. It is a highly competitive weed that has developed resistance to many herbicides, making it difficult to con - trol. It is a ver y prolific seed producer, producing up to 250,000 seeds from one plant. As you spend time in your fields this summer, be on the lookout for Palmer amaranth. If you suspect Palmer ama - ranth is on your property, contact your local county extension agent or crop consultant for recommendations for control. You can take steps to help pre - vent further infestation by not entering affected areas, and always cleaning vehicles, equipment and clothing that has come in contact with the weed. Those planting grasses and flower mixes for conser vation plantings should only use local reputable sources. Obtaining a seed laborator y report before purchasing a seed mix is recommended. Reject any seed lots which have "pigweed" or "amaranth" as a weed component unless the pig - weed seed has been genetically tested to not be Palmer amaranth. Click here to learn more about Palmer amaranth and how to identify it. USDA Farm Ser vice Agency Offers Text Alerts to Pike County Producers Subscribers Can Receive Important Program Reminders and Updates Farmers in Pike County, Indiana now can receive notifications from their county office through text mes - sages on their cell phone. Whether producers are in the field, on a tractor or even on horseback, this ser vice enables FSA customers and stakeholders to receive notifications while on the go. Producers will receive text messages regarding important program deadlines, reporting require - ments, outreach events and updates. Producers can text INPIKE to FSANOW (372-669) to subscribe to text message alerts from Pike County. Standard text messaging rates apply. Contact your wireless carrier for details associated with your particular data plan. Participants may unsub - scribe at any time. Please contact your local FSA office at 812.354.6120 if you have questions regarding FSA's email news ser vice or the new text message option. PAYMENT LIMITATIONS BY PROGRAM The 2014 Farm Bill established a maximum dollar amount for each pro- gram that can be received annually, di- rectly or indirectly, by each person or legal entity. Payment limitations var y by program for 2014 through 2018. Below is an over view of payment limitations by program. Commodity and Price Support Programs The annual limitation for the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs, Loan Deficiency Payments (LDPs) and Market Loan Gains is $125,000 each. CONSERVATION PROGRAMS The Conser vation Reser ve Pro- gram (CRP) annual rental payment and incentive payment (including both practice incentive payments and signing incentive payments) is limited to $50,000. CRP contracts approved before Oct. 1, 2008, may exceed the limitation, subject to payment limitation rules in effect on the date of contract approval. The Emergency Conser vation Program (ECP) has an annual limit of $200,000 per disaster event. The Emer - gency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP) has an annual limit of $500,000 per disaster event. DISASTER ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS The annual limitation of $125,000 applies to the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm- Raised Fish Program (ELAP), Live - stock Forage Disaster Program (LFP), Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP), Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) and Tree Assistance Program (TAP). The total payments received under ELAP, LFP and LIP may not exceed $125,000. A separate limitation applies to TAP payments. Payment limitations also apply to Natural Resources Conser vation Ser - vice (NRCS) programs. Contact your local NRCS office for more informa- tion. For more information on FSA payment limitations by program, visit https://www.fsa.usda.gov/Assets/ USDA-FSA- Public/usdafiles/Fact - Sheets/2015/payment_eligibility_pay- ment_limitations.pdf Filing CCC-941 Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) Certifications Many producers have experienced delays in receiving Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Cover - age (PLC) payments, Loan Deficiency Payments (LDPs) and Market Gains on Marketing Assistance Loans (MALs) because they have not filed form CCC-941, Adjusted Gross Income Certification. LDPs will not be paid until all eligible producers, including landowners who share in the crop, have filed a valid CCC-941. Producers without a valid CCC-941 certifying their compliance with the average adjusted gross income provi - sions will not receive payments that have been processed. All farm opera- tor/tenants/owners who have not filed a CCC-941 and have pending payments should IMMEDIATELY file the form with their recording county FSA office. Farm operators and tenants are en - couraged to ensure that their landown- ers have filed the form. FSA can accept the CCC-941 for 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017. Unlike the past, producers must have the CCC- 941 certifying their AGI compliance before any payments can be issued. In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, dis - ability, age, marital status, family/ parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any pro - gram or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines var y by program or incident. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of com - munication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720- 2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Ser vice at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English. To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Dis - crimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at http://www.ascr.usda. gov/complaint_filing_cust.html and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretar y for Civil Rights, 1400 Inde - pendence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690- 7442; or (3) email: program.intake@ usda.gov. USDA is an equal opportu - nity provider, employer, and lender.