The Press-Dispatch
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/895273
The Press-Dispatch Pike County Planter SWCD Newsletter November and December 2017 A- 11 Pike County FSA news By Amy R. Barber County Executive Director Pike County Farm Ser vice Agency ELIGIBILITY FOR ELECTIONS FOR THE 2017 COUNTY COMMITTEE Elections for USDA's Farm Ser vice Agency's (FSA) Pike County Committee are under way. It is important that ever y eligible pro- ducer participate in these elections because FSA county committees are a link between the agricultural community and the USDA. The 2017 election in Pike County will be con- ducted for the representative Local Admin- istrative Area (LAA): LAA #1 which includes Clay, Logan and Madison Townships. To be eligible to vote in the elections, a person must: Meet requirement one (see explanation below) or meet requirement two, and re- quirement three (see explanation below). Requirement One: Be of legal voting age and have an interest in a farm as either: an individual who meets one or more of the following; (a) is eligible to vote in one's own right, (b) is a partner of a general partner- ship, (c) is a member of a joint venture. OR an authorized representative of a legal entity, such as: (a) a corporation, estate, trust, limited partnership or other business enterprise, excluding general partnership and joint ventures (b) a state, political subdi- vision of a state or any state agency (only the designated representative may cast a vote for the entity). Requirement Two: Not of legal voting age, but super vises and conducts the farm- ing operations of an entire farm. Requirement Three: Participates or co- operates in an FSA program that is provided by law. County committee election ballots will be mailed to eligible voters on Nov. 6, 2017. The last day to return completed ballots to the USDA ser vice center is Dec. 4, 2017. For more information on eligibility to ser ve on FSA county committees, visit: www. fsa.usda.gov/elections. 2017 ACREAGE REPORTING DATES In order to comply with FSA program eligibility requirements, all producers are encouraged to visit your local county FSA office to file an accurate crop certification report by the applicable deadline. Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) policy holders should note that the acreage reporting date for NAP cov- ered crops is the earlier of the dates listed below or 15 calendar days before grazing or har vesting of the crop begins. The following acreage reporting dates are applicable for Indiana: July 15 – all other crops September 30 – Value Loss and Controlled Environment Crop (for the coming program year) November 15 – Perennial Grazing and Forage Crops (alfalfa, grass, mixed forages, clover, etc.) December 15 – Fall-Seeded Small Grains The following exceptions apply to the above acreage reporting dates: If the crop has not been planted by the above acreage reporting date, then the acreage must be reported no later than 15 calendar days after planting is completed. If a producer acquires additional acreage after the above acreage reporting date, then the acreage must be reported no later than 30 calendar days after purchase or acquiring the lease. Appropriate documentation must be provided to the county office. If a perennial forage crop is reported with the intended use of "cover only," "green manure," "left standing," or "seed," then the acreage must be reported by July 15th. Cucumbers and crops for NAP coverage may have dates not included on the chart above. Visit your local county office for details. For questions regarding crop certification and crop loss reports, please contact your local county FSA office. REPORTING ORGANIC CROPS Producers who want to use the Nonin- sured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) organic price and selected the "or- ganic" option on their NAP application must report their crops as organic. When certifying organic acres, the buf- fer zone acreage must be included in the organic acreage. Producers must also provide a current organic plan, organic certificate or docu- mentation from a certifying agent indicating an organic plan is in effect. Documentation must include: • name of certified individuals • address • telephone number • effective date of certification • certificate number • list of commodities certified • name and address of certifying agent • a map showing the specific location of each field of certified organic, including the buffer zone acreage Certification exemptions are available for producers whose annual gross agricultural income from organic sales totals $5,000 or less. Although exempt growers are not required to provide a written certificate, they are still required to provide a map showing the specific location of each field of certi - fied organic, transitional and buffer zone acreage. For questions about reporting organic crops, contact your local FSA office. To find your local office, visit http://offices.usda. gov. USDA ISSUES FARM SAFETY NET AND CONSERVATION PAYMENTS USDA Issues Farm Safety Net and Con- ser vation Payments USDA Farm Ser vice Agency announced that over $9.6 billion in payments will be made to producers through the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC), Price Loss Coverage (PLC) and Conser vation Reser ve (CRP) pro- grams. The USDA is issuing approximately $8 billion in payments under the ARC and PLC programs for the 2016 crop year, and $1.6 billion under CRP for 2017. The ARC and PLC programs were autho- rized by the 2014 Farm Bill and offer a safety net to agricultural producers when there is a substantial drop in revenue or prices for covered commodities. Over half a million producers will receive ARC payments and over a quarter million producers will receive PLC payments for 2016 crops, starting the first week of October and continuing over the next several months. Payments are being made to producers who enrolled base acres of barley, corn, grain sorghum, lentils, oats, peanuts, dr y peas, soybeans, wheat and canola. In the upcoming months, payments will be an - nounced after marketing year average prices are published by USDA's National Agricul- tural Statistics Ser vice for the remaining covered commodities. Those include long and medium grain rice (except for temperate Japonica rice), which will be announced in November; remaining oilseeds and chick- peas, which will be announced in December; and temperate Japonica rice, which will be announced in early Februar y 2017. The estimated payments are before application of sequestration and other reductions and lim- its, including adjusted gross income limits and payment limitations. Also, as part of an ongoing effort to protect sensitive lands and improve water quality and wildlife habitat, USDA will begin issuing 2017 CRP payments in October to over 375,000 Americans. Signed into law by President Reagan in 1985, CRP is one of the largest private-lands conser vation program in the United States. Thanks to voluntar y participation by farmers and landowners, CRP has improved water quality, reduced soil erosion and increased habitat for endangered and threatened spe - cies. In return for enrolling in CRP, USDA, through the Farm Ser vice Agency (FSA) on behalf of the Commodity Credit Corporation, provides participants with rental payments and cost-share assistance. Participants enter into contracts that last between 10 and 15 years. CRP payments are made to par- ticipants who remove sensitive lands from production and plant certain grasses, shrubs and trees that improve water quality, prevent soil erosion and increase wildlife habitat. For more details regarding ARC and PLC programs, go to www.fsa.usda.gov/arc-plc. For more information about CRP, contact your local FSA office or visit www.fsa.usda. gov/crp. Payment Limitations by Program The 2014 Farm Bill established a maximum dollar amount for each program that can be received annually, directly 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 limita - tions by program. Commodity and Price Support Programs The annual limitation for the Agricul- ture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs, Loan Deficiency Payments (LDPs) and Market Loan Gains is $125,000 each. Conser vation Programs The Conser vation Reser ve Program (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 limita - tion, 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 Emergency Forest Res- toration 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), Livestock Forage Disaster Pro- gram (LFP), Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP), Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) and Tree Assistance Pro- gram (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 information. For more information on FSA payment limitations by program, visit https://www. fsa.usda.gov/Assets/USDA-FSA-Public/ usdafiles/FactSheets/2015/payment_eligi - bility_payment_limitations.pdf. UPDATE YOUR RECORDS FSA is cleaning up our producer record database. If you have any unreported changes of address or zip code or an incor- rect name or business name on file they need to be reported to our office. Changes in your farm operation, like the addition of a farm by lease or purchase, need to be reported to our office as well. Producers par- ticipating 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 corrections, please call your local FSA office to update your records. FARM RECONSTITUTIONS When changes in farm ownership or operation take place, a farm reconstitution is necessar y. The reconstitution – or recon – is the process of combining or dividing farms or tracts of land based on the farming operation. The following are the different methods used when doing a farm reconstitutions. Estate Method: the division of bases, allotments and quotas for a parent farm among heirs in settling an estate; Designation of Landowner Method: may be used when (1) part of a farm is sold or ownership is transferred; (2) an entire farm is sold to two or more persons; (3) farm ownership is transferred to two or more persons; (4) part of a tract is sold or owner - ship is transferred; (5) a tract is sold to two or more persons; or (6) tract ownership is transferred to two or more persons. In order to use this method the land sold must have been owned for at least three years, or a waiver granted, and the buyer and seller must sign a Memorandum of Understand- ing; DCP Cropland Method: the division of bases in the same proportion that the DCP cropland for each resulting tract relates to the DCP cropland on the parent tract; Default Method: the division of bases for a parent farm with each tract maintaining the bases attributed to the tract level when the reconstitution is initiated in the system. PRICE SUPPORT: Farm Storage Facility Loans: FSA's Farm Storage Facility Loan (FSFL) program provides low-interest financing to producers to build or upgrade storage facilities. The low-interest funds can be used to build or upgrade permanent facilities to store commodities. Eligible commodities include corn, grain sorghum, rice, soybeans, oats, peanuts, wheat, barley, minor oilseeds har vested as whole grain, pulse crops (len - tils, chickpeas and dr y peas), hay, honey, re- newable biomass, fruits, nuts and vegetables for cold storage facilities, floriculture, hops, maple sap, r ye, milk, cheese, butter, yogurt, meat and poultr y (unprocessed), eggs, and aquaculture (excluding systems that maintain live animals through uptake and discharge of water). Qualified facilities in- clude grain bins, hay barns and cold storage facilities for eligible commodities. Loans up to $50,000 can be secured by a promissor y note/security agreement and loans between $50,000 and $100,000 may require additional security. Loans exceeding $100,000 require additional security. Producers do not need to demonstrate the lack of commercial credit availability to apply. The loans are designed to assist a diverse range of farming operations, includ- ing small and mid-sized businesses, new farmers, operations supplying local food and farmers markets, non-traditional farm products, and underser ved producers. To learn more about the FSA Farm Storage Facility Loan, visit www.fsa.usda. gov/pricesupport or contact your local FSA county office. To find your local FSA county office, visit http://offices.usda.gov. MARKETING ASSISTANCE LOANS (MALS) AND LOAN DEFICIENCY PAYMENTS (LDPS) The Agricultural Act of 2014 authorized 2014-2018 crop year Marketing Assistance Loans (MALs) and Loan Deficiency Pay- ments (LDPs), with a few minor policy changes. MALs and LDPs provide financing and marketing assistance for wheat, feed grains, soybeans, and other oilseeds, pulse crops, wool and honey. MALs provide producers interim financing after har vest to help them meet cash flow needs without having to sell their commodities when market prices are typically at har vest-time lows. A producer who is eligible to obtain a loan, but agrees to forgo the loan, may obtain an LDP if such a payment is available. Marketing loan provi- sions and LDPs are not available for sugar and extra-long staple cotton. Before MAL market gain repayments and LDP disbursements can be made, produc- ers must meet the requirements of actively engaged in farming, cash rent tenant and member contribution. Additionally, form CCC-902 and CCC-901 must be submitted for the 2017 crop year, if applicable, with a county committee determi - nation and updated subsidiar y files. To be considered eligible for an LDP, producers must have form CCC-633EZ, Page 1 on file at their local FSA Office before los- ing beneficial interest in the crop. Pages 2, 3 or 4 of the form must be submitted when payment is requested. The 2014 Farm Bill also establishes pay- ment limitations per individual or entity not to exceed $125,000 annually on certain com- modities for the following program benefits: price loss coverage payments, agriculture risk coverage payments, marketing loan gains (MLGs) and LDPs. These payment limitations do not apply to MAL loan dis- bursements. Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) provisions were modified by the 2014 Farm Bill, which states that a producer whose total applicable three-year average AGI exceeds $900,000 is not eligible to receive an MLG or LDP. For more information and additional eligibility requirements, please visit a nearby USDA Ser vice Center or FSA's website www. fsa.usda.gov. MAINTAINING THE QUALITY OF FARM- STORED LOAN GRAIN Bins are ideally designed to hold a level volume of grain. When bins are overfilled and grain is heaped up, airflow is hindered and the chance of spoilage increases. Producers who take out marketing as- sistance loans and use the farm-stored grain as collateral should remember that they are responsible for maintaining the quality of the grain through the term of the loan. UNAUTHORIZED DISPOSITION OF GRAIN If loan grain has been disposed of through feeding, selling or any other form of disposal without prior written authorization from the county office staff, it is considered unauthor- ized disposition. The financial penalties for unauthorized dispositions are severe and a producer's name will be placed on a loan violation list for a two-year period. Always call before you haul any grain under loan. USDA SEEKS APPLICATIONS FOR GRANTS TO HELP DEVELOP NEW PRODUCTS The USDA Rural Development (RD) is accepting applications for grants to help farmers, ranchers and producer-based businesses nationwide develop new product lines. The funding is being provided through the Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) program. VAPG grants can be used to devel - op new products from raw agricultural prod- ucts or promote new markets for established products. Veterans, socially-disadvantaged groups, beginning farmers and ranchers, operators of small and medium-sized family farms and ranches and farmer and rancher cooperatives are given special priority. The deadline to submit paper applica- tions is Jan. 31, 2018. Electronic applications submitted through grants.gov are due Jan. 24, 2018. For more information on this grant program, visit USDA Rural Development. For assistance in Indiana, call 812-482-5565 ext 4. 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 discrimi - nating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, po- litical beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases ap- ply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident. Persons with disabilities who require alterna- tive means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audio- tape, 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 Service 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 Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_ cust.html and at any USDA office or write a let - ter 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 Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: program.intake@usda. gov. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender. NRCS and invasive plant groups ready to work together As the problem with invasive plants has risen sharply globally, two entities in Indiana have joined forces to stem the rise of these threats to our economy and environment. The Southern Indiana Cooperative Invasive Management (SICIM) group and the USDA Natural Resources Conser vation Ser vice (NRCS) have entered into a contribution agreement for the purpose of developing local grass-root organizations called Cooperative Invasive Species Management Areas (CIS - MAs) throughout Indiana. Both SICIM and the NRCS have been working for many years to combat invasive plants and raise public awareness of the devastation being caused by these non-native pests, and both have come to the realization that to make headway, the problem needs to be addressed at the local level by local people using local resources. Troy Hinkle is a board member of SICIM which is a CISMA that spans 35 counties across southern Indiana. There are currently four regional CISMAs in Indiana. All of these CISMAs are operated strictly with volunteers. Hinkle explains SICIM is the oldest and larg - est of the existing regional CISMAs and will take the lead state-wide. He said, "Under the five-year contribution agreement, NRCS will provide partial funding for SICIM to hire staff who will work with SWCDs and other conser- vation organizations to develop or enhance CISMAs that cover one or two counties." Hinkle envisions SICIM helping these new CISMAs get organized and find the human and financial resources needed to begin effectively combating invasive plants in their communities. SICIM staff and volunteers will also pro - vide free technical assistance to landowners who want to control invasive plants. Landown- ers can have their properties sur veyed to determine whether non-native plants have invaded their property, and the CISMAs will write management plans for landowners who want to control invasive pests. Jane Hardisty, State Conser vationist with the NRCS is confident that this agreement will bring a needed emphasis to the fight against invasive plants in Indiana. She noted NRCS has put $917,400 into the 5-year agree - ment. The SICIM group has agreed to raise an equal amount through grants, donations, and contributions from other conser vation organizations. Together these $1,834,800 in funds, and the volunteers brought together to work on the invasive problem will be a formidable force which she believes will make a tremendous difference in bringing back the natives and restoring natural habitat in Indiana. For more information on this agreement contact SICIM at http://www.sicim.info/ or call 812-653-5563.