Terry County FSA News . . .

by admin
Hello fellow Terry County Farmers and Ranchers,Thank you for reading another edition of our monthly newsletter.  We have several important news/dates we would like to share with you. Producers who own or operate CRP land are reminded not to hay, graze, or perform management activities during the primary nesting season March 1 – June 1, 2020.

Producers who own or operate CRP land with contracts set to expire on 09/30/2020 are reminded to not hay, graze, or break out the land until after the expiration date.  Early land preparation on CRP land is allowed, but the producer must notify the county office and follow the provisions set in place. 

2019 ARC/PLC signup is nearly complete. 
We will begin signup for 2020 ARC/PLC from 03/17/2020 – 06/30/2020.  
IMPORTANT: if you picked up land for the 2020 crop year, please notify the county office before signing up for 2020 ARC/PLC, and no later than June 1st 2020.  Producers are also reminded to provide FSA with copies of current cash lease agreements. 

Terry County is eligible for WHIP+ disaster payments for the 2018 crop year.  WHIP+ signup will begin in late March – early April.  At this time the county office is creating a register list for producers interested in signing up for the program.  If Terry county is your recording county, please contact the county office so we can place you on the WHIP+ register list.  When we get to your name on the list, we will call you to set up an appointment.
IMPORTANT DATES 
March 1 – June 1, 2020 – CRP primary nesting seasonMarch 16, 2020– Deadline to Sign-up for 2019 ARC/PLC

March 16, 2020– Deadline to purchase 2020 NAP coverage for spring planted crops (watermelons, pumpkin, etc..)

March 16, 2020– Deadline to report pecan acreage

June 1, 2020– Deadline to make farm changes for 2020 crop year.

June 30, 2020- Deadline to sign-up for 2020 ARC/PLC

July 15, 2020 – Deadline to certify spring crops
FSA Encourages Producers to Enroll Soon in Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage Programs
FSA Encourages Producers to Enroll Soon in Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage Programs
USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) encourages agricultural producers to enroll now in the Agriculture Risk Loss (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs.
March 15, 2020 is the enrollment deadline for the 2019 crop year.Although more than 200,000 producers have enrolled to date, FSA anticipates 1.5 million producers will enroll for ARC and PLC. By enrolling soon, producers can beat the rush as the deadline nears.FSA offices have multiple programs competing for the time and attention of our staff. Because of the importance and complexities of the ARC and PLC programs; and to ensure FSA meets your program delivery expectations, please do not wait to start the enrollment process. Call your FSA county office and make an appointment soon to ensure your elections are made and contracts signed well ahead of the deadlines.ARC and PLC provide financial protections to farmers from substantial drops in crop prices or revenues and are vital economic safety nets for most American farms.
The programs cover the following commodities: barley, canola, large and small chickpeas, corn, crambe, flaxseed, grain sorghum, lentils, mustard seed, oats, peanuts, dry peas, rapeseed, long grain rice, medium and short grain rice, safflower seed, seed cotton, sesame, soybeans, sunflower seed and wheat.
Until March 15, producers who have not yet enrolled in ARC or PLC for 2019 can enroll for both 2019 and 2020 during the same visit to an FSA county office unless yield updates are requested.
Additionally, farm owners have a one-time opportunity to update PLC payment yields that take effect begin-ning with crop year 2020. If the owner accompanies the producer to the office, the yield update and enrollments may be completed during the same office visit.
More Information
For more information on ARC and PLC, download our program fact sheet or our 2014-2018 farm bills comparison fact sheet. Online ARC and PLC election decision tools are available at fsa.usda.gov/arc/plc. To enroll, contact your FSA county office for an appointment.
The Importance of Responding to NASS Surveys
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) conducts hundreds of surveys every year and prepares reports covering virtually every aspect of U.S. agriculture.Producers who receive survey questionnaires should respond quickly and online if possible.The results of the surveys help determine the structure of USDA farm programs, such as soil rental rates for the Conservation Reserve Program and prices and yields used for the Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage programs.
This county-level data is critical for USDA farm payment determinations. Survey responses also help associations, businesses and policymakers advocate for their industry and help educate others on the importance of agriculture.NASS safeguards the privacy of all respondents and publishes only aggregate data, ensuring that no individual operation or producer can be identified.
NASS data is available online at www.nass.usda.gov/Publications and through the searchable Quick Stats database.
Watch a video on how NASS data is used at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-4zjnh26io&feature=youtu.be.
Higher Limits Now Available on USDA Farm Loans
Higher limits are now available for borrowers interested in USDA’s farm loans, which help agricultural producers purchase farms or cover operating expenses. The 2018 Farm Bill increased the amount that producers can borrow through direct and guaranteed loans available through USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) and made changes to other loans, such as microloans and emergency loans.
Key changes include:
• The Direct Operating Loan limit increased from $300,000 to $400,000, and the Guaranteed Operating Loan limit increased from $ 1.429 million to $1.75 million. Operating loans help producers pay for normal operating expenses, including machinery and equipment, seed, livestock feed, and more.
• The Direct Farm Ownership Loan limit increased from $300,000 to $600,000, and the Guaranteed Farm Ownership Loan limit increased from $1.429 million to $1.75 million. Farm ownership loans help producers become owner-operators of family farms as well as improve and expand current operations.
• Producers can now receive both a $50,000 Farm Ownership Microloan and a $50,000 Operating Microloan. Previously, microloans were limited to a combined $50,000. Microloans provide flexible access to credit for small, beginning, niche, and non-traditional farm operations.
• Producers who previously received debt forgiveness as part of an approved FSA restructuring plan are now eligible to apply for emergency loans. Previously, these producers were ineligible.
• Beginning and socially disadvantaged producers can now receive up to a 95 percent guarantee against the loss of principal and interest on a loan, up from 90 percent.
About Farm Loans
Direct farm loans, which include microloans and emergency loans, are financed and serviced by FSA, while guaranteed farm loans are financed and serviced by commercial lenders. For guaranteed loans, FSA provides a guarantee against possible financial loss of principal and interest.
For more information on FSA farm loans, visit www.fsa.usda.gov or contact your local USDA service center.

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