Aye, Wot a Thrill This Email Is
Mar. 3rd, 2012 01:49 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lsandersonNORTH DAKOTA FSA eNews
March 2012
________________________________________
Spring is knocking at everybody’s door. The county FSA offices are ready and waiting for producers to stop in and sign up for the 2012 DCP/ACRE program which has a deadline of June 1. The big news for March in the general CRP sign up that starts on Monday, March 12 and ends on Friday, April 6. This is only a four week window to get in and make an offer. Please do not hesitate, come in early because we expect a large amount of interest.
________________________________________
CRP General Sign-up
FSA will conduct a four-week Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) general signup, beginning on March 12 and ending on April 6.
Land eligible for enrollment includes:
• Cropland currently enrolled in CRP that expires on September 30, 2012
• Cropland previously enrolled in CRP that continues to be maintained as CRP
• Cropland not previously enrolled in CRP
• Cropland previously enrolled in CRP that has been returned to an annual crop rotation
• Planted or considered planted to an agricultural commodity in four of the six crop years from 2002 to 2007. (Land enrolled in CRP any of the years 2002 to 2007 is considered planted)
• Be physically and legally capable of being planted in a normal manner to an agricultural commodity (legally is identified as no planting restriction due to an easement or other legally binding instrument)
Rental rates will be calculated based on a weighted average of the three most predominant soil types. Each soil type in a county has an assigned rental rate value.
Cost-share assistance will be available for contracts needing cover established or enhanced. Cost-share assistance cannot exceed 50 percent of the participant’s costs to establish approved practices.
To be considered for acceptance an offer to enroll land in CRP must be completed in the FSA County Office where the land is administered.
A CRP signup Fact Sheet and an updated EBI Fact Sheet are available on FSA’s Internet at www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA.
Offers for CRP contracts are ranked according to the Environmental Benefits Index (EBI). USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) collects data for each of the EBI factors based on the relative environmental benefits for the land offered. Each eligible offer is ranked in comparison to all other offers and selections made from that ranking.
________________________________________
2012 DCP/ACRE Sign-Up
2012 Direct and Counter-Cyclical Program (DCP) enrollment is available through June 1, 2012. Here are some IMPORTANT REMINDERS:
• All producers with an interest in DCP base acres must be included on the DCP/ACRE contract and receive a proportionate share of DCP/ACRE payment for the farm.
• All producers receiving a share greater than zero on the DCP/ACRE contract must sign the contract no later than June 1, 2012.
• Advance payments are not authorized in the 2012 DCP/ACRE program, therefore 100% of the farm’s direct payment will be issued in October of 2012.
________________________________________
Supplemental Revenue Assistance Program (SURE)
The sign-up for 2010 losses runs through June 1, 2012.
The Supplemental Revenue Assistance Program (SURE) provides benefits for farm
revenue losses due to natural disasters that incurred in the crop year 2010. SURE is available to eligible producers on:
• Farms in counties with Secretarial disaster declarations, including contiguous counties, that have incurred crop production or quality losses, or both, and includes all crops grown by a producer nationwide, except grazed crops.
• Any farm in which, for the crop year, the actual production on the farm because of disaster-related conditions is 50 percent or less than normal production of the farm.
Interested producers must contact their county office for the application to be processed.
For more information on the SURE program, please visit your local FSA county office or http://www.fsa.usda.gov.
________________________________________
2012 Noninsured Assistance Program
The Noninsured Assistance Program (NAP) provides financial assistance to eligible producers affected by a natural disaster. The program covers crops for which Federal Crop Insurance is not available. NAP covers losses greater than 50% of your expected production, based upon your approved yield and reported acreage, and losses are paid at 55% of the NAP price. To apply for 2012 crop coverage, producers must complete a CCC-471 application for coverage and pay the service fee. The application and service fee must be filed by the applicable sales closing date. The service fee is $250 per crop per county or $750 per producer per county, not to exceed $1875 per producer in all counties.
Producers must purchase NAP policies for all spring planted crops, including grass for hay and grazing, by the 2012 sales closing date of March 15, 2012.
________________________________________
2011 Crop Commodity Loan Deadline
Producers planning to use the commodity loan program for their 2011 crops are reminded that March 31, 2012 is the deadline for filing applications for the following 2011 crops: wheat, barley, oats, canola, crambe, flaxseed, rapeseed, sesame and honey.
These loans carry a nine month maturity and can be repaid with cash at disbursement to loan maturity. To be eligible, producers must have produced an eligible loan commodity during for the applicable crop year, complied with annual program requirements, maintain beneficial interest (have title to the commodity and retain control of the commodity), request MAL on or before the final loan availability date for a specific commodity, and, if required, submit lien waivers for any liens existing on the crop for which MAL is being requested.
Violating provisions of a marketing assistance loan may trigger administrative actions, such as assessing liquidated damages, calling the loan and denial of future farm-stored loans. The most common violations are removing or disposing of a commodity being used as loan collateral without prior authorization and providing an incorrect quantity certification.
Producers interested in a commodity loan on the above listed commodities should contact their local county FSA office staff prior to the March 31 deadline.
________________________________________
Bank Account Changes
Current policy mandates that FSA payments be electronically transferred into your bank account. In order for timely payments to be made, producers need to notify the FSA county office if your account has been changed or if another financial institution purchases your bank. Payments can be delayed if the FSA office is not aware of updates to your account and routing numbers.
________________________________________
Receiving FSA/CCC Payments by Treasury Check
FSA/CCC makes payments electronically through a program called Direct Deposit. Direct Deposit is a safe, convenient, and reliable way to receive your FSA/CCC payment through a financial institution. A financial institution can be a bank, credit union, or thrift account.
If you currently receive your FSA/CCC payments by Treasury check, please contact your local county FSA office to complete a form SF-3881.
________________________________________
March Loan and Interest Rates
Operating Loans - 1.375%
Farm Ownership Loans - 3.375%
Farm Ownership - Down Payment Loans - 1.50%
Emergency Operation Loans - 1.375%
Crop Year Commodity Loans - 1.125%
Farm Storage Facility Loan, 7-Year - 1.375%
Farm Storage Facility Loan, 10-Year - 2.000%
Farm Storage Facility Loan, 12-Year - 2.250%
________________________________________
Important Dates to Remember
3/12/2012 - CRP General Signup Begins
3/15/2012 - NAP Deadline for 2012 Forage and other Spring Planted crops
4/6/2012 - Last Day of CRP General Signup
6/1/2012 - End of 2010 SURE Signup
6/1/2012 - End of 2012 DCP/ACRE Signup
7/15/2012 - Acreage Reporting Deadline
7/15/2012 - 2011 ACRE Production Evidence
8/1/2012 - 2012 Land and Ownership Changes
________________________________________
Need Help Planting a Crop?
Call Farm Rescue, the nonprofit organization that plants and harvests crops for family farmers who have experienced a major injury, illness or natural disaster. Up to 1,000 acres planted free of charge. Go to farmrescue.org or call 701-252-2017 for an application. Priority is given to applications received by April 15.
March 2012
________________________________________
Spring is knocking at everybody’s door. The county FSA offices are ready and waiting for producers to stop in and sign up for the 2012 DCP/ACRE program which has a deadline of June 1. The big news for March in the general CRP sign up that starts on Monday, March 12 and ends on Friday, April 6. This is only a four week window to get in and make an offer. Please do not hesitate, come in early because we expect a large amount of interest.
________________________________________
CRP General Sign-up
FSA will conduct a four-week Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) general signup, beginning on March 12 and ending on April 6.
Land eligible for enrollment includes:
• Cropland currently enrolled in CRP that expires on September 30, 2012
• Cropland previously enrolled in CRP that continues to be maintained as CRP
• Cropland not previously enrolled in CRP
• Cropland previously enrolled in CRP that has been returned to an annual crop rotation
• Planted or considered planted to an agricultural commodity in four of the six crop years from 2002 to 2007. (Land enrolled in CRP any of the years 2002 to 2007 is considered planted)
• Be physically and legally capable of being planted in a normal manner to an agricultural commodity (legally is identified as no planting restriction due to an easement or other legally binding instrument)
Rental rates will be calculated based on a weighted average of the three most predominant soil types. Each soil type in a county has an assigned rental rate value.
Cost-share assistance will be available for contracts needing cover established or enhanced. Cost-share assistance cannot exceed 50 percent of the participant’s costs to establish approved practices.
To be considered for acceptance an offer to enroll land in CRP must be completed in the FSA County Office where the land is administered.
A CRP signup Fact Sheet and an updated EBI Fact Sheet are available on FSA’s Internet at www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA.
Offers for CRP contracts are ranked according to the Environmental Benefits Index (EBI). USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) collects data for each of the EBI factors based on the relative environmental benefits for the land offered. Each eligible offer is ranked in comparison to all other offers and selections made from that ranking.
________________________________________
2012 DCP/ACRE Sign-Up
2012 Direct and Counter-Cyclical Program (DCP) enrollment is available through June 1, 2012. Here are some IMPORTANT REMINDERS:
• All producers with an interest in DCP base acres must be included on the DCP/ACRE contract and receive a proportionate share of DCP/ACRE payment for the farm.
• All producers receiving a share greater than zero on the DCP/ACRE contract must sign the contract no later than June 1, 2012.
• Advance payments are not authorized in the 2012 DCP/ACRE program, therefore 100% of the farm’s direct payment will be issued in October of 2012.
________________________________________
Supplemental Revenue Assistance Program (SURE)
The sign-up for 2010 losses runs through June 1, 2012.
The Supplemental Revenue Assistance Program (SURE) provides benefits for farm
revenue losses due to natural disasters that incurred in the crop year 2010. SURE is available to eligible producers on:
• Farms in counties with Secretarial disaster declarations, including contiguous counties, that have incurred crop production or quality losses, or both, and includes all crops grown by a producer nationwide, except grazed crops.
• Any farm in which, for the crop year, the actual production on the farm because of disaster-related conditions is 50 percent or less than normal production of the farm.
Interested producers must contact their county office for the application to be processed.
For more information on the SURE program, please visit your local FSA county office or http://www.fsa.usda.gov.
________________________________________
2012 Noninsured Assistance Program
The Noninsured Assistance Program (NAP) provides financial assistance to eligible producers affected by a natural disaster. The program covers crops for which Federal Crop Insurance is not available. NAP covers losses greater than 50% of your expected production, based upon your approved yield and reported acreage, and losses are paid at 55% of the NAP price. To apply for 2012 crop coverage, producers must complete a CCC-471 application for coverage and pay the service fee. The application and service fee must be filed by the applicable sales closing date. The service fee is $250 per crop per county or $750 per producer per county, not to exceed $1875 per producer in all counties.
Producers must purchase NAP policies for all spring planted crops, including grass for hay and grazing, by the 2012 sales closing date of March 15, 2012.
________________________________________
2011 Crop Commodity Loan Deadline
Producers planning to use the commodity loan program for their 2011 crops are reminded that March 31, 2012 is the deadline for filing applications for the following 2011 crops: wheat, barley, oats, canola, crambe, flaxseed, rapeseed, sesame and honey.
These loans carry a nine month maturity and can be repaid with cash at disbursement to loan maturity. To be eligible, producers must have produced an eligible loan commodity during for the applicable crop year, complied with annual program requirements, maintain beneficial interest (have title to the commodity and retain control of the commodity), request MAL on or before the final loan availability date for a specific commodity, and, if required, submit lien waivers for any liens existing on the crop for which MAL is being requested.
Violating provisions of a marketing assistance loan may trigger administrative actions, such as assessing liquidated damages, calling the loan and denial of future farm-stored loans. The most common violations are removing or disposing of a commodity being used as loan collateral without prior authorization and providing an incorrect quantity certification.
Producers interested in a commodity loan on the above listed commodities should contact their local county FSA office staff prior to the March 31 deadline.
________________________________________
Bank Account Changes
Current policy mandates that FSA payments be electronically transferred into your bank account. In order for timely payments to be made, producers need to notify the FSA county office if your account has been changed or if another financial institution purchases your bank. Payments can be delayed if the FSA office is not aware of updates to your account and routing numbers.
________________________________________
Receiving FSA/CCC Payments by Treasury Check
FSA/CCC makes payments electronically through a program called Direct Deposit. Direct Deposit is a safe, convenient, and reliable way to receive your FSA/CCC payment through a financial institution. A financial institution can be a bank, credit union, or thrift account.
If you currently receive your FSA/CCC payments by Treasury check, please contact your local county FSA office to complete a form SF-3881.
________________________________________
March Loan and Interest Rates
Operating Loans - 1.375%
Farm Ownership Loans - 3.375%
Farm Ownership - Down Payment Loans - 1.50%
Emergency Operation Loans - 1.375%
Crop Year Commodity Loans - 1.125%
Farm Storage Facility Loan, 7-Year - 1.375%
Farm Storage Facility Loan, 10-Year - 2.000%
Farm Storage Facility Loan, 12-Year - 2.250%
________________________________________
Important Dates to Remember
3/12/2012 - CRP General Signup Begins
3/15/2012 - NAP Deadline for 2012 Forage and other Spring Planted crops
4/6/2012 - Last Day of CRP General Signup
6/1/2012 - End of 2010 SURE Signup
6/1/2012 - End of 2012 DCP/ACRE Signup
7/15/2012 - Acreage Reporting Deadline
7/15/2012 - 2011 ACRE Production Evidence
8/1/2012 - 2012 Land and Ownership Changes
________________________________________
Need Help Planting a Crop?
Call Farm Rescue, the nonprofit organization that plants and harvests crops for family farmers who have experienced a major injury, illness or natural disaster. Up to 1,000 acres planted free of charge. Go to farmrescue.org or call 701-252-2017 for an application. Priority is given to applications received by April 15.
