IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:

 

v  June 3, 2013 – deadline to sign-up for ACRE

v  June 7, 2013 – deadline to apply for 2011 SURE benefits

v  July 15, 2013 – deadline to report spring seeded crops / failed Winter Wheat

v  August 3, 2013 – deadline to sign-up for DCP

Please call the Dawes/N. Sioux County FSA Office (308)432-4616

schedule an appointment to complete 2013 DCP/ACRE sign-up

CRP MAINTENANCE & WEED CONTROL REMINDER

Producers, who entered into the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), agree to control weeds, insects and rodents.  If the County Office Committee (COC) determines a producer has not made a good faith effort to control undesirables, the contract can be terminated.  In the event a CRP contract is terminated, the producer would be required to refund all annual payments, all cost share payments, plus interest and liquidated damages. The COC may consider a producer out of compliance with the terms and conditions of the CRP contract for:

Allowing noxious weeds to spread or go to seed as determined by the COC Allowing any weeds to adversely affect the CRP cover or surrounding land as determined by the COC.

The COC is notified by the County Weed and Pest Board or County Weed Supervisor that you are in violation of the State Noxious Weed Law Other types of weeds are not controlled to the extent that they threaten the grass cover that was established in accordance with your CRP Conservation Plan

Non-control of insects and rodents to the same extent as carried out by other producers in the area

Violation of any pest or insect ordinance enacted by the County Weed and Pest Board.

Producers that enter into a CRP contract also agreed not to disturb the cover during the primary nesting season (May 1 through Aug. 1).  Mechanical or chemical spot treatment of weeds, insects, or rodents during the primary nesting season can be allowed if written approval is obtained from the COC. 

Beehives may be allowed on CRP as long as the producer requests and receives permission from the COC prior to the hives being placed on the CRP.

 

Sodbuster, Swampbuster

Most Farm Service Agency programs require compliance with sodbuster and swampbuster provisions. These provisions require producers to follow an approved conservation system on all highly erodible land planted to an annual crop as determined by the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Be sure to have determinations made on any new land you plan to plant to annual crops. If you plan to plant a different crop on your current cropland, check with NRCS to assure the new crop will qualify under your conservation system.

Swampbuster provisions state that converting a wetland to make possible the planting of a crop will result in the loss of all USDA benefits. To avoid this possibility it is strongly recommended that producers check with NRCS before starting any kind of dirt work. 

REPORT PREVENTED AND FAILED ACREAGE TO FSA

With drought conditions slowing spring planting, the Farm Service Agency (FSA) reminds producers to timely report any prevented or failed acreage to their local office.  The reporting of prevented or failed acreage to FSA will ensure compliance with current farm programs, and possible eligibility for future disaster programs.

Prevented planting acreage, or acreage that could not be planted because of field conditions or other natural disaster, should be reported to FSA within 15 days of the final planting date of the crop. This includes crops covered by crop insurance or the Non-insured Assistance Program (NAP) and crops without insurance coverage. Final planting dates vary among crop types.  If a producer misses the reporting deadline for prevented planting, they may still report prevented planting acreage, as long as the disaster condition may be verified by a paid service field visit.

Failed acreage should be reported to FSA before plowing up the failed crop and replanting.  For crop losses on crops covered by the Non-insured Assistance Program (NAP), producers must contact their local FSA office within 15 days of the occurrence of the disaster or when losses become apparent.  Producers with crop insurance should contact their local agent when losses occur and before destroying the crop.

To ensure eligibility for current farm programs, producers need to report all crop acreage to FSA before July 15, 2013.  Acreage reports are required for program eligibility and mandatory for producers who participate in the FSA programs such as the Direct and Counter-Cyclical Program, Conservation Reserve Program, Commodity Loans, Loan Deficiency Payments, and the Non-insured Assistance Program. After the July 15th reporting deadline, producers will be charged a minimum late filing fee of $46.

 

 

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (866) 632-9992 (Toll-free Customer Service), (800) 877-8339 (Local or Federal relay), (866) 377-8642 (Relay voice users).