DISTRICT 3 NEWSLETTER

NOVEMBER2009

Prevented Planted Wheat 

Producers who did not get intended wheat acreage planted by October 31, may now apply for prevented planted wheat credit. The last day to timely file is November 15.

To file for “prevented planting”, you must report the acreage and complete an application. You must provide sufficient information for County Committee to determine the claimed prevented planting was the result of natural disaster and not a management decision. When applying you should provide seed, chemical, fertilizer tickets, etc.

Late-filed applications require an FSA representative to make a farm visit to verify the eligible disaster conditions.

2009 Final DCP Payments Loans for Beginning and Socially Disadvantaged Farmers Farm Storage Facility Loan Program CRP Changes

In this issue 

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Just a reminder: Be watching your mailbox for your official county office committee election ballot.

Ballots will be mailed to all eligible voters starting on November 6, 2009.

If, for some reason, you don’t receive a ballot, feel free to notify the county FSA office. Completed and signed ballots are due back in the county office by the close of business on Monday, December 7, 2009.

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Offices Closed November 26 in observance of

Thanksgiving

County Committee 

Missouri

SURE (Supplemental Revenue Assistance Program) 

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FSA expects to implement the Supplemental Revenue Assistance Program (SURE) in mid-November 2009. This program is part of the 2008 Farm Bill that replaces ad hoc disaster pro-grams that have been used in the past. Previous ad hoc disaster programs paid for crop losses by farm. SURE is a “total farm” disaster program. A SURE farm is all of your crop acreage in all counties that you planted or intended to plant for harvest, for commercial sale, or for on-farm livestock feeding. The new SURE program does not have to be legislated, but is already in effect if certain criteria are met: There must be a Secretarial Declaration of disaster OR the producer needs a 50% loss in crop production on the farm. (Remember, farm is ALL acreage you have an interest in.) At least one crop of economic significance must show a 10% loss in production. (To be of economic significance crop must contribute 5% or more of the total expected revenue from all crops on the farm.) You must meet a Risk Management Purchase Requirement (RMPR) in that all insurable crops must have crop insurance and all non-insurable crops must have NAP (non- insurable assistance program) coverage. Some producers purchased a “buy-in” policy for 2008 because it was too late to purchase regular crop insurance for insurable crops and NAP for forage. (If hay is a crop of economic significance on the farm, it is required to have a NAP policy to be eligible for SURE.) Crops considered “de minimis” , the value will not be 5% of the value of all crops, or the fee for the policy exceeds 10% of the value of the coverage ( Value less than $3636 in 2008 and $9090 in 2009). If this is the case, the hay can be excluded from the purchase requirement. If all eligibility rules and criteria are met, SURE pays 60% of the difference between the expected revenue and the actual revenue on the farm for the year. Production will be provided by insur-ance companies with the exception of hay. Producers will be notified when signup begins. The next critical date is March 15, 2010 to obtain insurance on all crops for 2010.

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D IS T R IC T 3 OF F IC ES Tom Balser · District Director Shelby County · 573.633.2387

Judy Warren – CED 4615 S. Clark Mexico, MO 65265 573.581.1406 7:30-4:30 M-F

A U D R A I N

Sharon E. Marks – CED Kurt Shelangoski – FLM Jnctn Hwys 81 and 136 Kahoka, MO 63445 660.727.3364 7:30-4:30 M-F

C L A R K

Mark March – CED Daryl Huchteman – FLM Hwy 6 East Edina, MO 63537] 660.397.2559 7:30-5:00 M-F

K N O X

John Wheeler – CED 502 S. Washington Monticello, MO 63457 573.767.5274 7:45-4:30 M-F

L E W I S

Joe Linneman - CED 112 Frenchman Bluff Rd Troy, MO 63379-9701 636.528-4113 7:45-4:30 M-F

L I N C O L N

Cheryl Fullerton – CED Jared Weydert – FLM 2108 U.S. Hwy 63 Macon, MO 63552 660.385.2616 8:00-4:30 M-F

M A C O N

Joe Swisher – CED 6465 Hwy 168, Suite A Palmyra, MO 63461 573.769-2235 7:45-4:30 M-F

M A R I O N

Tony Francis – CED Sheila Osbourne – FLM 18771 Hwy 15 Paris, MO 65275 660.327.4137 8:00-4:30 M-F

M O N R O E

Roger Colbert - CED Robert Noellsch – FLM 1220 South Business 61 Bowling Green, MO 63334 573.324.3313 8:00-4:30 M-F

P I K E

Brian Mulherin - CED 17623 Hwy 19 New London, MO 63459 573.985.8611 8:00-4:30 M-F

R A L L S

Beth Stiefel – CED 210 E. Main Shelbyville, MO 63469 573.633.2440 8:00-4:30 M-F

S H E L B Y

2009 Final DCP Payments  Several producers have expressed concerns and questions regarding the timing and amounts of their 2009 DCP final payments. For those who have not called or visited, we offer these explanations.

The 2009 DCP payment will not equal the 2008 DCP payments due to legislation. Even if there were no changes in shares from 2008 to 2009, the total payments on each farm will be less in 2009 than in 2008 because that is the way the Farm Bill was written. In order to reduce the total cost of the Farm Bill over its entire effectiveness, Congress and OMB approved differing payment rates. In 2008, payments were based on 85% of the farm’s total base acres. However, in 2009, 2010, and 2011, they will be based on only 83.5% of the farm’s total base acres. In 2012, they will again be based on 85%.

The 2009 payments were issued under a new process. With the new process, came change in the way final payments were issued. In the past if a farm received an advance payment at signup, the remaining (or final) DCP payment due would be issued to that farm. The new process did not issue final payments “by farm” as in the past. It reduced the first farm(s) final payment by the total amount of advance money you had already received. For instance, if you had 3 farms signed up for the 2009 DCP and requested advance payment at signup, you were issued 22% of Direct Payment. In this example the total advance was $1,000. The system took the first $1,000 of your final payment. It may have taken all or a portion of one farm’s final payment. If so, the other 2 farms payment statements will show 100% DCP payment issued (even though they received an advance).

Most of the 2009 Final DCP payments have been issued. However, there are still a few hung up in the system. County Offices are doing what they can to get them disbursed. If you have any questions about your payment amounts or the status of your payment, please contact your local FSA office.

Loans for Beginning and Socially Disadvantaged Farmers 

Farm Service Agency (FSA) makes and guarantees loans to beginning farmers who are unable to obtain financing from commercial lenders. Each fiscal year, the Agency targets a portion of its direct and guaranteed farm ownership (FO) and operating loan (OL) funds to beginning farmers.

A beginning farmer is an individual or entity who (1) has not operated a farm for more than 10 years; (2) meets the loan eligibility requirements of the program to which he/she is applying; (3) substantially participates in the operation; and, (4) for FO purposes, does not own a farm greater than 30 percent of the median size farm in the county. (Note: all applicants for direct FO loans must have participated in the business operation of a farm for at least 3 years.)

Maximum Loan Amounts

Maximum loan amounts are: Direct FO or OL: $300,000; and Guaranteed FO or OL: $1,112,000

Down payment Program FSA has a special loan program to assist socially disadvantaged and beginning farmers in purchasing a farm. Retiring farmers may use this program to transfer their land to future generations. FSA reserves direct and guaranteed loan funds each year to help socially disadvantaged application buy and operate family size farms. An SDA farmer is one of a group whose members have been subjected to racial, ethnic, or gender prejudice because of their identity as members of the groups without regard to their individual qualities. These groups include women, African Americans, American Indians, Hispanics and others of Asian backgrounds.

Contact your local Farm Loan staff in your county for more information.

The Farm Storage Facility Loan (FSFL) program allows producers of eligible commodities to obtain low-interest financing to build or upgrade farm storage and handling facilities. The new maximum principal amount of a loan through FSFL is $500,000. Participants are now required to provide a down payment of 15 percent, with CCC providing a loan for the remaining 85 percent of the net cost of the eligible storage facility and permanent drying and handling equipment. New loan terms of 7, 10 or 12 years are available depending on the amount of the loan. Interest rates for each term rate may be different and are based on the rate which CCC borrows from the Treasury Department. Payments are available in the form of a partial disbursement and the remaining final disbursement. The partial disbursement will be available after a portion of the construction has been completed. The final fund disbursement will be made when all construction is completed. The maximum amount of the partial disbursement will be 50 percent of the projected and approved total loan amount. Applications for FSFL must be submitted to the FSA county office that maintains the farm's records. An FSFL must be approved before any site preparation or construction can begin. The following commodities are eligible for farm storage facility loans: -Corn, grain sorghum, rice, soybeans, oats, peanuts, wheat, barley or minor oilseeds harvested as whole grain -Corn, grain sorghum, wheat, oats or barley harvested as other-than-whole grain -Pulse crops - lentils, small chickpeas and dry peas -Hay -Renewable biomass -Fruits (including nuts) and vegetables - cold storage facilities For more information about FSFL please visit your FSA county office or www.fsa.usda.gov.

Farm Storage Facility Loan Program Changes  

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◄ New structures suitable for storing hay, built according to acceptable design guidelines, and having a useful life of at least 15 years, may be eligible for a farm storage facility loan.

▲ Eligible upgrades include new permanently affixed grain handling and grain drying equipment.

▲ New aprons, pits, and pads may be eligible.

▲ New conventional bins for grain storage

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Missouri District 3 210 East Main Shelbyville, MO 63469 Official Business

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

As a participant or applicant for programs or activities operated or sponsored by USDA you have a right to be treated fairly. If you believe you have been discriminated against because of your race, color, national origin, gender, age, religion, disability, or marital or familial status, you may file a discrimination complaint. The complaint should be filed with the USDA Office of Civil Rights within 180 days of the date you became aware of the alleged discrimination. To file a complaint of discrimination write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington DC 20250-9410 or call 202-720-5964 (voice or TDD), USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Civil Rights  Special Accommodations 

Special accommodations will be made upon request for individuals with disabilities, vision impairment or hearing impairment. If accommodations are required, individuals should contact their FSA office in person or by phone.

Spousal Signature 

Spouses may sign documents on behalf of each other for FSA and CCC programs in which either has an interest. This option is automatically available unless a written request for exclusion is made to the FSA from either spouse. Claim settlements and lien filings are excluded.

Changes to CRP  

There have been some changes in the Conservation Re-serve Program applicable to the management practices that producers have to perform on contracts effective after 10/01/2003. Mid-contract management (MCM) practices will now have to be performed only once for some con-tracts. This would offer relief to those currently required to perform MCM two times during the life of the contract.

New provisions also allow producers with contracts of 20 acres or less, the option to apply MCM practice on 100% of the acreage in one year.

Mowing is now allowed in conjunction with strip disking or chemical application at a rate of $16.00 per acre and cost share of $8.00 per acre.

Participants can change to the new policy by signing a modification to the conservation plan.

For more information about the new procedure or to sign a request to change to the new, please stop by your County Farm Service Agency office.