What's up at the FSA Office?

by Joyce Davidshofer, Allamakee County Executive Director

The next Allamakee County Committee meeting will be announced at a later date.

Attention CRP Producers
1. CRP producers who have a mid-contract management (MCM) practice or a wildlife food plot to complete in 2015 will need to have it completed by May 14, 2015. As you know, May 14, 2015 through August 2, 2015 is the nesting season. MCM practices and wildlife food plots cannot be done during this time. If you have any questions on this, contact the Allamakee County FSA Office at 563-568-2148.
2. CRP producers who have no MCM practice or wildlife food plot to complete and rent the remaining cropland to another producer can stop in the Allamakee County FSA to certify their 2015 CRP acres as required per CRP regulations.
3. CRP producers who have a MCM practice or wildlife food plot will need to have the practice completed and bills submitted before you certify your CRP acres.
4. CRP producers who have CRP acres and plant other crops will need to certify their acres when everything is planted or by July 15, 2015.
5. Reminders
a. Haying, grazing or planting of an agriculture commodity on CRP acres is not allowed.
b.  Wildlife food plots cannot be harvested.
c. If the CRP is being used for a roadway, hunting shacks or storing equipment, it will be considered in violation and subject to penalty or termination.
d. If there are other items not mentioned here, contact the Allamakee County FSA to see if it is allowed.
e. CRP grazing and haying which was released per office visit after August 2, 2015 will be randomly spot-checked.
f. Cannot cosmically clip or spray CRP acres during the nesting season from May 14, 2015 through August 2, 2015. If there are noxious weeds on the CRP, producers must come in to the FSA office and show on a map where the noxious weeds are located and request permission to do so. If a CRP producer does not have permission to clip or spray on file at the FSA office, this is a CRP violation.
g. All CRP producers need to certify their CRP acres every year in order to receive  CRPs payment in the fall.
Contact the Allamakee County FSA Office at 563- 568-2148 with questions on the items listed above.

USDA reminds farmers of 2014 farm bill conservation compliance changes
The 2014 Farm Bill implements a change that requires farmers to have a Highly Erodible Land Conservation and Wetland Conservation Certification (AD-1026) on file.
For farmers to be eligible for premium support on their federal crop insurance, a completed and signed AD-1026 certification form must be on file with the FSA. The Risk Management Agency (RMA), through the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC), manages the federal crop insurance program that provides the modern farm safety net for American farmers and ranchers.
Since enactment of the 1985 Farm Bill, eligibility for most commodity, disaster, and conservation programs has been linked to compliance with the highly erodible land conservation and wetland conservation provisions.
The 2014 Farm Bill continues the requirement that producers adhere to conservation compliance guidelines to be eligible for most programs administered by FSA and NRCS. This includes most financial assistance such as the new price and revenue protection programs, the Conservation Reserve Program, the Livestock Disaster Assistance programs and Marketing Assistance Loans and most programs implemented by FSA. It also includes the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, the Conservation Stewardship Program, and other conservation programs implemented by NRCS.
Many FSA and Natural Resource Conservation (NRCS) programs already have implemented this requirement and therefore most producers should already have an AD-1026 from on file for their associated lands. If however an AD-1026 form has not been filed or is incomplete then farmers are reminded of the deadline of June 1, 2015.
When a farmer completes and submits the AD-1026 certification form, FSA and NRCS staff will review the associated farm records and outline any additional actions that may be required to meet the required compliance with the conservation compliance provisions.
FSA recently released a revised form AD-1026, which is available at USDA Service Centers and online at: www.fsa.usda.gov. USDA will publish a rule later this year that will provide details outlining the connection of conservation compliance with crop insurance premium support. Producers can also contact their local USDA Service Center for information. A listing of service center locations is available at www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/contact/loc
Filing an accurate acreage report at your local FSA office can prevent the loss of benefits for a variety of programs. Failed acreage is acreage that was timely planted with the intent to harvest, but because of disaster related conditions, the crop failed before it could be brought to harvest. Prevented planting must be reported no later than 15 days after the final planting date. Annual acreage reports are required for most Farm Service Agency programs. Annual crop report deadlines vary based on region, crop, permanent vs. annual crop type, NAP or non-NAP crop and fall or winter seeding. Consult the Allamakee County FSA office for deadlines in your area.