What's up at the FSA Office?

Acreage Reporting
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.  

CRP Reminders
July 15 is the deadline to certify all crops and CRP acres.
Haying, grazing or planting of an agriculture commodity on CRP acres is   not allowed. Wildlife food plots cannot be harvested.
If the CRP is being used for a roadway, hunting shacks or storing equipment it will considered in violation and subject to penalty or termination.
Noxious weeds on CRP cannot be mowed or sprayed without permission. CRP producers will need to stop in the Allamakee County FSA Office to show the areas on the map where noxious weeds are located on CRP. Mowing or spraying weeds without permission is a violation and a penalty will be assessed.
CRP acres need to be certified every year to be in compliance with the CRP contract.
Contact the Allamakee County FSA Office at 563- 568-2148 with any questions you may have on the items listed above.
    
Beginning Farmer Loans
FSA assists beginning farmers to finance agricultural enterprises. Under these designated farm loan programs, FSA can provide financing to eligible applicants through either direct or guaranteed loans. FSA defines a beginning farmer as a person who:
• Has operated a farm for not more than 10 years
• Will materially and substantially participate in the operation of the farm
• Agrees to participate in a loan assessment, borrower training and financial management program sponsored by FSA
• Does not own a farm in excess of 30 percent of the county’s average size farm.
Additional program information, loan applications, and other materials are available at the Allamakee/Winneshiek FSA Service Center.  You may also visit www.fsa.usda.gov.

Update Records
The Allamakee County FSA office would like to remind sellers and buyers of land to contact the office when the recorded deed has been filed. NOTE: If all or part of the land has a CRP contact active there will need to be a succession to the CRP contract. If the buyer does not want to succeed to the CRP contract, the seller will need to refund all payments, received, plus interest. Inquire at the FSA Office on the policies of buying/selling CRP land.

Newsletter Mailing Schedule
Due to budget constraints the Farm Service Agency does not regularly mail newsletters to producers. To receive news from your local FSA Office as well as up-to-the-minute federal farm program information, visit www.fsa.usda.gov/subscribe to subscribe to FSA’s GovDelivery electronic news service. Print copies of electronic newsletters are available at your local FSA office.