What's Up at the FSA Office?
by Joyce Davidshofer, Allamakee County Executive Director
Meeting
The next Allamakee County Committee meeting will be will be announced at a later date.
New General CRP Sign-up
December 1, 2015 through February 26, 2016 is the new general CRP sign-up. Land that is not currently enrolled in CRP may be offered for enrollment during CRP sign-up 49. In addition, CRP participants with contracts expiring September 30, 2016 may submit offers at this time. Accepted contracts for CRP sign-up 49 will become effective October 1, 2016.
NOTE: Please do not wait until the February 26, 2016 deadline due to determining eligibility per crop history and other steps in the CRP sign-up process.
CRP Reminder
CRP producers who have buffer strips, waterways, etc. in fields where the rest of the land can be cropped, you should review the CRP acres to make sure the size requirement is the same or if there is some encroaching happening. If you rent the cropland out, sit down with your renter to make sure they understand the CRP regulations, number of acres under contract, and if there were to be a violation the penalty will be assessed to the participants who signed the CRP contract. As the landowner on the CRP contract, it is your responsibility to make sure the CRP acres are incompliance.
If you have any questions on this reminder, contact the Allamakee County FSA Office at 563-568-2148.
NEW: General Eligibility Requirements for New
FSFL Commodities
The Secretary of Agriculture has recently determined there is a need for on-farm storage, drying and handling equipment for additional commodities. Therefore, using authority provided in the 2008 Act, the following new storable commodities are added as eligible for FSFL loans:
• aquaculture
• floriculture
• hops
• maple sap
• meat and poultry
• milk (bulk tanks)
• rye
• butter, eggs, cheese, and yogurt.
Approval Requirements
FSFL approval requirements for new eligible commodities are the same as for all other FSFLs.
Applicants requesting FSFLs are required to submit the following with the loan application:
• $100 loan application fee per applicant or borrower
• balance sheet prepared within the last 90 calendar days
• income and expense projections for the borrower’s farm operation
• cost estimates and building plans
• proof of crop insurance, NAP coverage, MPP-Dairy participation, or LGM participation
• exact location and size of the structure for the environmental evaluation
• planting and crop history records if not already available in the County Office.
FSFL Requirements for Maple Sap Bulk Tank
Storage and Handling
A) Determining the Maple Sap Bulk Tank Storage Need
For a producer to be considered eligible for a maple sap FSFL, COC must determine the producer owns or has leased the sugar bush with readily identifiable boundaries for at least 30-calendar days.
Applicants must show a maple sap bulk tank storage need for the maple sap capacity as determined by the following formula and information in this paragraph.
The quality of maple sap can only be maintained for a limited period of time. Maple sap bulk tank facilities can extend this period of time, but in no case will a maple sap bulk tank facility maintain the quality of maple sap for longer than 30 calendar days.
The maple sap bulk tank storage need will be determined as based on production for one season divided by the average number of weeks of sap production.
B) Determining the Capacity of the Maple Sap Structure
The capacity of the proposed structure can be obtained from the manufacturer of the bulk tank facility for maple sap. The applicant shall provide this information to the County Office.
Types of Structures and Equipment Eligible for Maple Sap Bulk Tank Storage
A) Eligible Structures
FSFL-financed structures for maple sap must be used for the purpose for which constructed, assembled or installed for the entire FSFL term.
Maple sap bulk tanks, with a useful life of at least 15 years, are eligible for FSFLs and include the new walk-in prefabricated, permanently installed bulk tank coolers that are suitable for storing the producer’s maple sap production.
FSFL eligible bulk tank storage structures for maple sap must be built:
• of such quality that the structure can be insured
• to protect the maple sap from contaminants
• to support local climate conditions for the area.
Maple sap bulk tank facilities must be built and installed according to acceptable design guidelines from the manufacturer, NIFA, or land-grant universities.
B) Eligible Components
Eligible permanently affixed equipment necessary for a maple sap FSFL may include the following:
• electric pumps
• lines to evaporator.
Notes: The area of a structure required to house eligible handling equipment is eligible, in addition to the bulk tank space. All eligible components financed with FSFL funds must be insured.
The following FSFL information will be forthcoming in the following weeks.
FSFL Requirements for Meat and Poultry Cold Storage and Handling
FSFL Requirements for Hops Storage and Handling
FSFL Requirements for Floriculture Storage and Handling
FSFL Requirements for Butter, Cheese, Eggs, and Yogurt Storage and Handling
FSFL Requirements for Aquaculture Storage and Handling.
If there are any questions on the new FSFL loans for commodities, give the Allamakee County FSA Office a call at 563-568-2148.
