USDA Update

By Rod Johnson

October 17, 2003

Now that CRP payments are completed, the FSA Office has processed the second half of the 2003 Direct Payments on farms participating in the Direct and Counter-Cyclical Program. The first half of the payments were made on most farms in the spring of 2003 after the base and yield options were chosen.

The county office has received notice that there will be no 2002 Final Counter-Cyclical Payments for Corn, Sorghum and Soybeans. Final 2002 counter-cyclical payment rates for corn, sorghum and soybeans are zero because their effective prices exceed their target prices.

Payments for the 2003 Hard White Wheat Incentive Program will be issued in the near future. If you planted Hard White Wheat for 2004 bring your certificate from the seed dealer and apply for the planting incentive of $2.00 per acre. The production incentive of .20 will be issued upon the final disposition of the harvested wheat.

The LAP program has been extended to Friday, November 21st to apply for benefits under the 2001/2002 LAP. If you applied for the 2002 Livestock Compensation Program (LCP), 2002 Cattle Feed Program (CFP) and 2001 and/or 2002 Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) for your grass pastures, we probably have nearly everything we need to complete your application. As we have stated previously, if you received benefits under LCP and/or the CFP, these benefits must be subtracted from any computed LAP payments. Many producers in Kiowa County will be eligible for little or no payment from the LAP. There may be some instances where a producer had livestock in 2001, liquidated the herd and was not eligible for 2002 LCP and 2002 CFP payments. Please give the office a call a day or two ahead of when you want to make you application to make sure we have the necessary personnel to help you.