USDA Update

By Rod Johnson

November 14, 2003

As we enter this Holiday season the FSA Office staff wants to thank all of our producers who have been so cooperative and patient this past year. It has really helped us get through a huge workload. This continuing drought has been hard on everyone, both financially and mentally. In the FSA Office, the addition of the two temporary employees, has helped us move ahead to get much needed payments issued. We are getting closer to completion of the 2001/2002 Crop Disaster Program payments so we can begin working on the signup for the 2004 Direct and Counter-Cyclical Program (DCP) applications. We are asking operators to contact the FSA Office to complete signup for themselves and those owners for whom they have power-of-attorney. When you signup for the 2004 DCP, you will need to make a choice on when you want advance payments issued.

December 1 is the deadline for purchasing 2004 Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance (NAP) coverage for several crops not insured by private agents. This includes native and planted grass, alfalfa, and mixed forage. In June of this year, a copy of all sales closing and other dates applicable to NAP crops was mailed to producers who had purchased NAP coverage for 2003. The cost of NAP coverage is $100 per crop, a maximum of $300 per county or a maximum of $900 in all counties. If a producer pays $300 we will list all crops and native grass that the individual may have in 2004.

The County Committee has been reviewing the native range conditions to determine to what extent grazing losses will be eligible for NAP payments. The Committee took a tour of the county last Monday and noted a wide variation in native pasture conditions. Conditions range from good to extremely poor. Some pastures were not even grazed in 2003. Our best information at this time indicates we are stocked at about half of the normal numbers of breeding cows and had very few stocker cattle in 2003. The NAP program for native grass is a program of averages for the county, rather than being specifically targeted at individual operations. Because of this, some producers will get paid less and some will get paid more than what their actual losses were. We hope to get the loss issue resolved within the next 30 days so we can make payments. All producers have been sent grass notice of loss applications for signature. Please sign, date and return to the FSA Office as soon as possible.

Friday, November 21 is the deadline to signup for the 2001/2002 Livestock Assistance Program (LAP). If you want to check your eligibility for this program, contact the FSA Office prior to November 21. It doesn't take too long to work up an application since much of this information is already on file. Producers who received payment in the fall of 2002 under the Livestock Compensation Program or the Cattle Feed Program (dry milk program) will have the amount of these payments subtracted from the payments computed under LAP. Because of this, resulting payments may be small or even zero. We just don't want to miss anybody who may be eligible.