Maricopa County Courier U SDA Mar i copa Fa rm Se rv i ce Agency

Dates To Remember:

Jan 2– Deadline to file CCC-578 Report of Colo-nies

Jan 10– Sign-up for Sure Begins

Jan 31– Lamb Pelt Deadline

May 15– Acreage Re-porting Deadline

June 1-DCP Signup

July 15-Acreage Report-ing Deadline

On going - Farm Loan Applications accepted

Office Staff:

Christina Day, County Executive Director

Shawneen Stevenson, Farm Loan Manager

Tim Smith, COC Chairperson

Dawnie Stewart, Vice Chairperson

Gary Gable, COC Member

Corey Nelson, NRCS District Conservation-

Volume 7 Dec/Jan

ATTN ALL PRODUCERS:

2011 DCP Direct Payment signup is under-way. For your convenience, we are asking all producers to SCHEDULE APPOINT-MENTS FOR ALL 2011 PROGRAM SIGN-UPS. Please allow up to 1 hour for the sign-up process, you will need to meet with more than one person and filing new payment limitation forms is mandatory for all participants. To pro-vide you the optimum service possible in a timely manner, please schedule your appointment 1 week in advance and don't forget to bring in any new land leases and equipment leases. Advance payments of 22% on the 2011 DCP program will be available starting De-cember 1, 2010. The remaining 78% of your DCP payment will be issued after Oc-tober 1, 2011. Eligible producers receive direct payments at rates established by statute regardless of market prices. DCP contract signatures for enrollment are due by the signup deadline of June 1, 2011. For more information contact us.

NEW 2011 Adjusted Gross Applications (CCC-926)will be needed for each producer/entity signing up for the following programs: ACRE/DCP, ELAP, LFP, LIP, NAP, SURE, LDP/MILC and EQIP. The forms are needed prior to any payment being made. LAA COC ELECTION RESULTS:

Newly Elected- Michael Brooks -55 Votes

1st Alternate– Tim Smith –50 Votes

2nd Alternate– John Shelton –50 Votes

Congratulations to all.

CCC-927/CCC-928 MUST BE SENT TO IRS: Producers who participated in 2009 or 2010 pro-grams subject to adjusted gross income limitations (AGI) had to certify compliance with AGI rules. The average AGI verification process for 2009 and 2010 payment eligibility requires all program participants to provided written consent to IRS for the disclosure of certain information to FSA. On Oct. 6th, 2010 a letter was mailed to producers who have not submitted: CCC-927: Consent to dis-closure of Tax Information-Individual Form and CCC-928: Consent to Disclosure of Tax Information- Legal Entity.

IRS FORM 1099-G: Producers annually receive CCC-1099-Gs detailing payments producers have received from the Commodity Credit Corporation. The annual report of program payments on CCC-1099-Gs is a service intended to help our custom-ers report taxable income. It is not intended to replace the producers’ responsibilities to report income to IRS. FSA staff cannot interpret IRS regu-lations or advise producers about which payments to report on their income tax returns. However, county office staff can review payments for accu-racy.

On September 15, 2010, Agri-culture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced disaster aid would be made available to produc-ers in specified counties whose rice, upland cotton, soybean and sweet potato production was affected by excessive moisture and related conditions that occurred in 2009. CAP will provide up to $550 million to eligible producers. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) identified 953 counties (disaster counties) in 34 states that received secre-tarial disaster designations due to excessive moisture and re-lated conditions in 2009. Using 2009 crop year data for rice, upland cotton, soybeans and sweet potatoes, FSA calculated an average per-acre revenue-

based value for these crops. Apply-ing available funds under Section 32 of the Agricultural Adjustment Act of Aug. 24, 1935 (Section 32), the agency established per-acre payment rates for these crops. Through CAP, FSA will provide this emergency assis-tance to help re-establish the purchas-ing power of eligible producers who suffered a 5% or greater loss of an eligible crop on their crop acreage located in a primary county for which a secretarial disaster designation was issued based on excessive moisture and related conditions for the 2009 crop year. Please Note: Arizona is not on the eligible list of counties for 2009. A list of the disaster counties is available online at: http://disaster.fsa.usda.gov

Crop Assistance Program: Measurement Service

Fee:

Fee: $16/

hour

For 1st hour,

plus $8 every

30 min. after

the 1st hour

Mile-

age

Fee:

0.50/

cents

Times the rate

per mile

$15 Per Farm

Maricopa Courier Page 2

2009 Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments Program:

:

LDP Deadline-Unshorn Pelts: Eligible producers have until Jan 31, 2011, to apply for Loan Defi-ciency Payments (LDP) for unshorn pelts produced during the 2010 crop year. Eligible producers must have beneficial interest in the pelts, owned the lamb for at least 30 calendar days before the date of slaughter and sell the unshorn lamb for immediate slaughter. Producers must also comply with wetland conservation and highly erodible land conservation provi-sions on all lands they operate or have interest in. To qualify for payment: pelts must have been produced by an eligible producer in the United States.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vil-sack announced that the sign-up period for the 2009 crop year supplemental Revenue Assis-tance Payments (SURE) Program begins on Jan 10, 2011. SURE is one of the five disaster programs included in the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 that provides assistance to farmers and ranchers who have suffered losses due to natural disasters. To be eligible for SURE a farm must have: -At least a 10% production loss on a crop of economic signifi-cance. -A policy or plan of insurance under the Federal Crop Insur-ance Act or the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Pro-gram (NAP) for all economically

significant crops; Been physically located in a county that was declared a pri-mary disaster county or a con-tiguous county by the Agriculture Secretary under a Secretarial Disaster Designation. Without a Secretarial Disaster Designation, producers may be eligible if the actual production on a farm is less than 50% of the normal pro-duction on the farm due to a natural disaster. Producers considered socially disadvantaged, a beginning farmer or rancher, or a limited resource farmer may be eligible for SURE without a policy or plan of insurance or NAP coverage. For more information on the 2009 SURE Program, visit your local FSA County Office or on the web at: http://www.fsa.usda.gov/sure

Barley, Canola, Crambe,

Flaxseed, Oats, Rape-

seed, Wheat, Sesame

Seed, Honey

Corn, Dry Peas, Grain,

Sorghum, Cotton, Lentils,

Mustard seed, Safflower

seed, Small Chickpeas, Soybeans, Sunflower

Seed

Marketing Assistance Loans & LDP’s

Final Loan Availability Dates For 2010 Crop Year:

Unshorn Pelts, Wool,

Mohair, Peanuts

January 31, 2011 March 31, 2011 May 31, 2011

The production reporting deadline (PRD) requires the producer to report all production for reported acreage no later than the imme-diately subsequent crop year acreage reporting date. For approved yields, this includes self-certification of production and provid-ing verifiable and/or reliable production records as applicable. After PRD, the producer can no longer self-certify production, only verifiable and/or reliable production records are acceptable. Production records for individual crops need to be filed with our of-fice to establish an approved NAP yield. If this is the first year you participated in NAP, you can provide production and acreage information from prior years to establish your yield. If you participated in NAP in previous years, you must report your production and acreage on a yearly basis to keep your yield up-to-date. Records submitted must be reliable and verifiable. Records need to show crop disposition. We recommend producers submit 2010 production records as soon as harvest is complete. All production records must be submitted by the subsequent crop year’s final acreage reporting date, including zero production.

Acreage Reporting: The final date for reporting any specific crop acreage for which NAP assistance may be paid is the earlier of the following:

-The established acreage reporting date.

-15 calendar days before the onset of harvest or grazing of the specific crop .

The Final reporting date for honey is: January 2 for the calendar year or crop year ending December 31. Example: January 2, 1998, for the 1998 calendar year or crop year ending December 31, 1998. Within 30 calendar days of the date colonies of bees are acquired, brought into or moved from the county.

NAP Crop Production Reporting Deadline:

Page 3 Volume 7, Issue 11

Disaster Assistance Programs:

FSA disaster assistance programs include: Emergency Assistance for Live-stock, Honey bees, and Farm-Raised Fish (ELAP), Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) Livestock Indemnity Program, (LIP) Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments (SURE) Program, Tree Assistance Program (TAP) To be eligible for these programs, producers must obtain a policy or plan of insurance under the Federal Crop Insurance Act (FCIA) at a minimum CAT level for all insurable crops, and NAP coverage for non-insurable

crops under SURE, TAP, and ELAP. Farm-Raised Fish means all fish being produced for sale by an eligible producer. In the case of honey, the term “farm” means all bees and beehives in all coun-ties that are intended to be harvested for a honey crop by the eligible pro-ducer. Producers who do not purchase the required coverage will not be

eligible for benefits unless an exception applies. The exception allows certain waivers for “Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers”, as well as “Limited Resource Farmers and Ranchers” and “Beginning Farmers and Ranchers.” It is highly recommended that even producers, who qualify under one of the waiver provisions, purchase the required insurance or NAP coverage. Doing so will increase the farm guarantee utilized in the calculation of the SURE payment.

Loans for the Socially Disadvantaged: FSA has a number of loan programs available to assist applicants to begin or continue in agri-culture production. Loans are available for operating type loans and/or purchase or improve farms or ranches. While all qualified producers are eligible to apply for these loan programs, the FSA has provided priority funding for members of Socially Disadvantaged Applicants. A socially disadvantaged applicant is one of a group whose members have been subjected to racial, ethnic or gender prejudice because of his or her iden-tity as members of a group. FSA loans are only available to applicants who meet all the eligibility requirements and are unable to obtain the needed credit elsewhere.

Farm Storage Facility Loan Program Changes:

The Farm Storage Facility Loan (FSFL) program allows producers of eligible commodities to obtain low-interest financing to build or up-grade farm storage and handling facilities. The new maximum principal amount of a loan through FSFL is $500,000. Participants are re-quired to provide a minimum down payment of 15 percent, with CCC providing a loan for the remaining 85 percent of the net cost of the eli-gible storage facility and permanent drying and handling equipment. If a participant pro-vides 20% or greater down payment, then the requirement for a severance agreement for loans under $50,000 will be waived. New loan terms of 7, 10 or 12 years are available de-pending on the amount of the loan. Interest rates for each term rate may be different and are based on the rate which CCC borrows from the Treasury Department. Payments are avail-able in the form of a partial disbursement and the remaining final disbursement. The partial disbursement will be available after a portion of the construction has been completed. The

final fund disbursement will be made when all construction is completed. The maximum amount of the partial disbursement will be 50 percent of the projected and approved total loan amount not to exceed $250,000. Applications for FSFL must be submitted to the FSA county office that maintains the farm’s records. An FSFL must be approved before any site prepa-ration or construction can begin. The following commodities are eligible for farm storage facil-ity loans:

Corn, grain sorghum, rice, soybeans, oats, pea-nuts, wheat, barley or minor oilseeds harvested as whole grain, corn, grain sorghum, rice, soy-beans, oats, peanuts, wheat, barley harvested as other-than whole grain, pulse crops -lentils, small chick-peas and dry peas, hay, renewable biomass, fruits (including nuts) and vegetables—cold storage facilities.

NAP Insurance 2011: Notice of Loss: Youth Loans:

January 3, 2011– Alfalfa Mix, Cucumbers, Grapes, Grass, Bermuda, Grass, Sudan, Herbs, Basil, Jojoba, Pecans, Peppers, Chile, Raisins

February 28, 2011– Beans, Pinto, Corn, Cotton, Okra, Ol-ives, Peanuts, Potato, Sweet Pumpkins, Sorghum, Squash

The Farm Service Agency makes loans to rural youths to establish and operate income-producing projects in connection with 4-H clubs, FFA and other agricultural groups. Projects must be planned and operated with the help of the organization advisor, produce sufficient income to repay the loan and provide the youth with practical business and edu-cational experience.

2011 NAP Acreage Reporting

May 15, 2011

2011 NAP Acreage Reporting

July 15, 2011

Fall Seeded/Spring Small Seeded Small grains

Wheat, Barley, Oats

All crops, except small grains, includ-ing fruits, veggies, grasses, alfalfa and fallow

If you have NAP (insurance) coverage on any of your crops and have suffered any losses to your crops due to an eligible weather related event you must file a CCC-576 Notice of Loss with the county office within 15 days of loss. This is when the loss is APPARENT to you. A form can be filed for each weather related event or ad-verse natural occurrence that causes damage to loss of the specific crop or commodity.

Civil Rights Policy:

Maricopa County FSA Office 12409 West Indian School Road Building B, Suite 201 Avondale, Arizona 85392-9505

Phone: 623-535-5055

Fax: 623-536-5261

PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID

Avondale, Arizona

PERMIT #50

USDA Mar i copa

Fa rm Se rv i ce Agency

We’re on the Web! @

http://

www.fsa.usda.gov

NONDISCRIMINATION STATEMENT: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, ge-netic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all pro-hibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of Discrimination, write to USDA, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Ave. SW., Stop 9410, Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call toll-free(866)632-9992(English) or (800) 877-8339(TDD) or (866) 377-8642 (English Federal-relay) or (800) 845-6136 (Spanish Federal-relay). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

 

FSA is committed to ensuring the civil rights of every individual who requests access to the programs administered by the Agency. They will be provided employment op-portunities without regard to race, color, creed, national origin, relig-ion, gender, age, disability, mari-tal status, or sexual orientation.

Special Accommodations: Special Accommodations will be made upon request to individuals with disabilities, vision impairment, or hearing impairment. If accom-modations are required, individu-als should contact the county FSA office staff directly or by phone at (623)535-5055

Fraud Prevention: The Farm Service Agency supports the Risk Man-agement Agency in the prevention of fraud, waste and abuse of the Federal Crop Insurance Program. FSA has been, and will continue to, assist RMA and insurance providers by monitoring crop conditions throughout the growing season.

FSA will continue to refer all suspected cases of fraud, waste and abuse di-rectly to RMA. Producers can report suspected cases to the FSA office, RMA, or the Office of the Inspector General.

Bank Changes: Please make sure to notify the County office immedi-ately if you have changes to your bank account. If we have incorrect data, It will slow down the process in transmit-ting any payments from our office . Thank you.

Address Changes: If your mail-ing address has changed, kindly notify the County Office at your earliest con-venience, to avoid unforeseen delays in receiving important documents mailed from FSA.

2010 DATES TO REMEMBER:

Jan 10th: 2009 Sign-up for Sure Program Begins

Jan 31st: Final Loan Availability Date for: Unshorn Pelts,

Wool, Mohair, Peanuts

Dec 24th: Office Closed (Holiday)

Dec 31st: Office Closed (Holiday)

Season’s Greetings from your friends at Maricopa FSA!