Weld County Farm Service Agency News

Emergency Loans Available

Hail and high winds caused significant damage to crops. The Disaster Period was June 18-19, 2018 and makes Emergency Loans available to affected producers.

Weld County is included in the Secretarial Natural Disaster Determination S4365, and this designation makes all family-sized farm operators eligible to be considered for assistance from FSA, provided losses were caused by hail and high wind and other eligibility requirements are met.

Loan applications may be submitted until April 1, 2019.  Applications can be picked up at the Weld County FSA Office in Greeley.  Applicants can obtain additional information by visiting the Emergency Loan Fact Sheet or by calling the Farm Loan team at (303) 659-0525.

CONSERVATION RESERVE PROGRAM

Conservation Operations Ended for 2018

Producers who cut and baled hay from CRP acreage need to be moving the hay from the CRP fields.  It can be stacked on the farm, but NOT on the CRP fields beyond November 11, 2018.

Producers who used the routine grazing option, and had livestock on the CRP acreage between July 16, 2018 and September 13, 2018, should have already removed the livestock from the acreage by the time of reading this news release.

Producers who utilize CRP acreage for either haying or grazing operations, have their annual rental payment reduced by 25 percent and multiplied times the acres used.  CRP acres are available throughout the life of the contract with limitations.  Anyone with CRP acreage can check to see if the acreage is eligible for use in a particular year.

Conservation Operations Begin Soon for 2019

GRAZING

CRP acreage can be grazed for a maximum of 120 days per year between October 1, 2018 and September 13, 2019.

Anyone needing fall pasture can apply to allow livestock to graze for up to 60 days between October 1, 2018 and November 30, 2018.  Then, if the grazing plan permits, again for up to 60 days from July 16, 2019 to September 13, 2019.

Grazing CANNOT occur between December 1^st and July 15^th annually.  Grazing can only occur by filing a request in advance and with written approval prior to releasing any animals on the CRP acreage.

Grazing requests can be accepted at any time.  There is a limitation on how often CRP acreage can be hayed or grazed.  Be sure to visit your local FSA office to find out if your CRP is eligible for grazing in 2019.

Application to graze must be applied for, and a revised conservation grazing plan must be initiated.  The number, type and kind of livestock are needed to initiate a grazing plan.

POLLINATORS

Pollinator acreage must be inter-seeded by March 15^th of the 6^th year of the contract.  The time to inter-seed is between November 1^st and March 15^th annually.  Inter-seeding is intended to improve the stand by adding additional seeds.  Producers with pollinators should purchase and plant the designated acreage, which is approximately 10 percent of the total contract acreage.  Inter-seeding can be planted between years 4 and 6 of the contract.

PAYMENTS

CRP payments are annual rental payments issued in October yearly.  The payments are scheduled for release beginning October 4, 2018.  The Weld County staff will work diligently to get the payments to producers.  CRP participants are paid to remove their acreage from production of grain, forage and livestock production and devote the acreage to conservation and wildlife habitat.

Fall Acreage Reporting

Autumn is upon us once again and we would like to remind our producers to call and make an appointment for crop reporting. The deadline to report wheat, triticale, rye, perennial grasses, and alfalfa is November 15^th.  Accurate crop reporting is an essential part of your eligibility as many programs, including the new Market Facilitation Program (MFP), require farms to be certified timely and accurately.

Appointments can be scheduled by calling (970) 356-8097 extension 2.

Market Facilitation Program

The sign-up period for the Market Facilitation Program (MFP) is now open and runs through January 15, 2019, with information and instructions provided at www.farmers.gov/mfp.  MFP provides payments to cotton, corn, dairy, hog, sorghum, soybean, and wheat producers who have been significantly impacted by actions of foreign governments resulting in the loss of traditional exports.  Eligible producers should apply after harvest is 100% complete, as payments will only be issued once production is reported and verified for reasonableness. Please note that only 2018 production will be applicable to this program.

A payment will be issued on 50 percent of the producer’s total production, and multiplied by the MFP rate for a specific commodity.  A second payment, if warranted, will be determined by the USDA and announced at a later date.

MFP Rates
Cotton             $0.06/lb.
Corn                $0.01/bu.
Dairy (milk)      $0.12/cwt.
Pork (hogs)     $8.00/head
Soybeans        $1.65/bu.
Sorghum         $0.86/bu.
Wheat              $0.14/bu.

Please note that producers who have not participated with our office in the past can still be eligible for this program, and late file fees may be waived if crops were timely filed with RMA.

Producers participating in this program must also file required eligibility documentation including:

• Adjusted Gross Income for 2018 (both entity and members)
• Actively Engaged
• Conservation Compliance
• Direct Deposit

When reporting acreage please be sure to enroll in MFP provided harvest is complete.  Again, the deadline to signup is January 15, 2019.

Price Loss Coverage (PLC) Payment Rates for 2017 Crops Announced

The Agriculture Act of 2014 provided payments for covered commodities enrolled in a Price Loss Coverage (PLC) Contract when the Market Year Average (MYA) price is below the reference price for the designated commodities.

The 2017 PLC Payments Rates have been announced and payments to eligible producers will be released beginning October 3, 2018.

NOTE: Payments are calculated by multiplying the farm’s commodity base acres x 85% x PLC yield x applicable PLC payment rate.

Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) Prices for 2017 Crops Announced

The 2017 Prices for participants in ARC-County have been announced, but payments are unknown at this time as the actual revenue will not be known until the actual yield date becomes available.

NOTE: Other crops will be announced as rates become available.  Additional details can be obtained at the ACR/PLC Program website.

Deadline Dates to Remember

September 28^th – ARC/PLC ends for 2018.  All contracts and signatures must be submitted to FSA

September 30^th – Agriculture Act of 2014 expires

October 3^rd – PLC Payments begin to be issued by County Office

October 4^th – CRP Payments begin to be issued by County Office

October 8^th – Office Closed – Columbus Day

November 5^th – Election Ballots to be mailed to eligible voters in Northern Weld County

November 11^th – Hay must be removed from CRP fields

November 12^th – Office Closed for Veterans Day

November 22^nd – Office Closed for Thanksgiving Day

Do you want to know more about programs the Farm Service Agency Offers?  Visit our Fact Sheet site.

If you would like information about other USDA programs visit farmers.gov.

Always report changes to FSA in a timely manner.  Anyone who has changed banks or accounts needs to notify FSA of such immediately so payments are deposited accurately.