Hello again!
Oh, what a week! Do you ever feel that you can relate too closely with the book of JOB? You know, he was a farmer too! So keep the faith!
The sun will shine and the fields will dry….I just can’t tell you when or for how long. Speaking of trials and tribulation, this last weekend I had a new born calf get zapped with the hot wire on the fence, wouldn’t you know it, off into the woods he went.
I searched for hours to no avail. I had the cows bellowing trying to draw him out and for two days it did no good. I decided to give it one more try, trekking through the woods, over downed trees and around stumps, all the time hollering for the cows to keep them sounding off, finally the calf answered back.
I found him, hungry and afraid. I thought about that calf and in a way I could draw a parallel with him. He got into a situation that was beyond his ability to manage, he hunkered down and his instinct was not to make a noise or move, sitting quiet even though help was right there. He wasn’t 150 yards from the pasture and the safety of the herd the whole time but he stayed hunkered down instead of making a sound.
Hunkered down
It’s that way with many of us when disaster strikes. We too, stay hunkered down, trying to weather the storm and figure out how we are going to get out of this one, not realizing help is often times just a short distance away.
When disasters strike and our worlds get turned upside down the FSA may be able to help with one of several different disaster programs. Last week I talked a bit about the Tree Assistance Program, in addition to it, Livestock Disaster Program enrollment also opened April 15. It includes the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP), Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) and Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP)
These disaster programs are authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill as permanent programs and provide retroactive authority to cover losses that occurred on or after Oct. 1, 2011. To expedite applications, all producers who experienced losses are encouraged to bring records documenting those losses to the FSA Office.
Producers should record all pertinent information of natural disaster consequences, including as much documentation as possible to substantiate your claim.
Information needed
Information needed could include:
• Documentation of the number and kind of livestock that have died, supplemented if possible by photographs or video records of ownership and losses.
• Dates of death supported by birth recordings or purchase receipts.
• Costs of transporting livestock to safer grounds or to move animals to new pastures.
• Feed purchases if supplies or grazing pastures are destroyed.
• Crop records, including seed and fertilizer purchases, planting and production records.
When bad weather prevents planting or damages crops, the FSA would like to remind producers to report the acreage to the FSA office within 15 days of the final planting date of the crop. This applies to all crops, whether covered by crop insurance, not covered by insurance, or covered by FSA’s Non-insured Assistance Program (NAP).
Remember, final planting dates can vary among counties and crop types. Producers who have their crops insured through a private crop insurance company should also contact the insurance agent immediately and advise them of the damaged crops.
Additionally, a Notice of Loss Application must be completed in person at the FSA office, and the prevented and/or failed acres reported. Those producers with NAP coverage should report their losses within 15 calendar days of crop damage or when the loss becomes apparent , so the loss can be appraised and production counted before the crop is put into another use, abandoned or destroyed.
Crops not covered with a private insurance or NAP policy should still be reported to the local FSA office. This will provide FSA with a historical record of your crop should disaster assistance become available.
County Committee
I know I touched on this last week and will probably touch on it some more in the coming weeks but please, give some consideration to being a member of our County Committee. The nomination period opens in a few weeks for those LAA’s that are ending their term and we really need your support to make the system work! It’s the county committee that helps provide a sense of reason in national program delivery to the local level.
If you have questions please give us a call at the FSA office.
That’s all for now,
FSA Andy
