Hello Again!
I was asked the other day why farmers talk about the weather.
Guessing it goes back to that it is the one variable that everything else aside, can either make or break us for the year. Even if we do everything right, without the weather, our crop will still fail!
So yes, especially now, right in the middle of planting, we keep wary eye on the sky, listen to the weatherman on the radio with a bit of distrust and say a prayer to the heavens until we get the last seed in and when we have time to talk to our neighbors, our friends and our family, the topic of weather weighs heavy….
So are you done planting yet? If so, why not make it down to the FSA office and report your acres? Though you were just in a few short weeks ago for the DCP/ACRE sign-up, your always welcome back! IF you are participating in DCP and Acre, you will still need to visit us at the FSA office to file an FSA 578 (Report of Acreage, Certification of Farm).
The final reporting dates for this are June 30, 2012 for small grains and July 15, 2012 for all other crops. Filing accurate acreage reports for all of your crops and land uses including failed acreage and prevented planting acreage goes beyond row crops that we plant here in the spring.
To remain eligible for NAP assistance, crop acreage information must also be reported annually including the name of the crop (lettuce, clover, etc.); type and variety (head lettuce, red clover, etc.); location and acreage of the crop (field, sub-field, etc.); the share of the crop and the names of other producers with an interest in the crop; type of practice used to grow the crop (irrigated or non-irrigated); the date the crop was planted in each field; and the intended use of the commodity (fresh, processed, etc.).
Producers should report crop acreage shortly after planting (early in the risk period) to ensure reporting deadlines are not missed and coverage is not lost. So regardless of your crop, when it’s planted, stop in and see us to complete your crop reporting!
That’s all for now,
FSA Andy
