Hello again!
As I sit here on this cold Monday morning writing my article for the Thursday edition, the big story today is the weather. Snow is coming, snow is coming, is what we keep hearing.
By the time you read this, we will know if the “weather guessers”, as I fondly call them, were right or wrong.
I can remember the days that my mom and dad would watch the 6 o’clock news almost religiously, because if they missed it at six they would have to stay up until 11.
My Dad, who worked outside relied on the weather forecasts to plan his days. Could he pour concrete or dig for basement footers today or was the rain going to keep him indoors.
The days that they got the forecast wrong, and his concrete ended up wet, he was not a very happy man. But, of course, the next night he was still watching the weather forecast at 6 p.m.
Oh the faith that man had! Thinking that this time someone could really predict what nature can throw at us.
If you have a cell phone in your pocket you can see the forecast broken down hourly. You can see the satellite radar with a time lapse showing an approximate time of the snows arrival.
And yet, we still sit here, wondering will we get 4 inches of snow or 8.
Our phones are amazing, we have access to so much information at the click of a few buttons assuming you know which buttons to press.
Texting system
The good news is FSA is keeping up with the technology that we all seem to like the best, text messages. They are quick, and we can read them when we want.
You can sign up for text messaging from FSA specifically from the county office of where you live. You will receive no more than two text messages a month. Here are the details on how the notification system will work.
The Ohio USDA FSA County offices now offers farmers and producers the opportunity to receive notifications from their county office through text messages on their cell phone.
Whether producers are in the field, or on a tractor, this service enables FSA customers and stakeholders to receive notifications while on the go. Producers will receive text messages regarding important program deadlines, reporting requirements and program updates.
To enroll, producers must text a keyword consisting of the two letter state abbreviation and the county name from which they want to receive alerts to FSANOW or the numeric keys 372669 on your cell phone.
For example, producers wishing to receive alerts from Columbiana County FSA would text the keyword OHCOLUMBIANA to 372669.
Producers interested in enrolling in a different county would need to text OH and the county name to 372669 to begin to receive alerts from their FSA County office. Producers will receive a system generated reply if they have successfully enrolled.
Standard text messaging rates apply. Contact your wireless carrier for details associated with your particular data plan. Participants may unsubscribe at any time.
Contact your county FSA office if you have questions regarding FSA’s email news service or the new text message option.
See you next week,
FSA Andy
