Hello again!
Today I want to remind you of several important FSA program deadlines.
ACRE production
Producers that participated in the ACRE farm program for 2011 are required to report 2011 production to be used to compute possible 2011 ACRE payments and 2012 benchmark farm yields.
The reporting deadline date for 2011 production reports is July 16 for all crops. Production reports may be submitted by the 2011 crop year operator, owner or other producer with an interest in the reported acreage.
Failure to file a production report (FSA-658) for a farm enrolled in ACRE will result in the farm’s producers being ineligible for any ACRE contract payments and the actual yield used to determine future benchmark farm yields will be zero.
ACRE benchmark farm yields
Producers that participated in the ACRE program for program year 2011 must establish a benchmark farm yield for each covered commodity that was planted.
A benchmark farm yield is the Olympic average of the average yield per planted acre for the farm for the five most recent crop years. For 2011, the benchmark farm yield is comprised of data from crop years 2007 through 2011.
Because of situations where producers did not have control of farm for the preceding five years or a specific covered commodity may not have been planted on the farm in 1 or more of the preceding five crop years, “plug yields” were established by commodity and county.
Producers may use the ACRE plug yield to establish the benchmark farm yield or may report production evidence. Production must be reported on form FSA-658.
Producers will be required to certify, but not submit, the documents to support their production at the time FSA-658 is filed. However, the documentation will be required at a later date to verify the reported production.
The production reporting deadlines to establish the 2011 benchmark farm yields is July 16 for all crops.
Reporting crop losses
It is very important that producers report crop losses, including those insured under Federal Crop Insurance and Non-insured Assistance Program within 15 days of the date damage occurred or 15 days from the date damage is apparent.
Losses and or damages to crops must be reported after each disaster occurrence and in a timely manner to insure continued eligibility for benefits.
Acreage reporting dates
Most FSA programs require that you submit a FSA-578, Report of Acreage, on a farm by farm basis. If you miss the acreage reporting deadline dates, a late filing fee will be charged.
To be considered timely, crop acreage reports are due in your administrative county office by the earlier of July 2 for small grains and July 16 for all other crops, or 15 calendar days before the onset of harvest or grazing of the specific crop acreage being reported.
You are encouraged to visit your local FSA county office to file the required FSA-578 crop acreage reports before the deadlines. Filing an accurate acreage report for all crops and land uses, including failed acreage and prevented planting acreage, can prevent the loss of benefits for a variety of programs.
That’s all for now,
FSA Andy
