FSA extended prevented plant crop reporting deadline

Jul. 24--FSA extended the prevented plant crop reporting deadline for producers affected by spring flooding and excessive moisture.

Producers without crop insurance or Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) coverage in Huron-Erie Counties had until July 15 to report acres they intended to plant this spring but could not due to weather conditions.

The new deadline coincided with the FSA crop acreage reporting deadline already in place. Producers must report prevented plant acres to retain eligibility for FSA program benefits. Normally, the prevented plant reporting deadline is 15 calendar days after the final planting date for a crop as established by FSA and the Risk Management Agency (RMA).

The prevented plant reporting deadline extension only applied to FSA and does not change any RMA crop insurance reporting deadline requirements. However, the extension did not apply to crops covered by FSA's Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP).

Producers should check with their local FSA office regarding prevented plant provisions for NAP-covered crops. Producers are encouraged to contact the FSA County office at 419-668- 4113 as soon as possible to make an appointment to report prevented plant acres and submit their spring crop acreage report. For information regarding RMA crop insurance, contact your approved insurance provider.

In other news...

Nominations open for the 2019 County Committee elections: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) encourages all farmers and FSA program participants to take part in the Huron-Erie County Committee election nomination process. FSA's county committees are a critical component of the day-to-day operations of FSA and allow grassroots input and local administration of federal farm programs. Committees are comprised of locally elected agricultural producers responsible for the fair and equitable administration of FSA farm programs in their counties. Committee members are accountable to the Secretary of Agriculture. If elected, members become part of a local decision making and farm program delivery process. A county committee is composed of three to 11 elected members from local administrative areas (LAA). Each member serves a three-year term. One-third of the seats on these committees are open for election each year.

County committees may have an appointed advisor to further represent the local interests of underserved farmers. Underserved producers are beginning, women and other minority farmers and landowners and/or operators who have limited resources. All nomination forms for the 2019 election must be postmarked or received in the local USDA service center by Aug. 1. For more information on FSA county committee elections and appointments, refer to the FSA fact sheet: Eligibility to vote and hold office as a COC Member available online at: fsa.usda.gov/elections.

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Resources available for new and beginning farmers: The U.S. Department of Agriculture has a website to connect farm entrepreneurs with programs, services and resources for anyone interested in getting started into farming at www.usda.gov/newfarmers. The site features advice and guidance on everything a new farm business owner needs to know, from writing a business plan, to obtaining a loan to grow their business, to filing taxes as a new small business owner, starting or expanding an operation, developing new markets, supporting more effective farming and conservation practices, and having access to relevant training and education opportunities. By answering a series of questions about their operation, farmers can use the site's Discovery Tool to build a personalized set of recommendations of USDA programs and services that may meet their needs.

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Dates to remember

Aug. 1 -- Last day to file County Committee Nomination forms.

Aug. 23 -- 2019 CRP Continuous Enrollment signup and Lake Erie CREP signup deadline.

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