Farmers, Did You Forget Something?

Very few producers have made their appointment for the 2019 ARC/PLC Signup, which ends March 15, 2020. Because there are just over 35 days workdays until March 15, the Grant County FSA Office needs to sign up over 20 producers per day to make the deadline. The FSA Office is resorting to calling producers to schedule appointments. If you are a producer and want a specific time or date, call the Grant County FSA Office before all the slots are filled.
The Grant County FSA Office is currently implementing the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill). The two major signups underway are the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) & Price Loss Coverage (PLC) Programs.

ARC provides income support payments on historical base acres when actual crop revenue declines below a specified guaranteed level. PLC provides income support payments on historical base acres when the effective price for a covered commodity falls below its reference price. The 2018 Farm Bill reauthorized and updated both programs. Signup for the 2020 crop year closes June 30, 2020. Signup for the 2019 crop year closes March 15, 2020. Producers who have not yet enrolled for 2019 can enroll for both 2019 and 2020 during the same visit.

There is an option to prove up the 2020 PCL Yields, but the updated yields will not be in effect until the 2020 fiscal year, which starts October 1, 2020. The deadline date to prove up the 2020 PLC Yields is September 30, 2020.

Farmers and ranchers who enroll in CRP receive a yearly rental payment for voluntarily establishing long-term, resource-conserving plant species, such as approved grasses or trees (known as “covers”) to control soil erosion, improve water quality and develop wildlife habitat on marginally productive agricultural lands. CRP has 22 million acres enrolled, but the 2018 Farm Bill lifted the cap to 27 million acres. This means farmers and ranchers have a chance to enroll in CRP for the first time or continue their participation for another term. The deadline for agricultural producers to sign up for general CRP is February 28, 2020. Signup for continuous CRP is ongoing.

Grant County FSA County Executive Director, Joel Foster, will host workshops on ARC/PLC every week as the schedule allows in the Grant County USDA Service Center beginning the week of February 3. Space is limited. Call the Grant County FSA Office to attend the ARC/PLC workshops or to make an appointment for your signup.

Questions? Contact the Grant County FSA office at 605-432-6570 extension 2.

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