U.S. Department of Agriculture
January 2023 Logan and DeWitt County Service Center Updates

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[January 26, 2023]    Now is the Time to Sign Up for the 2023 ARC/PLC Program

USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is encouraging producers to contact Logan or Dewitt County FSA offices to make or change elections and to enroll for 2023 ARC or PLC, providing future protections against market fluctuations. The election and enrollment period runs through March 15, 2023.

2023 Elections and Enrollment 

Producers can elect coverage and enroll in ARC-CO or PLC, which are both crop-by-crop, or ARC-IC, which is for the entire farm. Although election changes for 2023 are optional, producers must enroll through a signed contract each year. Also, if a producer has a multi-year contract on the farm and makes an election change for 2023, it will be necessary to sign a new contract.   

If an election is not submitted by the deadline of March 15, 2023, the election remains the same as the 2022 election for crops on the farm.  Farm owners cannot enroll in either program unless they have a share interest in the farm.    

Covered commodities include barley, canola, large and small chickpeas, corn, crambe, flaxseed, grain sorghum, lentils, mustard seed, oats, peanuts, dry peas, rapeseed, long grain rice, medium and short grain rice, safflower seed, seed cotton, sesame, soybeans, sunflower seed, and wheat.   
 


Web-Based Decision Tools  

In partnership with USDA, the University of Illinois and Texas A&M University offer web-based decision tools to assist producers in making informed, educated decisions using crop data specific to their respective farming operations. Tools include:  

Gardner-farmdoc Payment Calculator, a tool available through the University of Illinois allows producers to estimate payments for farms and counties for ARC-CO and PLC. 

ARC and PLC Decision Tool, a tool available through Texas A&M tallows producers to estimate payments and yield updates and expected payments for 2023.  

Crop Insurance Considerations 

ARC and PLC are part of a broader safety net provided by USDA, which also includes crop insurance and marketing assistance loans.  

Producers are reminded that ARC and PLC elections and enrollments can impact eligibility for some crop insurance products.  

Producers on farms with a PLC election have the option of purchasing Supplemental Coverage Option (SCO) through their Approved Insurance Provider; however, producers on farms where ARC is the election are ineligible for SCO on their planted acres for that crop on that farm.  

Unlike SCO, the Enhanced Coverage Option (ECO) is unaffected by an ARC election.  Producers may add ECO regardless of the farm program election. 
 


Upland cotton farmers who choose to enroll seed cotton base acres in ARC or PLC are ineligible for the stacked income protection plan (STAX) on their planted cotton acres for that farm.   

More Information   

For more information on ARC and PLC, visit the ARC and PLC webpage or contact Logan County USDA Service Center at 217-735-5508 ext. 2 or the Dewitt County USDA Service Center at 217-935-2181 ext. 2 to enroll now.


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Beginning Farmer Loan Opportunity
Farm Loan Program


Accessing capital to begin, extend, or support an agriculture operation can be especially challenging to new producers. Farm Service Agency’s “Beginning Farmer” direct and guaranteed loan programs provide an opportunity for qualified applicants to secure loans from funding set aside for producers who meet the following conditions:

Has operated a farm for not more than 10 years

Will materially and substantially participate in the operation of the farm

Agrees to participate in a loan assessment, borrower training and financial management program sponsored by FSA

Does not own a farm in excess of 30 percent of the county’s average size farm.

For more information contact, contact Rachel Tester at 217-824-2123 or visit fsa.usda.gov.


Important Dates to Remember

February 20, 2023
Office Closed / Washington's Birthday

March 15, 2023
ARC/PLC Farm Program Signup Deadline

Ongoing
Continuous Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Signup

Ongoing
Farm Record Changes


Dewitt County SWCD Upcoming Events

New Agricultural Conservation Easement Program Resources Available
Farming and Construction Within the Footprint - The Dewitt County SWCD would like to invite you to join them for breakfast Thursday, February 2, 2023, at 8:00 a.m. This will be an informational safety meeting for farmers, landowners, and contractors. Learn how to safely maintain your farmland & underground systems within the Dewitt County Alta Wind Farms Project Footprint. The meeting will be held at the American Legion, 216 N. Elizabeth St., Clinton, IL 61727. To register call Dewitt County SWCD at 217-935-2181 ext 3 by January 30, 2023.

The Dewitt County SWCD Annual Meeting and breakfast will be held on Friday, February 17, 2023, at 8:00 a.m., check in begins at 7:30 a.m. featuring special speaker "The Shark Farmer," Rob Sharkey. Rob has a wildly successful "Shark Farmer Podcast." Rob is also on Sirius XM Radio with a daily show and on RFDTV with his "Shot of Ag" program. Rob continues inspiring farmers and ranchers to push through hard times and challenge themselves to try new things. The meeting will be held at the Georgia Jill, 1520 E. South St., Clinton, IL 61727. To register call Dewitt County SWCD at 217-935-2181 ext 3 by February 10, 2023.

Be on the lookout for the Annual Fish Sale information on February 1, 2023.

[Logan & Dewitt USDA Service Center]

 

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