Logan County E-NEWS

Monday, April 26, 2010                                    Issue#1-10

Logan County Farm Service Agency                  Phone: (217) 735-5508 Ext. 2

1650 5th St                                                                                        Fax      : (217) 732-9916

Lincoln, IL    62656                                                                      Hours: M-F, 8:00 am to 4:30 PM

____________________________________________________________  

News & Information

Our goal is to provide as much information to our farmers, ranchers, landowners, agribusinesses, non-farm orientated citizens, students, and future email subscribers in the quickest, cheapest, and most efficient way.  Issuing press releases and regular newsletters fulfill our minimal requirements in publicizing information, but as we have learned over the years, it's not enough. The Logan County E-News will be published periodically and used solely to compliment the other avenues of our information dissemination needs.  Subscription is free and the advice is still cheap.  We do not discriminate.  If you know someone that wants to subscribe, share this E-News with them.  If you know someone is not getting their E-News, they should contact our office or check with their Internet Service Provider (ISP) or Email provider and flag the Logan County E-News as "non-spam" or "acceptable".  Every time we issue E-News publications, we receive several returned messages due to the security filters your ISP uses.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Topics Covered:

-       ACRE/DCP Sign up continues

-       FSA-658 Form: Record of Production and Yield

-       Continuous CRP Sign Up

 

Thank you all for subscribing to the Logan County E-News.  This will be a work in progress so please share any ideas or point out any problems you may have.

Thanks again!

-       John Peters, Logan County FSA

 

ACRE/DCP Sign Up Continues: Don’t get caught in the last minute rush!

1)      ACRE – June 1, 2010 deadline

a.    For 2009 enrollees, you are required to file a FSA-509 Contract, annually through the 2012 crop year.

b.    For 2010 NEW enrollees, you need to file two forms: 1) FSA-509 ACRE Irrevocable Election form which binds the farm in the ACRE program through 2010 and the FSA-509 Annual Contract which must be filed annually through the 2012 crop year.

2)    DCP – June 1, 2010 deadline

      -     You must annually execute a CCC-509 to be enrolled in the 2010 program.

 

FSA-658 Form: ACRE Record of Production and Yield Tips

All farms enrolled in ACRE will need to fill out a FSA-658 form to set up their farm’s benchmark yield AND 2009 production for each crop on the farm.

A few tips to complete the form correctly are:

1. Make sure you are using FSA-578 certified acres to figure your yield
2. Write the total bushel amounts listed for each year in item F (TOTALS)
3.  Bushel amounts are still needed if you are going to be using Crop Insurance Records for production evidence
4. Be sure to sign (item 10A) and date (item 11) before you submit the form to the office

 

Continuous Conservation Reserve (CRP) Sign Up

Signup period:  Ongoing

Practices: filter strips, riparian buffers, shallow water areas for wildlife, sod waterways, field windbreaks, contour grassed strips, shelterbelt areas and living snow fences.

Basic Cost-Share Rate:  50% of actual costs

Incentives:  1. The Signing Incentive Payment (SIP) bonus is a $100 per acre payment that is issued when the CRP contract is approved.  2. The Practice Incentive Payment is an additional cost-share assistance of 40% of the total eligible practice cost.  (These incentives are only available for certain practices enrolled in CRP…call and find out which ones are eligible for this additional incentive!)

Annual Rental Payment Rates:  Paid annually in October of each year not to exceed 10 or 15 years (depending on practice) and based on the 3-predominant soil types.  Each soil type in Logan County has an assigned soil rental rate.

Soil Rental Incentive Bonus:  20% of the weighted per acre annual rental payment for certain practices established.

1. Cropping History--Must have been cropped at least 4 years (between 1996-2001).

2. Ownership -- A producer must have owned or operated the land for at least 12 months prior to offering the land for CRP.

3. Must maintain the design and covers established for the CRP and must also control noxious weeds.  Wholesale cosmetic mowing is not permitted.

*There is currently no general CRP sign up