Logan County E-NEWS
Wednesday, November 09, 2011 Issue# 2 - 18
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.
All links have been tested and are safe for use
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Topics Covered:
· 2012 DCP/ACRE Sign-Up
· Farm Records Changes
· 2010 SURE Sign-Up
· Hispanic & Women Farmer Claims
2012 DCP/ACRE Sign-Up Announced
The 2012 DCP/ACRE Sign-Up will begin on January 23rd, 2012 and ends June 1, 2012. Take advantage of the winter months and sign up your farms.
ACRE participants will also need to certify their 2011 yields on a FSA-658 form.
A few reminders when certifying acres are:
- Make sure you are using FSA-578 certified acres to figure your yield
- Write the total bushel amounts listed for each year in item F (TOTALS)
- Bushel amounts are still needed if you are going to be using Crop Insurance Records for production evidence
- Be sure to sign (item 10A) and date (item 11) before you submit the form to the office
- Be sure to report net bushels
Link: FSA DCP/ACRE website
FSA Farm Records updates
*Maintain program eligibility by keeping your records up to date*
· Personal Data Changes - If you have a new address, phone number, email address or bank account, please notify the county office. Current contact information reduces postage costs, ensures the program payments are issued correctly and timely, and helps the county office keep all involved producers up-to-date with current program issues.
· Bank Account Changes - If you have changed banks or closed an account that may affect your USDA direct deposit process, please inform the county office in a timely manner. Failure to notify us of account changes can result in additional administrative expenses for the county office and prolong the amount of time in which you receive your payments.
· Farm Record Changes - If you have bought, sold, or are renting different land, make sure you report the changes to the FSA office as soon as possible after they occur. For farm ownership changes, a copy of the “RECORDED” deed must be furnished to the county office. For farm operator changes, a written request by the owner(s) is (are) required. Failure to maintain accurate records with FSA on all land you have an interest in can lead to possible program ineligibility and penalties.
· Deceased Producers / Successor in Interest – When an FSA program participant dies, FSA must be notified timely. Failure to do so may result in a loss of benefits for the deceased producer’s share (or beneficiaries) and also the other producers on the program contracts. Producers are also cautioned to never sign using a power-of-attorney for a person who is deceased. Once a person dies, the power-of-attorney is no longer valid. Any document signed with a power-of-attorney for a deceased person is invalid, and usually all producers on the document are ineligible to earn payments for the year. Entities and joint operations that participate in FSA programs also need to notify FSA if a shareholder or member passes away. FSA benefits are reported to IRS. FSA allows 2 years for estates to be settled unless a court order can be provided to the county office. Therefore, maintaining current, accurate records concerning payment recipients is vital to ensure that program payments are reported correctly.
2010 SURE Sign-Up announced
Signup for the SURE Program for 2010 crop losses will begin November 14, 2011, and ends
June 1, 2012.
SURE is available to eligible producers on:
· Farms in counties with 2010 Secretarial disaster declarations (Logan Co.), including contiguous counties, which have incurred at least a 10 percent crop production or quality loss, or both, on all crops grown by a producer nationwide, except grazed crops.
· Farms in which, for the crop year, the actual production on the farm because of disaster-related conditions is 50 percent or less than normal production of the farm.
· Must have insured all significant crops in all counties
LINK: FSA SURE Program website
Agriculture Secretary Vilsack Announces Process to Resolve Discrimination Claims of Hispanic and Women Farmers
As part of continued efforts to close the chapter on allegations that discrimination occurred at USDA in past decades, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Assistant Attorney General Tony West announced the establishment of a process to resolve the claims of Hispanic and women farmers and ranchers who assert that they were discriminated against when seeking USDA farm loans.
The claims process offers a streamlined alternative to litigation and provides at least $1.33 billion in compensation, plus up to $160 million in farm debt relief, to eligible Hispanic and women farmers and ranchers. This announcement follows the Obama Administration's settlement of longstanding litigation brought by African American farmers and Native American farmers.
In conjunction with this announcement, USDA is launching an outreach effort to potential claimants that will include a call center for farmers and ranchers, a website, public service announcements, and in-person meetings around the country. Individuals interested in participating in the claims process may register to receive a claims package, or may obtain more information, by visiting www.farmerclaims.gov. Beginning February 25, 2011, individuals can register to receive a claims package by calling the Farmer and Rancher Call Center at 1-888-508-4429. USDA cannot provide legal advice to potential claimants. Persons seeking legal advice may contact a lawyer or other legal services provider.
E-News Trivia Question
Q: Which county in Illinios has the most registered Illinios Department of Ag Centennial farms?
(E-mail responses to john.peters@il.usda.gov)
Photo: Antique NH3 applicator circa….?
E-News!!!! Get relevant FSA information delivered to your computer or Smart Phone: Feel free to forward this on to other acquaintances so they may choose to join the distribution list. All you need to do to sign up is email me at John.Peters@il.usda.gov or stop in the office and fill out a brief E-News subscription form. ALL E-MAILS WILL BE KEPT CONFIDENTIAL
Please let me know of any ideas and suggestions you may have!
Respectfully,
John Peters
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or a part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.