Although producers already have elected ARC or PLC, now is the
time to sign the contract and complete the enrollment process
for the 2014 and 2015 crop years.
Dairy operations are also reminded to enroll for coverage in
2016 before the Sept. 30 deadline. Just $100 covers 90 percent
of milk production at a $4 margin, and with incremental
premiums, up to an $8 margin can be covered.
ARC and PLC programs trigger financial protections for
agricultural producers when market forces cause substantial
drops in crop prices or revenues. More than 1.76 million farmers
and ranchers are expected to sign contracts to enroll in ARC or
PLC. Covered commodities under the programs include barley,
canola, large and small chickpeas, corn, crambe, flaxseed, grain
sorghum, lentils, mustard seed, oats, peanuts, dry peas,
rapeseed, long grain rice, medium grain rice (which includes
short grain and sweet rice), safflower seed, sesame, soybeans,
sunflower seed and wheat. Upland cotton is no longer a covered
commodity. The elections for each farm stay in place through
2018, but ownership and shares can be adjusted through the
annual enrollment. For additional program information, visit
www.fsa.usda.gov/arc-plc.
MPP-Dairy offers protection to producers when the difference
between the milk price and the average feed cost (the margin)
falls below a certain dollar amount selected by the producer.
Participating dairy farmers will remain in the program through
2018 and pay a $100 administrative fee each year.
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Producers also have the option of selecting a different coverage
level during open enrollment each year. MPP-Dairy payments are based
on an operation’s historical production, which will increase by 2.61
percent in 2016, if the operation participated in 2015, providing a
stronger safety net. More than half of the nation’s dairy producers
are enrolled in the program. For more information, visit
www.fsa.usda.gov/dairy.
For more program information, contact your FSA office or visit
www.fsa.usda.gov. To find your local FSA office, visit http://offices.usda.gov.
[USDA Farm Service Agency]
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