July-August Logan County FSA Updates

[July 28, 2016]    ARC/PLC Enrollment for 2016 - The deadline is quickly approaching to get your 2016 ARC/PLC contracts signed. Remember, this is something that needs to be completed yearly, so make sure all signatures are returned to the Logan County FSA office by Monday, August 1, 2016.

Producers who chose coverage from the safety net programs established by the 2014 Farm Bill, known as the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) or the Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs, can visit the Logan County FSA office through Monday, August 1, 2016, to sign contracts to enroll in coverage for 2016.

If a farm is not enrolled during the 2016 enrollment period, producers on that farm will not be eligible for financial assistance from the ARC or PLC programs should crop prices or farm revenues fall below the historical price or revenue benchmarks established by the program.

For more details on ARC or PLC please visit www.fsa.usda.gov/arc-plc.

County Committee Election
Farmers and producers are urged to nominate candidates by August 1, 2016 to participate in this year’s county committee elections. To be eligible to serve on the county committee, a person must participate in FSA administered programs, be eligible to vote in the county committee election and reside in the local administrative area in which the person is a candidate. This year, nominations and elections will be held in LAA 1, which includes Prairie Creek, Orvil, Sheridan, West Lincoln, Corwin and Broadwell.

You may nominate yourself or others to be part of this unique committee and to have an influence of federal farm programs at the local level. Elected county committee members serve a three-year term and are responsible for making decisions on FSA disaster, conservation, commodity and price support programs, as well as other important federal farm program issues. FSA will mail election ballots to eligible voters beginning November 7th. Ballots are due back in the Logan County Office by mail or in person no later than December 5, 2016. All newly elected county committee members and alternates will take office January 1, 2017.

Youth Loans

The Farm Service Agency makes loans to youth to establish and operate agricultural income-producing projects in connection with 4-H clubs, FFA and other agricultural groups. Projects must be planned and operated with the help of the organization advisor, produce sufficient income to repay the loan and provide the youth with practical business and educational experience. The maximum loan amount is $5000.

Youth Loan Eligibility Requirements:

• Be a citizen of the United States (which includes Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands) or a legal resident alien
• Be 10 years to 20 years of age
  Comply with FSA’s general eligibility requirements
• Be unable to get a loan from other sources
• Conduct a modest income-producing project in a supervised program of work as outlined above

Demonstrate capability of planning, managing and operating the project under guidance and assistance from a project advisor. The project supervisor must recommend the youth loan applicant, along with providing adequate supervision.

Stop by the county office for help preparing and processing the application forms.

For purposes of this program, targeted underserved groups are women, African Americans, American Indians, Alaskan Natives, Hispanics, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

FSA loans are only available to applicants who meet all the eligibility requirements and are unable to obtain the needed credit elsewhere.

Questions?

Please contact, John Peters, County Executive Director, at 217-735-5508 ext 2, [e-mail] or for Farm Loans, please contact Tony Schmillen, Farm Loan Manager, at 217-735-5508 ext 2, [e-mail]

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call [phone] (Toll-free Customer Service), [phone] (Local or Federal relay), [phone] (Relay voice users).

Logan County USDA
1650 5th Street
Lincoln, IL, 62656
Hours:
Monday - Friday
8:00 am - 4:30 pm

Phone: [phone] ext. 2
Fax: [phone]

County Committee:
Dennis Ramlow - Chairman
Tim Southerlan - Vice Chairman
Kenton Stoll - Member
Dorothy Gleason - Advisor

County Executive Director:
John Peters

Program Technicians:
Ann Curry
Tammy Edwards
Mari Anne Komnick
Chelsie Peddicord

Farm Loan Manager:
Tony Schmillen

County Operations Trainee:
Miranda Belcher

Next COC Meeting : August 31, 2016