Logan County FSA January Updates

[January 27, 2018]    Sign up your 2018 ARC/PLC contracts before field work begins - FSA announced that starting Nov. 1, 2017, farmers and ranchers with base acres in the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) or Price Loss Coverage (PLC) safety net program may enroll for the 2018 crop year. The enrollment period will end on Aug. 1, 2018.

Since shares and ownership of a farm can change year-to-year, producers must enroll by signing a contract each program year.

The producers on a farm that are not enrolled for the 2018 enrollment period will not be eligible for financial assistance from the ARC or PLC programs for the 2018 crop should crop prices or farm revenues fall below the historical price or revenue benchmarks established by the program. Producers who made their elections in previous years must still enroll during the 2018 enrollment period. 

The ARC and PLC programs were authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill and offer a safety net to agricultural producers when there is a substantial drop in prices or revenues for covered commodities. 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 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. For more details regarding these programs, go to www.fsa.usda.gov/arc-plc. 

For more information, producers are encouraged to visit their local FSA office. To find a local FSA office, visit http://offices.usda.gov.

Logan County Farm Service Agency Announces County Committee Election Results

Logan County U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) Executive Director John Peters announced that County Committee elections are over and the ballots have been counted.  

Tim Southerlan of Mount Pulaski was re-elected to represent local administrative area (LAA) #3.  

County Committee members are a critical component of the day-to-day operations of FSA.  They help deliver programs at the county level and work to serve the needs of local producers. All recently elected County Committee members will take office in January 2018, and will be joining the existing committee. Every FSA office is required to have a County Committee, and they are made up of local farmers who are elected by local farmers.  

Nearly 7,800 FSA County Committee members serve FSA offices nationwide.  Each committee has three elected members who serve three-year terms of office.  One-third of County Committee seats are up for election each year.  County Committee members impact the administration of FSA within a community by applying their knowledge and judgment to help FSA make important decisions on its commodity support programs, conservation programs, indemnity and disaster programs, emergency programs and eligibility.  

County Committee members impact producers through their decision making and help shape the culture of a local FSA office.  They also ensure the fair and equitable administration of FSA farm programs in their counties and are accountable to the Secretary of Agriculture.  Members conduct hearings and reviews as requested by the State Committee, ensure socially disadvantaged (SDA) farmers and ranchers are fairly represented, make recommendations to the State Committee on existing programs, monitor changes in farm programs and inform farmers of the purpose and provisions of FSA programs.  They also assist with outreach and inform underserved producers such as beginning farmers and ranchers about FSA opportunities. 

For more information, visit the FSA website at www.fsa.usda.gov/elections or contact the Logan County office at 217-735-5508. 

Annual notice to producers 

Payments and benefits under certain programs are subject to some or all of the following policies & provisions: 

Payment eligibility and payment limitation determinations may be initiated by COC or requested by the producer (review of the applicable CCC-902 Farm Operating Plan):

• Actively engaged in farming requirements

• Payment limitation by direct attribution.

• Payment limitation amounts for the applicable programs.

• Cash-rent tenant rule.

• Foreign person rule (FSA-153).

No program benefits subject to payment eligibility and limitation will be provided until:

• All required forms for the specific situation are provided

• Necessary payment eligibility and payment limitation determinations are made.

A farm operating plan is not required to be filed annually, if the farming operation continues to be conducted as reflected on the farm operating plan and supporting documents on file in the County Office. 

If any changes occur that could affect an actively engaged in farming, cash-rent tenant, foreign person, or average AGI determination, producers must timely notify the County Office by filing revised CCC-902, Farm Operating Plan and/or supporting documentation, as applicable

• CCC-902I – for Individuals

• CCC-902E for entities like Trusts, Joint Ventures, General Partnerships, LLC, Corporations, LTD Partnerships, Estates, Non-Profits, etc.

There are statutory provisions that require entities earning program benefits that are subject to limitation, to provide the names, addresses, and TIN’s of the entities’ members to COC: 

Status Date of June 1, 2018 applies to:

• Minor children not of age 18 years old on or before this date, and

• Joint Operations of Non-Family Members

Status Date of August 1, 2018 applies to:

• Filing the AD-1026 Certification of HEL & Wetlands for crop insurance coverage eligibility.

All applicable payment eligibility and payment limitation forms submitted by producers are subject to spot check through the end-of-year review process.

• Note: These reviews will look at how the grain was marketed, how the farm operation or person is financed for the crop year, insurance, expenses, hired labor, leases, etc.

A determination of not actively engaged in farming results in the producer being ineligible for any payment or benefit requiring a determination of actively engaged in farming. May also impact eligibility for an entity for crop insurance benefits subsidized by the federal government.

• Programs are subject to AGI limitation.

• CCC-941 Adjusted Gross Income certifications are filed annually.

• Effective date of implementation of AGI limitation. 

Noncompliance with AGI provisions, either by exceeding the applicable limitation or by failure to submit a certification and consent for disclosure statement, will result in the determination of ineligibility for all program benefits subject to AGI provisions; program benefits shall be reduced in an amount that is commensurate with the direct and indirect interest held by an ineligible person or legal entity in any legal entity, general partnership, or joint operation that receives benefits subject to the average AGI limitations. 

Communication is Key in Lending 

The Farm Service Agency (FSA) is committed to providing our farm loan borrowers the tools necessary to be a success. A part of ensuring this success is providing guidance and counsel from the loan application process through the borrower’s graduation to commercial lending institutions. While it is FSA’s commitment to advise borrowers as they identify goals and evaluate progress, it is crucial for borrowers to communicate with their farm loan staff when changes occur. It is the borrower’s responsibility to alert FSA to any of the following:

• Any proposed or significant changes in the farming operation;

• Any significant changes to family income or expenses;

• The development of problem situations;

• Any losses or proposed significant changes in security.

In addition, if a farm loan borrower cannot make payments to suppliers, other creditors, or FSA on time, contact your farm loan staff immediately to discuss loan servicing options. 

For more information on FSA farm loan programs, visit www.fsa.usda.gov.

Logan County FSA Office
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 - Member
Tim Southerlan - Chairman
Kenton Stoll - Vice - Chairman
Dorothy Gleason - Advisor

County Executive Director:
John Peters

Program Technicians:
Ann Curry
Tammy Edwards
Chelsie Peddicord

Farm Loan Manager:
Tony Schmillen

Next COC Meeting :
1/30/2018

Persons with disabilities who require accommodations to attend or participate in this meeting should contact John Peters at 217-735-5508 extension 2 or Federal Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339.

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).