Julia A. Wickard, State Executive Director of USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Indiana has announced that the reporting deadline is quickly approaching. The timely and accurate reporting of acres for all crops and land uses, including prevented and failed acreage, can prevent loss of benefits for a variety of FSA programs. All cropland on the farm must be reported by July 16, 2012 to receive benefits from the Direct and Counter-Cyclical Program (DCP), Acreage Crop Revenue Election (ACRE), Marketing Assistance Loan Program (MAL) and Loan Deficiency Payment Program (LDP). Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acreage must be reported to receive annual rental payments. Crop acreage for the Non-insured Crop Disaster Assistance Payments Program (NAP) must also be reported. Even though FSA disaster legislation is only pending within the 2012 Farm Bill, prior disaster programs have required reporting of all crops, including all pastureland and grazing land. Producers are encouraged to continue to report these acreages to be prepared for future disaster benefits, if and when they become available.
“The Indiana Farm Service Agency understands the stress on crops and producers themselves during this 2012 crop year growing season,” said Wickard. “We want to be certain that producers are aware of the date associated with timely filing acreage reports.”
It is important producers contact their local office to set up an appointment before the deadline. The final date to report all cropland acreage to FSA is July 16, 2012. Failure to report all crop acreage to FSA by this date directly affects the producer’s eligibility for FSA program payments.
Information on FSA programs is available at https://www.fsa.usda.gov.
Source: Indiana FSA