Fwd: June 2014 Utah-Wasatch County FSA Newsletter

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: USDA Farm Service Agency <usdafsa@service.govdelivery.com>
Date: Mon, Jun 23, 2014 at 7:34 AM
Subject: June 2014 Utah-Wasatch County FSA Newsletter
To: iammejtm@gmail.com

June 2014 Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page. LIVESTOCK DISASTER ASSISTANCE SIGN-UP UNDERWAY 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 AND 2013 AVERAGE ADJUSTED GROSS INCOME COMPLIANCE REVIEW USDA AWARDING $6 MILLION TO PREPARE FARMERS FOR NEW FARM BILL PROGRAMS BEGINNING FARMER LOANS DIRECT LOAN CHANGES SAVE TIME – MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH FSA Utah-Wasatch County FSA Updates Utah-Wasatch County FSA Office 302 East 1860 South Provo, UT 84606  Phone: 801-377-5296 Fax: 801-356-1237 County Executive Director: Sterling Rees Program Technicians: Gina Anderson Kelli Coplin Farm Loan Manager: Steven Bartholomew Phone: 801-377-5296 County Committee Members: James Smith, Chairman George Homes, Vice-Chairman Robert Gappmayer, Member Chad Warren, Member Rex Larsen, Member Debra Cloward, Advisor  Next County Committee Meeting: July 17, 2014 at 9:30 AM LIVESTOCK DISASTER ASSISTANCE SIGN-UP UNDERWAY Livestock disaster program enrollment opened on April 15, 2014. These disaster programs are authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill as permanent programs and provide retroactive authority to cover losses that occurred on or after Oct. 1, 2011. To expedite applications, all producers who experienced losses are encouraged to bring records documenting those losses to their local FSA Office. Producers should record all pertinent information of natural disaster consequences, including: Documentation of the number and kind of livestock that have died, supplemented if possible by photographs or video records of ownership and losses Dates of death supported by birth recordings or purchase receipts Costs of transporting livestock to safer grounds or to move animals to new pastures Feed purchases if supplies or grazing pastures are destroyed Crop records, including seed and fertilizer purchases, planting and production records Eligible producers can sign-up for the following livestock disaster assistance programs: Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP): LFP provides compensation to eligible livestock producers that have suffered grazing losses due to drought on privately owned or cash leased land or fire on federally managed land. Eligible producers must physically be located in a county affected by a qualifying drought during the normal grazing period for the county. Producers who suffered eligible grazing losses should submit a completed CCC-853 and supporting documentation by January 30, 2015. Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP): LIP provides compensation to eligible livestock producers that have suffered livestock death losses in excess of normal mortality due to adverse weather and attacks by animals reintroduced into the wild by the federal government or protected by federal law. Producers who suffered livestock death losses should submit a notice of loss and an application for payment to their local FSA office by January 30, 2015. Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP) ELAP provides emergency assistance to eligible producers of livestock, honeybees and farm-raised fish that have losses due to disease, adverse weather, or other conditions, such as blizzards and wildfires. ELAP assistance is provided for losses not covered by LFP and LIP. Producers who suffered eligible livestock, honeybee or farm-raised fish losses during 2012 and 2013 program years must submit a notice of loss and application for payment to their local FSA office by August 1, 2014. For 2014 program year losses, the notice of loss and an application for payment must be submitted by November 1, 2014. For more information, producers can review the LFP, LIP and ELAP Fact Sheets on the Farm Bill webpage. Producers are encouraged to make an appointment with their local FSA office to apply for these programs. To expedite applications, all producers who experienced losses are encouraged to bring records documenting those losses to their local FSA Office. Producers should record all pertinent information of natural disaster consequences, including: Documentation of the number and kind of livestock that have died, supplemented if possible by photographs or video records of ownership and losses Dates of death supported by birth recordings or purchase receipts Costs of transporting livestock to safer grounds or to move animals to new pastures Feed purchases if supplies or grazing pastures are destroyed Crop records, including seed and fertilizer purchases, planting and production records Eligible producers can sign-up for the following livestock disaster assistance programs: Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP): LFP provides compensation to eligible livestock producers that have suffered grazing losses due to drought on privately owned or cash leased land or fire on federally managed land. Eligible producers must physically be located in a county affected by a qualifying drought during the normal grazing period for the county. Producers who suffered eligible grazing losses should submit a completed CCC-853 and supporting documentation by January 30, 2015. Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP): LIP provides compensation to eligible livestock producers that have suffered livestock death losses in excess of normal mortality due to adverse weather and attacks by animals reintroduced into the wild by the federal government or protected by federal law. Producers who suffered livestock death losses should submit a notice of loss and an application for payment to their local FSA office by January 30, 2015. Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP) ELAP provides emergency assistance to eligible producers of livestock, honeybees and farm-raised fish that have losses due to disease, adverse weather, or other conditions, such as blizzards and wildfires. ELAP assistance is provided for losses not covered by LFP and LIP. Producers who suffered eligible livestock, honeybee or farm-raised fish losses during 2012 and 2013 program years must submit a notice of loss and application for payment to their local FSA office by August 1, 2014. For 2014 program year losses, the notice of loss and an application for payment must be submitted by November 1, 2014. For more information, producers can review the LFP, LIP and ELAP Fact Sheets on the Farm Bill webpage. Producers are encouraged to make an appointment with their local FSA office to apply for these programs.     2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 AND 2013 AVERAGE ADJUSTED GROSS INCOME COMPLIANCE REVIEW The AGI verification and compliance reviews for 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 are conducted on producers who the IRS indicates may have exceeded the adjusted gross income limitations described in [7 CFR 1400.500]. Based on this review, producers will receive determinations of eligibility or ineligibility. If the producer is determined to have exceeded the AGI limitation of $500,000 of nonfarm income, $750,000 of farm income, $1 million of conservation program benefits or the $1 million total AGI, then receivables will be established for payments earned directly or indirectly by the producer subject to the applicable limitation. The Utah FSA State Office will begin notifying producers selected for review next month. If you have any questions about the review process or determination, please contact the Utah FSA State Office at 801-524-4544 or email at cary.son@ut.usda.gov. Producers who receive initial debt notification letters may only appeal the amount of the debt to their local FSA office.  Adverse determinations become administratively final if not timely appealed and can only be reopened if exceptional circumstances exist that prevented the producer from timely filing the appeal. USDA AWARDING $6 MILLION TO PREPARE FARMERS FOR NEW FARM BILL PROGRAMS USDA is awarding $6 million to universities and cooperative state extension services to develop online decision tools and other materials and train experts to educate producers about several key farm bill programs. The new Web tools will help farmers and ranchers determine what participation in programs established by the 2014 Farm Bill will mean for their businesses. The University of Illinois (lead for the National Coalition for Producer Education), along with the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI) at the University of Missouri and the Agricultural and Food Policy Center at Texas A&M (co-leads for the National Association of Agricultural and Food Policy), will receive a total of $3 million to develop the new online tools and train state-based extension agents who can in turn help educate farmers.  The new resources will help farmers and ranchers make an educated choice between the new Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) program and the Price Loss Coverage (PLC) program. Using the new online tools, producers will be able to use data unique to their specific farming operations combined with factors like the geographical diversity of crops, soils, weather and climates across the country to test a variety of financial scenarios before officially signing up for the new program options later this year.  Once a producer enrolls in the ARC or PLC program, he or she must remain in the program through the 2018 crop year. New tools will be provided for other programs as well. Sign-up for the newly established Margin Protection Program for Dairy (MPP) begins late this summer and enrollment for "buy-up" provisions under the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) will begin early next year.  An online MPP tool will be available when sign up begins and the NAP buy-up provision resource will become available to producers in the fall for the 2015 crop year. USDA will also award $3 million to state cooperative extension services—a nationwide network of experts based at land-grant universities—for outreach and education on the new Farm Bill programs. Funds will be used to conduct public education outreach meetings where producers can speak with local extension agents and Farm Service Agency (FSA) staff.  Outreach meetings will begin late this summer to help farmers and ranchers understand the new programs and their options. While universities work to create new online tools, producers now have access to a preliminary website that gives them a chance to begin familiarizing themselves with the new programs and the type of information they will need to consider when deciding which program options work better for them. At this site, farmers and ranchers can view ARC and PLC projected payments, ARC guarantees, and PLC payment rate projections. These tables are available on the FSA website. Visit www.fsa.usda.gov or the local FSA office for information about FSA and the 2014 Farm Bill programs. The University of Illinois (lead for the National Coalition for Producer Education), along with the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI) at the University of Missouri and the Agricultural and Food Policy Center at Texas A&M (co-leads for the National Association of Agricultural and Food Policy), will receive a total of $3 million to develop the new online tools and train state-based extension agents who can in turn help educate farmers.  The new resources will help farmers and ranchers make an educated choice between the new Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) program and the Price Loss Coverage (PLC) program. Using the new online tools, producers will be able to use data unique to their specific farming operations combined with factors like the geographical diversity of crops, soils, weather and climates across the country to test a variety of financial scenarios before officially signing up for the new program options later this year.  Once a producer enrolls in the ARC or PLC program, he or she must remain in the program through the 2018 crop year. New tools will be provided for other programs as well. Sign-up for the newly established Margin Protection Program for Dairy (MPP) begins late this summer and enrollment for "buy-up" provisions under the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) will begin early next year.  An online MPP tool will be available when sign up begins and the NAP buy-up provision resource will become available to producers in the fall for the 2015 crop year. USDA will also award $3 million to state cooperative extension services—a nationwide network of experts based at land-grant universities—for outreach and education on the new Farm Bill programs. Funds will be used to conduct public education outreach meetings where producers can speak with local extension agents and Farm Service Agency (FSA) staff.  Outreach meetings will begin late this summer to help farmers and ranchers understand the new programs and their options. While universities work to create new online tools, producers now have access to a preliminary website that gives them a chance to begin familiarizing themselves with the new programs and the type of information they will need to consider when deciding which program options work better for them. At this site, farmers and ranchers can view ARC and PLC projected payments, ARC guarantees, and PLC payment rate projections. These tables are available on the FSA website. Visit www.fsa.usda.gov or the local FSA office for information about FSA and the 2014 Farm Bill programs.   BEGINNING FARMER LOANS FSA assists beginning farmers to finance agricultural enterprises. Under these designated farm loan programs, FSA can provide financing to eligible applicants through either direct or guaranteed loans. FSA defines a beginning farmer as a person who: -Has operated a farm for not more than 10 years -Will materially and substantially participate in the operation of the farm -Agrees to participate in a loan assessment, borrower training and financial management program sponsored by FSA  -Does not own a farm in excess of 30 percent of the county's average size farm Additional program information, loan applications, and other materials are available at your local USDA Service Center.  You may also visit www.fsa.usda.gov.. Additional program information, loan applications, and other materials are available at your local USDA Service Center.  You may also visit www.fsa.usda.gov.. DIRECT LOAN CHANGES Changes were made to the interest rate charged on loans where FSA provides 50 percent or less on jointly financed purchases of real estate also called Direct Farm Ownership Participation Loans. The interest rate will be the greater of 2.5 percent or the current interest rate for direct Farm Ownership loans minus 2 percent, as a fixed rate for the duration of the loan. At present, the June direct Farm Ownership rate is 4.00 percent. Because the 2.5 percent floor is greater than subtracting 2 percent from the current direct farm ownership loan rate, the rate for Direct Farm Ownership Participation Loans in June is 2.50 percent. SAVE TIME – MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH FSA As we roll out the Farm Bill programs administered by FSA, there will be related signups and in some cases multiple management decisions that need to be made by you, the producer, in consult with FSA staff.  To insure maximum use of your time and to insure that you are afforded our full attention to your important business needs, please call our office ahead of your visit to set an appointment and to discuss any records or documentation that you may need to have with you when you arrive for your appointment. For local FSA Service Center contact information, please visit: http://offices.sc.egov.usda.gov/locator/app . . USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. 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 (866) 632-9992 (Toll-free Customer Service), (800) 877-8339 (Local or Federal relay), (866) 377-8642 (Relay voice users).

---

Update your subscriptions, modify your password or e-mail address, or stop subscriptions at any time on your Subscriber Preferences Page. You will need to use your e-mail address to log in. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please contact subscriberhelp.govdelivery.com. For all other inquiries, please contact askfsa@usda.gov.

If you have questions about FSA activities, please view our Frequently Asked Questions page or you may also Search our web site. These features are designed to assist you in obtaining the information you are seeking.

This service is provided to you at no charge by the USDA Farm Service Agency.

This email was sent to iammejtm@gmail.com using GovDelivery, on behalf of: USDA Farm Service Agency · 1400 Independence Ave., S.W. · Washington, DC 20250 · 800-439-1420

--
Jeremy Tobias Matthews