Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Fwd: Somerset County GovDelivery News!



---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: USDA Farm Service Agency <usdafsa@service.govdelivery.com>
Date: Wed, Jun 25, 2014 at 8:02 AM
Subject: Somerset County GovDelivery News!
To: iammejtm@gmail.com


June 2014

GovDelivery Newsletter Masthead

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Somerset County FSA Updates


Somerset County FSA Office

70 E Madison Rd.
Skowhegan, Maine 04976

Phone:  207 474-8323 
Fax: 207 474-0638  

County Executive Director
Elaine Moceus

Farm Loan Manager 
Jennifer Ranke

Farm Loan Officer 
Elisabeth Isbister

Program Technicians
Janice Ramirez
Janet King

County FSA Committee:
Andrew Sevey, Chairperson
Luke Sites, Vice Chairperson
Richard Calder, Member
Kassandre Dwyer, Advisor

Next County Committee Meeting:  July 23, 2014 at 10:00 am

Somerset County FSA Committee Election

Farm Service Agency (FSA) County Committee (COC) elections are currently going on this summer and fall.  Agricultural producers from Local Administrative Area (LAA) 2 serving the towns of Canaan, Cornville, Norridgewock, Mercer, Skowhegan and Smithfield may nominate themselves or other producers in LAA2 for a three year term on the committee.  Nominations must be received in this office by August 1, 2014.  Richard Calder of Skowhegan is the current LAA2 representative, and is unable to participate in this election, having reached term limits.  FSA continues to encourage beginning farmers and ranchers as well as members of Socially Disadvantaged Groups to apply for this important position.  COC members are a critical component of the operation of FSA as they help deliver farm programs at the local level and work to ensure FSA agricultural programs serve the needs of local producers.  Currently serving with Richard Calder on the Somerset COC are Luke Sites of Athens, Andrew Sevey of Ripley and Kassandre Dwyer of Athens as Advisor.  Please contact this office for additional election information or to request a nomination petition.


Upcoming Crop Acreage Reporting Dates

In order to comply with FSA program eligibility requirements, all producers are encouraged to visit the Somerset County FSA office to file an accurate crop certification report by the applicable deadline.  The following acreage reporting dates are applicable for Somerset County:

July 15, 2014:  2014 Crop Year Spring seeded crops and all other crops

August 15, 2014:  2014 Forage Seedings planted during the crop year

December 15, 2014: 2015 Crop Year Perennial Forage and Fall-Seeded Small Grains

January 15, 2015:  2015 Crop Year apples, blueberries

IF YOUR CORN IS IN, AND YOU HAVEN'T REPORTED ACREAGE OR PLANTING DATES YET, PLEASE GIVE US A CALL BEFORE THE JULY 15TH DEADLINE!  THANKS!

The following exceptions apply to the above acreage reporting dates:

·         If the crop has not been planted by the above acreage reporting date, then the acreage must be reported no later than 15 calendar days after planting is completed.

·         If a producer acquires additional acreage after the above acreage reporting date, then the acreage must be reported no later than 30 calendar days after purchase or acquiring the lease. Appropriate documentation must be provided to the county office.

·         If a perennial forage crop is reported with the intended use of "cover only," "green manure," "left standing," or "seed," then the acreage must be reported by July 15th.

Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) policy holders should note that the acreage reporting date for NAP covered crops is the earlier of the dates listed above or 15 calendar days before grazing or harvesting of the crop begins.  For instance, Maple Sap Producers who purchased NAP coverage for 2014 before the deadline of January 2, 2014 must have reported their intended number of sap taps by January 31, 2014.

For questions regarding crop certification and crop loss reports, please contact the Somerset County FSA office at (207) 474-8323.


Guaranteed Loan Program

The Farm Service Agency loan limit for the Guaranteed Loan Program is $1,355,000. The limit is adjusted annually based on data compiled by the National Agricultural Statistics Service. 

The maximum combined guaranteed and direct farm loan indebtedness is $1,655,000. 

As a reminder, the one-time loan origination fee charged on FSA guaranteed farm ownership and operating loans is 1.5 percent of the guaranteed portion of the loan.

Call your local FSA County Office for all of the details! 


Loan rates for June 2014

                                                 Farm Loan Program Interest Rates for June 2014 

                             Farm Operating Loans: 2.25%                      Farm Ownership Loans:  4.0%

                                             Farm Storage Facility Loan Interest Rates for June 2014

                        7 year term 2.25%               10 year term 2.625%               12 year term 2.750%


Special Accommodations

Special accommodations will be made upon request for individuals with disabilities, vision impairment or hearing impairment. If accommodations are required, individuals should contact their County FSA office staff directly or by phone.


Farm Reconstitutions

When changes in farm ownership or operation take place, a farm reconstitution is necessary. The reconstitution — or recon — is the process of combining or dividing farms or tracts of land based on the farming operation.

The following are the different methods used when doing a farm recon.

Estate Method — the division of bases, allotments and quotas for a parent farm among heirs in settling an estate;

Designation of Landowner Method — may be used when (1) part of a farm is sold or ownership is transferred; (2) an entire farm is sold to two or more persons; (3) farm ownership is transferred to two or more persons; (4) part of a tract is sold or ownership is transferred; (5) a tract is sold to two or more persons; or (6) tract ownership is transferred to two or more persons. In order to use this method the land sold must have been owned for at least three years, or a waiver granted, and the buyer and seller must sign a Memorandum of Understanding;

DCP Cropland Method — the division of bases in the same proportion that the DCP cropland for each resulting tract relates to the DCP cropland on the parent tract;

Default Method — the division of bases for a parent farm with each tract maintaining the bases attributed to the tract level when the reconstitution is initiated in the system.


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).

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--
Jeremy Tobias Matthews

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