Fwd: Williamson County Texas June 2014 Newsletter

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: USDA Farm Service Agency <usdafsa@service.govdelivery.com>
Date: Tue, Jun 24, 2014 at 8:06 AM
Subject: Williamson County Texas June 2014 Newsletter
To: iammejtm@gmail.com

June 2014 Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page. NEW FARM BILL PROVIDES PERMANENT LIVESTOCK DISASTER ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS 2014 County Committee Election 2014 ACREAGE REPORTING DATES LIVESTOCK DISASTER ASSISTANCE SIGN-UP UNDERWAY USDA ANNOUNCES RESTART OF THE BIOMASS CROP ASSISTANCE PROGRAM Williamson County FSA Updates Williamson County FSA Office 1100 MLK St., Ste B Georgetown, Texas 78626 Phone: 512-863-8576 Fax: 512-869-2434 County Executive Director: Craig Engelmann Farm Loan Manager: Terri Trevino Program Technicians: Jay J. Jaecks, Jr. (Cheif Program Tech) ext. 105  Angel Callan                  (Payment Eligibility) ext. 109 Kana Guthrie                 (Livestock & NAP Grazing) ext. 112 Marvin Kelm                         (DCP, Farm Reconstitutions) ext. 108 Crystal Qualey      (Administrative, SURE, NAP) ext. 113 Patricia Toon        (Conservation, Compliance, Price Support) ext. 117 Christa Kraatz                   (County Operations Trainee) ext. 111 Next County Committee Meeting:  July 2 at 8:30 am NEW FARM BILL PROVIDES PERMANENT LIVESTOCK DISASTER ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS  The 2014 Farm Bill, formally known as the Agricultural Act of 2014, makes the Livestock Forage Program (LFP) and Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) permanent programs and provides retroactive authority to cover eligible losses back to Oct. 1, 2011.   LFP provides compensation to eligible producers who suffered grazing losses due to drought and fire. LIP provides compensation to livestock producers who suffered livestock death losses in excess of normal mortality due to adverse weather. Enrollment in these livestock disaster programs began April 15, 2014.  Williamson County FSA is scheduling appointments for 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014 LFP and LIP.  Please review the following requirements to determine how to prepare for your for your appointment.  If applications are missing any information, they will be placed on hold and you will have to schedule a follow-up appointment. Livestock Inventory (must be broken down by Type, Weight, Adult or Non-Adult beef & dairy cattle, buffalo/beefalo, alpacas, deer, elk, emus, equine, goats, llamas, poultry, reindeer, sheep, or swine). • For 2011 LFP: If you had native pasture, improved pasture, and/or sorghum forage pasture in the 2011 calendar year with an intended use of grazing, be prepared to provide your livestock numbers as of October 1, 2011 • For 2012 LFP: If you had small grains planted in the fall of 2011 with an intended use of long and/or short Season grazing, be prepared to provide your livestock numbers as of November 1, 2011. If you had native and/or improved pastures in the 2012 calendar year with an intended use of grazing, be prepared to provide your livestock numbers as of January 1, 2012. If you had forage sorghum planted in the 2012 calendar year with an intended use of grazing be prepared to provide livestock numbers between July 1, 2012. • For 2013 LFP: If you had small grains planted in the fall of 2012 with an intended use of long and/or short Season grazing, be prepared to provide your livestock as of December 11, 2012. If you had native and/or improved pastures in the 2013 calendar year with an intended use of grazing, be prepared to provide your livestock numbers as of January 1, 2013. If you had forage sorghum planted in the 2013 calendar year with an intended use of grazing, be prepared to provide your livestock numbers as of July 1, 2013. • For 2014 LFP: If you had small grains planted in the fall of 2013 with and intended use of long season grazing, Native, and Improved pastures for grazing be prepared to provide your livestock numbers as of May 6, 2014. Pasture Leases Copies of current "Valid" written leases on any land that was cash leased for grazing are required.  Cancelled Checks CANNOT BE ACCEPTED. If you do not have a written cash lease then a written statement from the landowner will suffice.  The lease or landowner statement MUST include: • The FSA farm number and/or acres • Dates the land is leased - must have beginning and ending dates (i.e. 01/01/2011-12/31/2015) • Be signed by all owners (of FSA record) on the farm. • Must explain that the acreage is "Cash" leased. If you cannot or do not provide a written cash lease or landowner statement for that property, that acreage will not be used in calculating the grazing loss. The acreage that you previously reported to FSA will be used to determine the grazing losses, less any land for which you do not provide valid written cash leases.  Intended Uses will not be changed.  Please bring all leases with you – even if you think you provided them previously. Please Note:  Participants who receive assistance must keep records and supporting documentation for 3 years following the end of the year in which LFP application for payment was filed. REMEMBER TO CALL FOR AN APPOINTMENT at   (512) 863-8576 ext. 2. 2014 County Committee Election The nomination period for the local Farm Service Agency (FSA) county committees elections began Sunday, June 15, 2014. To be eligible to serve on an FSA county committee, a person must participate or cooperate in a program administered by FSA, be eligible to vote in a county committee election and reside in the local administrative area where the person is nominated. Farmers and ranchers may nominate themselves or others. Organizations representing minorities and women also may nominate candidates. To become a candidate, an eligible individual must sign the nomination form, FSA-669A. The form and other information about FSA county committee elections are available at your local FSA Office or, online at www.fsa.usda.gov/elections. Nomination forms for the 2014 election must be postmarked or received in the local USDA Service Center by close of business on Aug. 1, 2014. Elections will take place this fall.   While FSA county committees do not approve or deny farm ownership or operating loans, they make decisions on disaster and conservation programs, emergency programs, commodity price support loan programs and other agricultural issues. Members serve three-year terms. Nationwide, there are about 7,800 farmers and ranchers serving on FSA county committees. Committees consist of three to 11 members that are elected by eligible producers. Williamson County will hold its 2014 election in Local Administrative Area 3.  This is the area of the county located east of State Highway 95.  Currently, George Knapek represents this area of the county.   FSA will mail ballots to eligible voters beginning Nov. 3, 2014. Ballots are due back to the local county office either via mail or in person by Dec. 1, 2014. Newly elected committee members and alternates take office on Jan. 1, 2015. 2014 ACREAGE REPORTING DATES Producers will now be allowed to late-file acreage reports for 2014 crops with, or that have, a January 15, 2014, or earlier, reporting deadline without paying a late-file fee. Crops under this waiver include wheat and native and improved grasses intended for grazing or haying. The Risk Management Agency (RMA) did not grant a waiver so producers need to consult their crop insurance agent for deadlines for insured crops.  In order to comply with FSA program eligibility requirements, all producers are encouraged to visit the Williamson County FSA office to file an accurate crop certification report by the applicable deadline.  The following acreage reporting dates are applicable for Williamson County: July 15, 2014:      Apples, Cantaloupes, Corn, Millet, Sesame, Grain Sorghum, Forage Sorghum, Soybeans, Watermelons, Cotton August 15, 2014:    Peas 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 calendars 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.  Additionally, producers can purchase both NAP and RMA coverage for 2014 annual forage crops. NAP coverage will not be available for 2015 annual forage crops.  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. USDA ANNOUNCES RESTART OF THE BIOMASS CROP ASSISTANCE PROGRAM The Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP) was reauthorized by the 2014 Farm Bill and will resume on a limited basis [on June 9] upon the publication of a Notice of Funding Availability. BCAP employs three types of biomass assistance primarily through approved BCAP project areas. For growing new biomass, BCAP provides financial assistance with 50 percent of the cost of establishing a perennial crop. To maintain the crop as it matures until harvest, BCAP provides an annual payment for up to 5 years for herbaceous crops, or up to 15 years for woody crops. To collect existing agriculture or forest residues that are not economically retrievable, BCAP provides assistance with mitigating the cost of harvesting and transporting the materials to the end-use facility.  The 2014 Farm Bill authorizes $25 million annually for BCAP, requiring between 10 and 50 percent of the total funding to be used for harvest and transportation of biomass residues. Traditional food and feed crops are ineligible for assistance. The 2014 Farm Bill also enacted several modifications for BCAP, including higher incentives for socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, and narrower biomass qualifications for matching payments, among other changes.  Only the matching payments portion of the BCAP, with narrower biomass qualifications, will resume this summer. Additional information will be provided as the updated BCAP regulations and policies are implemented. With the 2014 Farm Bill requiring several regulatory updates to BCAP, the resumption of establishment and annual payments has been deferred until a later date.   For forest residues, this year's matching payments are targeted for energy generation while reducing fire, insect and disease threats on Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management lands. Agriculture residues for energy are also eligible for matching payments. The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA), which administers BCAP, will coordinate the BCAP enrollments. For more information on BCAP and other FSA programs, visit a local FSA office or go online to www.fsa.usda.gov. 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