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.
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. USDA ANNOUNCES SIGN-UP FOR TRANSPORTATION REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM Farmers and ranchers residing outside the contiguous United States can enroll in the Reimbursement Transportation Cost Payment Program (RTCP) beginning on July 21, for fiscal year 2014. The 2014 Farm Bill reauthorized RTCP, which offsets a portion of the costs of transporting agricultural products over long distances. The program allows farmers and ranchers in Alaska, Hawaii and insular areas including the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, Virgin Islands of the United States, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of the Marshall Islands and Republic of Palau, to recover any transportation costs. Benefits are calculated based on the costs incurred for transportation of the agricultural commodity or inputs during a fiscal year, subject to an $8,000 per producer cap per fiscal year. Fiscal year 2013 payments are scheduled to begin May 27, 2014. Total fiscal year 2013 claims exceeded available funding; therefore, payments to recipients will be reduced by 0.6986156 percent. USDA will provide $1.8 million to help offset transportation costs for producers enrolled in the program in last year. RTCP enrollments for fiscal year 2014 will begin on July 21, 2014, and end on Sept. 8, 2014. Applicants must submit their application to their administrative county FSA office by Sept. 8, 2014. Applicants will have until Nov. 3, 2014, to provide supporting documentation. For more information on the RTCP program, farmers and ranchers in the eligible areas can visit their administrative FSA county office or the FSA website.
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.
FSA County Committee Election
The election of agricultural producers to Farm Service Agency (FSA) county committees is important to ALL farmers and ranchers, whether you are a beginning or longtime producer, or whether you have a large or small operation. Every eligible agricultural producer should participate in these elections because FSA county committees are a link between your agricultural community and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Farmers and ranchers who serve on FSA county committees apply their judgment and knowledge to help with the decisions necessary to administer FSA programs in their counties, ensuring the needs of local producers are met. FSA county committees operate within official federal regulations so that local input is provided on federal programs such as: - Income safety-net loans and payments
- Incentive, indemnity and disaster payments for some commodities
Election Period June 15, 2014 – The nomination period begins. Request nomination forms from the local FSA county office or obtain online at www.fsa.usda.gov/elections. Aug. 1, 2014 – Last day to file nomination forms at the local FSA county office.
Nov. 3, 2014 – Ballots mailed to eligible voters.
Dec. 1, 2014 – Last day to return voted ballots to the FSA county office.
Jan. 1, 2015 – Newly elected county committee members take office.
Who Can Vote
Agricultural producers of legal voting age may be eligible to vote if they participate or cooperate in any FSA program. A person who is not of legal voting age but supervises and conducts the farming operations of an entire farm also may be eligible to vote. Members of American Indian tribes holding agricultural land are eligible to vote if voting requirements are met. More information about voting eligibility requirements can be found in the FSA fact sheet titled "FSA County Committee Election - Eligibility to Vote and Hold Office as a County Committee Member." Producers may contact their local FSA county office for more information.
Nominations
Agricultural producers who participate or cooperate in an FSA program may be nominated for candidacy for the county committee. Individuals may nominate themselves or others as a candidate. Additionally, organizations representing minority and women farmers or ranchers may nominate candidates. Nomination forms are filed for the county committee of the office that administers a producer's farm records.
To become a nominee, eligible individuals must sign nomination form FSA-669A. The form includes a statement that the nominee agrees to serve if elected. This form is available at the FSA county office and online at www.fsa.usda.gov/elections.
Nomination forms for the 2014 election must be postmarked or received in the local FSA county office by close of business on Aug. 1, 2014.
Don't Miss Out on Voting
Ballots will be mailed to voters by Nov. 3, 2014, and must be returned to the FSA county office or postmarked by Dec. 1, 2014. Eligible voters must contact their local FSA county office before the final date if they did not receive a ballot.
Uniform Guidelines
USDA issued uniform guidelines for county committee elections to help ensure that FSA county committees fairly represent the agricultural producers of a county or multi-county jurisdiction, especially minority and women producers. Minorities are African-Americans, American Indians or Alaska Natives, Hispanics, Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians or other Pacific Islanders. The guidelines govern the FSA county committee election process and are designed to increase participation of minorities and women.
The following are just some of the specifics of the guidelines that are now in effect:
- If no valid nominations are filed, the Secretary of Agriculture may nominate up to two individuals to be placed on the ballot.
- FSA county committees annually must review local administrative area boundaries to ensure the fair representation of minority and women producers in their county or multi-county jurisdictions.
- FSA county offices actively shall locate and recruit eligible candidates identified as minority and women farmers and ranchers as potential nominees for the FSA county committee elections through outreach and publicity, including the development of partnerships with community-based organizations.
To read the guidelines in their entirety, visit the FSA County Committee Elections page at www.fsa.usda.gov/elections.
In addition to minority and women producers, USDA strongly encourages beginning farmers to actively seek a position on a county committee.
Appointed Voting Members
Secretary Vilsack used the authority granted in the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to appoint socially disadvantaged (SDA) committee members with voting privileges to serve on FSA county committees in county jurisdictions that lack fair SDA representation. The Secretarial appointees do not replace elected members but join them as voting members on the committee. Individuals serving as non-voting minority advisors are encouraged to submit a nomination form. These forms are also accepted from community-based organizations representing SDA producers. SDA voting members are appointed by the Secretary from the nominations received.
Role of Advisors
In addition to elected or appointed members, FSA county committees may also include advisors. Advisors are appointed to county committees in counties or multi-county jurisdictions that have significant numbers of minority or women producers, but lack such members on FSA county committees. Advisors play an important role by providing diverse viewpoints and by representing the interests of minorities and women in decisions made by county committees. FSA state committees officially appoint advisors who are recommended by county committees or community-based organizations.
For More Information
For more information about FSA county committees, visit a local FSA county office or the FSA county committee website at www.fsa.usda.gov/elections.
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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