Beech Tree News Network

Lexington, KY, March 27, 2012 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) State Executive Director John W. McCauley today reminded producers that the 2012 deadline to enroll in the Direct and Counter-Cyclical Payment (DCP) program is June 1.

“I encourage all producers interested in DCP to visit the service center where their farm is administered and sign up before the busy planting season gets underway,” said McCauley. “Enrollments cannot be accepted after the deadline, so enrolling early may help producers avoid missing the deadline during one of the most demanding times of the year.”

DCP provides payments to eligible producers on farms enrolled for any of the 2008 through 2012 crop years. There are two types of DCP payments: direct payments and counter-cyclical payments. Both are calculated using the base acres and payment yields established for the farm. DCP is authorized by the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (2008 Farm Bill).

In addition to DCP, other FSA programs also have enrollment deadlines approaching:
Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program: Check with the FSA service center for dates;
GRAZE-OUT – March 31 for calendar year 2011 crops;
Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) General Sign-up 43 – April 6;
Average Crop Revenue Election (ACRE) – June 1;
Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payment Program (SURE) – June 1, 2012 for crop year 2010;
2011 ACRE Production Evidence – July 15;
Certification of Planted Acres – Various deadlines, but no later than July 15;
Farm Reconstitutions (changes) – August 1, 2012 for the 2012 crop year;
MILC –Sept. 30, 2012;
Crop Insurance – Contact a crop insurance agent or the regional RMA office.

The Obama Administration, with Agriculture Secretary Vilsack’s leadership, has worked tirelessly to strengthen rural America, implement the Farm Bill, maintain a strong farm safety net, and create opportunities for America’s farmers and ranchers. U.S. agriculture is currently experiencing one of its most productive periods in American history thanks to the productivity, resiliency, and resourcefulness of our producers. A strong farm safety net is important to sustain the success of American agriculture. For example, USDA’s crop insurance program insures 264 million acres, 1.14 million policies, and $110 billion worth of liability on about 500,000 farms. And in response to tighter financial markets, USDA has expanded the availability of farm credit, helping struggling farmers refinance loans. In the past 3 years, USDA provided 103,000 loans to family farmers totaling $14.6 billion. Over 50 percent of the loans went to beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers.

For more information on these and other FSA programs, contact a local FSA service center or visit the FSA website at www.fsa.usda.gov.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, and employer. To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Stop 9410, Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call toll-free at (866) 632-9992 (English) or (800) 877-8339 (TDD) or (866) 377-8642 (English Federal-relay) or (800) 845-6136 (Spanish Federal-relay).