Highly Erodible Land and Wetland Compliance Landowners and operators are reminded that in order to receive payments from USDA, they must be compliant with Highly Erodible Land (HEL) and Wetland Conservation (WC) provisions. Farmers with HEL determined soils must apply tillage, crop residue and rotation requirements as specified in their conservation plan. Producers should notify FSA prior to conducting land clearing or drainage projects to ensure compliance. If you intend to clear any trees to create new cropland, these areas will need to be reviewed to ensure any work will not jeopardize your eligibility for benefits. Landowners and operators can complete form AD-1026 Highly Erodible Land Conservation (HELC) and Wetland Conservation (WC) Certification to determine whether a referral to Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is necessary. For more information on Highly Erodible Land and Wetland Conservation provisions, contact the Henry County FSA office or visit the FSA website at www.fsa.usda.gov. Farm Service Agency County Committee Nomination Period Open The nomination period for local Farm Service Agency (FSA) county committees 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. For election purposes, counties are divided into local administrative areas, or LAA's. Each LAA selects one producer to serve a three-year term on the Farm Service Agency county committee. Each year, an election is held in an LAA to replace the committee member whose three-year term is expiring. In counties with three LAA's, one seat is up for election. In combined counties in some years, additional seats may be up for election. An election will be held for the Henry County Committee position for LAA 1 that includes the townships of Bartlow, Damascus, Harrison, and Richfield. Farmers and landowners may nominate themselves or others. Organizations representing minorities and women are encouraged to 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 www.fsa.usda.gov/elections. Nomination forms for the 2014 election must be postmarked or received at the Henry County FSA office 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. FSA will mail ballots to eligible voters beginning Nov. 3, 2014. Ballots are due back to the FSA office either via mail or in person by Dec. 1, 2014. Newly elected committee members and alternates take office on Jan. 1, 2015. For more information, contact the Henry County FSA office or visit the County Committee Elections website to learn more about the County Committee Election process at: http://www.fsa.usda.gov/elections.
Conservation Reserve Program Announced for 2014 and Additional Program to Help Beginning Farmers Farmers and landowners committed to protecting and conserving environmentally sensitive land may sign up for the Continuous Conservation Reserve Program (CCRP) beginning June 9. New acreage may be eligible for CCRP enrollment as well as acreage that expires on September 30th of this year. The Secretary also announced that retiring farmers enrolled in CRP could receive incentives to transfer a portion of their land to beginning, disadvantaged or veteran farmers through the Transition Incentives Program (TIP). CCRP provides incentives to producers who utilize conservation methods on environmentally-sensitive lands. For example, farmers are monetarily compensated for establishing long-term vegetative species, such as approved grasses or trees (known as "covers") to control soil erosion, improve water quality, and enhance wildlife habitat. Under continuous sign-up authority, eligible land can be enrolled in CRP at any time with contracts of up to 10 to 15 years in duration. In lieu of a general sign-up this year, USDA will allow producers with general CRP contracts expiring this September to have the option of a one-year contract extension. In addition, the new grassland provisions, which will allow producers to graze their enrolled land, will enable producers to do so with more flexibility. The Transition Incentives Program provides two additional years of payments for retired farmers and landowners who transition expiring CRP acres to socially disadvantaged, military veteran, or beginning producers who return the land to sustainable grazing or crop production. Sign up will also begin June 9. TIP funding was increased by more than 30 percent in the 2014 Farm Bill, providing up to $33 million through 2018. As part of the 2014 Farm Bill, participants meeting specific qualifications may have the opportunity to terminate their CRP contract during fiscal year 2015 if the contract has been in effect for a minimum of five years and if other conditions are also met.
Contact the Henry County FSA office or view the Continuous CRP factsheet and the Transition Incentives Program (TIP) factsheet for more information. Farm Reconstitutions For FSA program purposes, tracts having the same owner and the same operator are grouped under one farm serial number. When changes in 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. Please Remember: FSA Offers Farm Bill Website and Online Overview of Farm Bill Programs The Agricultural Act of 2014 (the Act), also known as the 2014 Farm Bill, was signed by President Obama on Feb. 7, 2014. The Act repeals certain programs, continues some programs with modifications, and authorizes several new programs administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA). Most of these programs are authorized and funded through 2018. For the latest on 2014 Farm Bill programs administered by FSA, please visit our Farm Bill website at www.fsa.usda.gov/farmbill and for an FSA program overview please read, download and/or print our recently posted FSA Farm Bill Fact Sheet titled, What's in the 2014 Farm Bill for Farm Service Agency Customers? For more information on FSA, please contact the Henry County FSA office or visit us online at www.fsa.usda.gov. Beginning and Socially Disadvantaged Farm Loans FSA has funding to assist beginning farmers and or members of socially disadvantaged groups 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 farm size; and
- Also, the applicant must meet the loan eligibility requirements of the program to which he/she is applying.
Socially Disadvantaged Applicants (SDA) are one of a group whose members have been subjected to racial, ethnic or gender prejudice because of their identity as a member of the group without regard to their individual qualities. SDA groups are Women, African Americans, American Indians, Alaskan Natives, Hispanics, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Certain FSA loan funds are targeted to beginning farmers and SDA. Note: All applicants for direct farm ownership loans must have participated in a business operation of a farm for at least three years. To find out more about loans for Beginning Farmer and Socially Disadvantaged Applicants contact the Henry County FSA office to setup an appointment with a loan approval official. Microloan Program The Farm Service Agency (FSA) offers applicants a Microloan designed to help farmers with credit needs of $35,000 or less. The loan features a streamlined application process built to fit the needs of new and smaller producers. This loan program will also be useful to specialty crop producers and operators of community supported agriculture (CSA). Eligible applicants can apply for a maximum amount of $35,000 to pay for initial start-up expenses such as hoop houses to extend the growing season, essential tools, irrigation and annual expenses such as seed, fertilizer, utilities, land rents, marketing, and distribution expenses. As financing needs increase, applicants can apply for a regular operating loan up to the maximum amount of $300,000 or obtain financing from a commercial lender under FSA's Guaranteed Loan Program. In addition to microloans, FSA offers several farm loan programs that provide funding to purchase land, livestock, equipment, feed, seed, and supplies, or can be used to construct buildings or make farm improvements. Individuals interested in applying for a microloan or would like to discuss other farm loan programs available, should contact the Henry County FSA office to setup an appointment with a loan approval official. The Microloan program Fact Sheet can be found here. Controlled Substance Any person convicted under federal or state law of a controlled substance violation could be ineligible for USDA payments or benefits. Violations include planting, harvesting or growing a prohibited plant. Prohibited plants include marijuana, opium, poppies and other drug producing plants. Special Accommodations Reasonable accommodations will be made, upon request, for individuals with disabilities, vision impairment, or hearing impairment to attend or participate in meetings or events sponsored by the Farm Service Agency. If you require special accommodations to attend or participate in one of our events, please call the FSA county office and we will be happy to make any needed arrangements. Dates to Remember June 9 ------ Continuous CRP and Transition Incentives Program sign-up began. June 15 ---- County Committee Nomination period began. June 16 ---- FSA began taking applications from biomass conversion facilities for the Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP). July 4 ------ Independence Day Holiday. FSA Offices Closed. July 15 ---- Final date to submit 2013 production for ACRE participants. July 15 ---- Final certification date to report CRP, corn, spring oats, potatoes, popcorn, sugar beets, tomatoes and nearly all other crops. Aug. 1 ----- Final date to request farm reconstitution for current fiscal year. Aug. 1 ----- Last day to file County Committee Nomination forms. 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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