Microsoft Word - May 2009 Newsletter.doc

"The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its program and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status,

familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not

all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s

TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410,

or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer."

Powell-Deer Lodge-Granite

County FSA

1002 Hollenback Rd, Suite B

Deer Lodge, MT 59722

Phone: (406) 846-2337

Fax: (406) 846-3134

County Committee Members

Steve Graveley – LAA 1-1

Barb Conn – LAA 1-2

Marlin Gilman – LAA 1-3

Carl Johnson – LAA 1-4

Phil Ralston – LAA 1-5

FSA Office Personnel

Gary Thompson – ext. 233

Sandra Witt – ext. 232

Dates to Remember:

May 15 – Beginning Date of primary

nesting season

May 25 – Office Closed Memorial Day

June 15 – 17 Montana Range Days,

Miles city

June 15 – COC Nominations Open

July 3 – Office Closed, 4

of July

July 15 – Acreage Report Deadline

August 3 – COC Nominations End

Assistance Provided for Livestock Losses

If you suffered livestock death losses in 2008 and/or 2009

due to eligible adverse weather events, you may be eligible to

receive payments from the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP).

Although forms and procedures to apply for the program are

not available at this time, please contact the county office to

learn more about the eligibility requirements to apply for LIP

Adjusted Gross Income (AGI)

For 2009 through 2012 crop years, to be eligible to receive a

marketing loan gain (MLG) or Loan Deficiency Payment (LDP),

an entity or individual’s average adjusted gross nonfarm

income cannot exceed $500,000. A person or legal entity with

average adjusted gross nonfarm income that exceeds

$500,000 is not eligible for MLG’s and LDP payments.

However, the person or entity is eligible for a marketing

assistance loan if requested before the final loan availability

date, but the Marketing Assistance Loan (MAL) must be repaid

at principal plus interest or a commodity certificate may be

exchanged for the loan collateral. Commodity certificates are

available until the end of the 2009 crop year.

Conservation Compliance

Federal regulations discourage the production of

crops on highly erodible cropland unless the land is

protected from erosion by an approved conservation

system. Status reviews are conducted to ensure

producers follow a conservation plan on highly erodible

land.

In addition to the highly erodible land, a person may

not plant an agricultural commodity on wetlands

converted after Dec. 23, 1985, or convert a wetland to

make agricultural production possible after Nov. 28,

1990.

Failure to comply with these provisions will cause a

person to be ineligible for USDA benefits. County

Committees may review noncompliance situations for

good faith and provide relief in approved cases.

Change in Farming Operation or Address

Producers are reminded to notify this office to report

change in address, land ownership or entity changes

regarding percentages and/or adding or removing a

member. This is vital to assist this office in keeping

current records which reduce time spent when

applying for different programs.

Change in Direct Deposit Account

The Debt Collection Act of 1996 mandates that

payments from FSA be directly deposited into a

producer’s checking or savings bank account. It is

important that any change in the producer’s account

such as type of account, bank mergers, routing

number or account numbers be provided to the county

office promptly to avoid possible payment delay.

2009 Acreage Reports

The deadline to file 2009 acreage reports is July

15, 2009. The farm maps will be mailed or made

available at the FSA county office for producers.

There are new requirements for reporting all cropland

and rangeland for various program eligibility. Please

follow the instructions closely for completing the

maps.

Changes to FSA Payment Processing

FSA will be deploying a new payment

processing system the first part of December.

Through the new system, all payments

made through direct deposit will be processed

through the Federal Reserve Bank and will be

received in the participants account within 2-3

days of processing.

Interest Rates for Farm Loan Program

Effective as of March 1,

2009

Program Interest

Rates

Farm Operating-

Direct

2.00%

Farm

Ownership-

Direct

3.50%

Farm

Ownership-

Direct, Joint

Financing

5.00%

Farm

Ownership-

Down Payment

1.50%

Emergency

Loan- Amount

of Actual Loss

3.75%

Recovery Act Funding Loans in MT

FSA in Montana obligated $2.2 million in

loans to assist producers within the state. The

funding is through the stimulus bill titled the

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of

2009.

53% of the loan funds were advanced to

socially disadvantaged and beginning farmers

and ranchers.

Socially

Disadvantaged

Applicants

$369,100.00

Beginning Farmers

and Ranchers

applicants

$630,000.00

The funds may be used to purchase

livestock equipment feed seed fert

ilizer and

Pulse Crops

The Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of

2008 provided for eligible pulse crop acreage to

be added as base acres and yields for

commodities eligible for the 2009 through 2012

Direct and Counter-Cyclical Program (DCP) and

for the Average Crop Revenue Election Program

(ACRE). Pulse crops are defined as dry peas,

lentils, Desi garbanzo beans (small chickpeas),

and Kabuli garbanzo beans (large chickpeas).

Pulse crops will be eligible for counter-cyclical

payments under DCP, but not eligible for direct

payments.

Producers with farms identified as having pulse

crops planted during the 1998 through 2001 crop

years will soon be receiving a letter notifying them

of available options to add pulse crop bases to

their farm. Included with the letter will be a

Summary Acreage History and Yield Report that

shows pulse crop acreage reported to FSA during

those years and 75% of the county average yield.

Late-filed acreage reports, with supporting

evidence, may be filed for history purposes if

acreage reports were not filed with FSA in 1998

through 2001. Producers with planting history will

have three options; 1) do not add pulse base –

retain current base acres, 2) add eligible pulse

base without an offset of existing base, or 3) add

eligible pulse crop base with an offset of existing

base. Yields will be set at 75% of the county

average unless producers elect to update the yield

by using the farm’s actual yields for the crop years

1998-2001. Production evidence will be required

to support the request to update yields. Contact

this office for further information.

Farm Service Agency (FSA) Loans

FSA makes loans for land, livestock and other

agricultural purposes throughout Montana.

The agency’s loans offer low interest rates and

terms designed to help beginning farmers and

ranchers start out in agriculture with payments they

can afford.

FSA can assist smaller operations get started by

providing financing to purchase a tractor, grain truck

or 50 cows as an example. Every operator has to

get started some place and FSA has a variety of

loans and loan programs to assist in that endeavor.

FSA can finance applicants who are currently in

college if their goal is to return to

the farm or ranch following graduation. For a student

to be eligible while still in college they must be

substantially responsible for the management of the

security, this would include carrying out labor needs

during critical periods of the year.

Seedlings Still Available for Conservation Planting this Spring!

John Justin, Manager, Montana Conservation Seedling Nursery

Seedlings for conservation plantings are still available from the Department of Natural Resources and

Conservation’s nursery in Missoula. The nursery still has an excellent selection of many popular species

including caragana, golden currant, lilac, woods rose, blue spruce, ponderosa pine, Western larch, aspen,

cottonwoods, and willows. Although the nursery delivery truck has already visited most counties, seedling

orders can still be shipped directly to a landowners’ doorstep via Fed Ex.

The nursery will continue to accept seedlings orders for shipment this spring until at least May 23. The

minimum order is 250 seedlings for new plantings. Replacement or fill-in seedlings are available in lots of 50

for deciduous seedlings and 25 for evergreen and containerized stock.

To find out more or place an order, contact the nursery directly at 406-542-4244. Additional information

including a complete list of species and prices is also available on the nursery website:

www.dnrc.mt.gov/forestry/nursery

Powell-Deer Lodge-Granite County FSA

1002 Hollenback Rd, Suite B

Deer Lodge, MT 59722

Postage Block