October 2007
UNITED STATES Crop Disaster Program FSA Farm Loans
DEPARTMENT (CDP) Sign-up
OF
AGRICULTURE Eligible farmers can sign up for the The Farm Service Agency (FSA)
Farm Service Crop Disaster Program (CDP) provides direct and guaranteed loans
Agency beginning October 15, 2007, if they to beginning farmers and ranchers
suffered quantity losses to their crops. who are unable to obtain financing
Northern County USDA will announce and conduct from commercial credit sources.
Office CDP sign-up for quality losses as Each fiscal year, the Agency targets
PO Box 585 soon as possible. a portion of its direct and guaranteed
Delta Junction, AK
99737 farm ownership (FO) and operating
CDP provides benefits to farmers loan (OL) funds to beginning farmers
who suffered quantity and quality and ranchers.
907.895.4242
losses to 2005, 2006, or 2007 crops
866.872.3320
Fax: 907.895.5003
from natural disasters if the crop was A beginning farmer or rancher is an
planted before Feb. 28, 2007, or, in individual or entity who (1) has not
email: the case of prevented plantings, for operated a farm or ranch for more
lloyd.wilhelm@ak. crops that would have been planted than 10 years; (2) meets the loan
usda.gov before Feb. 28, 2007. Producers who eligibility requirements of the
incurred qualifying losses in 2005, program to which he/she is applying;
2006 or 2007 must choose only one (3) substantially participates in the
Southern County year to apply for benefits. Producers
Office operation; and, (4) for FO loan
may apply for benefits for losses to purposes, does not own a farm
800 W Evergreen
multiple commodities as long as the greater than 30 percent of the
Suite 216
Palmer, AK 99645
losses occurred in the same crop average size farm in the county.
year. Only producers who obtained (Note: all applicants for direct FO
907.761.7754 crop insurance coverage or coverage loans must have participated in the
866.872.3320 under the Noninsured Crop Disaster business operation of a farm for at
Fax: 907.761.7788 Assistance Program (NAP) for the least 3 years.)
year of loss will be eligible for CDP
email: benefits. Producers must have
doug.carter@ak. suffered quantity losses in excess of
usda.gov 35 percent to be eligible for CDP.
USDA Issues Final
Direct 2007 Payments
State Committee
Bill Ward, Chair
More information about CDP is USDA recently announced that
Jeanette James available in a fact sheet titled approximately $4 billion nationwide
Agricultural Assistance Act of 2007 in final 2007 direct payments will
State Executive which may be found on FSA's Web soon be issued to producers with
Director site at http://www.fsa.usda.gov under base acres enrolled in the Direct and
Chad B. Padgett Disaster Assistance Programs. Counter-cyclical Program (DCP).
USDA is developing individual fact
sheets about these programs that will
soon be posted online.
To receive direct payments, "By participating in CRP, eligible high priority conservation
producers with base acres must be producers and other landowners practices.
enrolled in DCP for an eligible throughout the nation are
commodity for the respective improving air and water quality, For more information on CRP,
program year. Direct payments are enhancing wildlife habitat and producers should contact their
tied to historical acreage bases and reducing erosion," said Conner. local FSA office or visit FSA's
yields established for a farm, rather "These practices are making a real Web at http://www.fsa.usda.gov.
than the current farm's production. difference today and promoting a .
For each commodity, the direct healthier environment for the next
payment for each crop year equals generation." Wool and Mohair
85 percent of the farm's Marketing Assistance
commodity base acreage, times the Producers holding about 782,000
farm's direct payment yield, times contracts on 441,000 farms will Loan and Loan
the direct payment rate. The receive an average of $49.49 per Deficiency Payment
Commodity Credit Corporation acre. The number of contracts is Program
reduces final direct payments by higher than the number of farms
any advance direct payments because some producers may have The Farm Security and Rural
producers have already received. multiple contracts on a single farm. Investment Act of 2002 provides
The payments allow producers to 2002-2007 crop year Marketing
Commodities with historical base earn an average of $4,130 per farm Assistance Loans and Loan
acres eligible for direct payments enrolled in the program. Deficiency Payments (LDPs) for
and their rates are: barley, $0.24 wool and mohair to eligible
per bushel; corn, $0.28 per bushel; Included in the totals are 355,000 producers who produce and shear
grain sorghum, $0.35 per bushel; contracts (3.9 million acres) for wool and mohair from live sheep
oats, $0.024 per bushel; soybeans, CRP's continuous sign-up and and goats. The LDP program is
$0.44 per bushel; other oilseeds 427,000 contracts (32.9 million also available to eligible producers
(canola, crambe, flaxseed, mustard acres) for general sign-up. Under of nongraded wool in the form of
seed, rapeseed, safflower, sesame, continuous sign-up, producers may unshorn pelts for the 2002-2007
sunflower), $0.008 per pound; enroll high priority conservation crop years.
peanuts, $36 per short ton; rice, practices such as filter strips and
$2.35 per hundredweight; upland riparian buffers at any time These nonrecourse programs
cotton, $0.0667 per pound; and without competition. eligible producers with two forms
wheat, $0.52 per bushel. of Federal assistance: eligible
Currently, nationwide enrollment producers can either request a
USDA's Farm Service Agency stands at 36.8 million acres, nine-month marketing assistance
distributes direct payments for the making CRP the largest public- loan or agree to forgo the loan and
Commodity Credit Corporation. private partnership for request an LDP.
For more information on DCP, conservation and wildlife habitat in
visit your local USDA Service the United States. This voluntary The program helps stabilize
Center or http://www.fsa.usda.gov. program helps agricultural America's wool and mohair
producers enhance industry and ensures the well-
environmentally sensitive land. being of agriculture in the United
USDA Issues $1.8 Producers enroll in CRP and plant States. Nonrecourse Marketing
Billion in Conservation long-term, resource-conserving Assistance Loans are administered
Reserve Program covers to improve water quality, by USDA's Farm Service Agency
Rental Payments control soil erosion and enhance (FSA) on behalf of the Commodity
habitats for waterfowl and wildlife. Credit Corporation (CCC).
Acting Agriculture Secretary In return, USDA provides
Chuck Conner announced recently producers with rental The Fact Sheet provides details on
that USDA will distribute payments. CRP contract duration the following:
approximately $1.8 billion in is from 10 to 15 years.
Conservation Reserve Program
Wool and Mohair
(CRP) rental payments nationwide USDA issues other CRP payments Nonrecourse Marketing
to participants across the country throughout the year. These Assistance Loans
for fiscal year 2008 for completed payments include a 50 percent Loan Deficiency Payments
performance in the prior fiscal expense reimbursement for Eligibility
year. establishing cover as well as Beneficial Interest
incentive payments for enrolling Payment Limitation
Final Loan Availability Date 2008 Farm Record Selected Interest Rates
Core Tests
Repayment Rates and Posted
Changes for
October 2007
Prices 90-Day
If you have sold or bought land, Treasury Bill 4.625%
Loan and LDP Rates changed a farm operator or rented Farm Operating
land for 2008, please notify your Loans — Direct 5.125%
The following are the national loan county office so farm records can Farm
rates for the 2002-2007 crop years be updated. When land is Ownership 5.50%
for wool and mohair (grease purchased you need to provide the Loans — Direct
basis): office with proof of ownership. Limited
5.00%
Resource Loans
County Committee Farm
Ownership
Commodity Loan Rate Election Loans — Direct
Graded Wool $1.00 per Down Payment, 4.00%
pound In early November, ballots will be Beginning
Ungraded Wool $0.40 per mailed to all eligible voters. Farmer or
pound Eligible voters can also pick up Rancher
Mohair $4.20 per ballots at their local Service Emergency
3.75%
pound Center. The deadline for voting is Loans
Farm Storage
December 3, 2007. 4.375%
Facility Loans
Commodity
Wetland Determination The ballots are counted within Loans 1996- 5.250%
Identifiers seven calendar days after the Present
voting deadline. The public is
given a 10-calendar-day advance The United States Department
Blue dots representing NRCS notice of the ballot counting and of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits
wetland determinations on FSA the meeting to count ballots is discrimination in all its
maps were changed to red, open to the public. programs and activities on the
yellow, and green wetland basis of race, color, national
determination identifiers on FSA origin, age, disability, and
maps beginning in May 2007. This where applicable, sex, marital
change created a requirement for a Dates to Remember status, familial status, parental
joint education campaign status, religion, sexual
orientation, genetic
sponsored by FSA and NRCS Oct. 15 2002/2007 CDP
information, political beliefs,
about the new wetland sign up begins reprisal, or because all or part
determination identifiers. of an individual’s income is
Nov. 2 County Committee derived from any public
The fact sheet and PowerPoint Election ballots mailed assistance program. (Not all
presentation jointly authored by to voters prohibited bases apply to all
FSA and NRCS are intended programs.) Persons with
to serve as the base for the Nov. 12 Veterans Day Holiday disabilities who require
education campaign concerning FSA Offices Closed alternative means for
communication of program
the new wetland determination
information (Braille, large
identifiers. Nov. 22 Thanksgiving Holiday
prints, audiotape, etc.) should
FSA Offices Closed contact USDA’s TARGET
Fact Sheet Center at 202-720-2600 (voice
http://www.fsa.usda.gov/Internet/F Dec. 3 Last day to return and TDD).
SA_File/wetlands.pdf county committee
election ballots To file a complaint of
discrimination, write USDA,
PowerPoint Director, Office of Civil Rights,
http://www.fsa.usda.gov/Internet/F Continuing: FSA farm loans; 1400 Independence Avenue,
SA_File/wetlandsymbol.ppt LCP and LIP sign up SW, Washington, DC 20250-
9410 or call 800-795-3272
(voice) or 202-720-6382
(TDD). USDA is an equal
opportunity provider and
employer.
Alaska State FSA Office PRSRT STD
800 W Evergreen Postage Fees Paid
Suite 216 Farm Service Agency
Farm Service Agency Permit NO G-96
Palmer, AK 99645