Mandi Bird, County Executive Director
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Hello folks! Thanks for reading the September issue of Coffee Shop Talk. We ended the month of August with 4.5 inches of rain, which is pretty close to the normal 4.04-inch monthly average. Crops are looking really good and I know people are getting trucks and combines tuned up and ready to go for harvest. Daviess County was fortunate this year to not have any major and widespread weather events like our neighbors in Iowa so everyone is optimistic that yields will be very good.
The COVID-19 pandemic has created some unique challenges for our office this year, due to restricted access to the public for in-person business. I want to thank you all for your patience and understanding.
Our office will start processing annual Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) payments the first week of October. For the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) farm program, we will soon know the 2019 Marketing Year Average Price for corn and soybeans, which will determine if and how much the payment rates will be for both programs. Remember the payment cycle of these programs run a year after the fact because it evaluates the county yields and marketing year average price, which for corn and soybeans, is September 1 – August 31 each year. If payments are warranted, they will be processed approximately the second week of October.
Do you have a CRP contract that will be expiring in the next year or two? For those of you that do, please be proactive to ensure those areas are free of trees, gullies, and noxious weeds. When a contract is set to expire and the contract holder request to re-offer the acreage, a field visit will be made (prior to approval) to ensure the acreage is capable of being farmed in a normal workmanship like manner. If the area to be enrolled is not capable of being farmed, that area will not be eligible for CRP, unless certain practice provisions apply to an already existing/expiring tree practice. Also note, boundaries may be reduced if trees or brushy cover has grown up in the fence lines or along other existing boundaries. There will be minimal exceptions at the time the offer is made. If you have been through a CRP signup before, time is limited to get contracts re-enrolled & to accept new offers so please be proactive while managing your existing contracts.
Dates to remember:
• October 1-November 30 – spray cool season CRP acres if needed for required maintenance
• September 30th- Haying or Grazing CRP acres- haying must be complete and livestock removed
• October 12th- Columbus Day Holiday. USDA Service Center is closed.
• October 30th- Bales must be removed from CRP managed haying acres.
• December 15- Deadline to report fall seeded crops such as wheat, rye, triticale
That’s all folks! Thanks for reading this month’s issue of Coffee Shop Talk! We wish everyone a safe and bountiful harvest and successful fall calving season.