By Mandi Bird, County Executive Director
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We finished off October with 0.45 inches of rain, compared to a normal 3.14, making the month ideal for getting crops out. As of Nov. 5, Daviess County is registering on the U.S. Drought Monitor as abnormally dry with our neighboring counties to the west at level 1- moderate drought. Hopefully we’ll get some moisture to replenish subsoil moisture and fill the ponds before heading into the winter months. Please take a few minutes to read through the reminders and different programs listed below, but please feel free to call or come by the office for any additional information.
Report all fall-seeded crops by Dec. 15. Wheat, rye, and triticale must be reported by Dec. 15 or within 15 calendar days after planting to avoid a late file fee. If planted, these crops must be reported to maintain program eligibility.
Marketing Assistance Loans. These loans are now available on harvested corn and soybeans. These low interest, 9-month loans are made to give farmers flexibility in market decisions while providing some cash flow. The grain is used as collateral and there are no early pay off penalties.
Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2.0. For Daviess County livestock producers of cattle, hogs and sheep, breeding stock is not eligible to be counted. (Definition of breeding stock: female who has produced offspring or a male who has been used for breeding). Producer will choose a date between April 16, 2020, and Aug. 31, 2020, and certify their highest owned inventory of all breeds of the cattle, hogs and sheep being raised for meat consumption, on that day. Cows, bulls, rams, ewes, sows and boars are not eligible to be counted in CFAP 2. All producers who have a share of 2020 planted acres of corn, soybeans, wheat, milo, oats, alfalfa, rye or triticale should contact the office about enrollment. There are many more eligible crops but these are the predominate ones for our area. The 2020 reported acres to FSA are compiled and the RMA individual or county yield is applied to compute payments.
COC Election. Eligible landowners in LAA #3 consisting of Marion, Jefferson, Liberty, Colfax and Sheridan Townships should have recently received their ballots in the mail. Ballots were mailed out on Nov. 2 for the upcoming 2021 County Committee Member. Steve E. Heldenbrand of Kidder is the incumbent and is running for a second term. Ballots must be returned to the office by Dec. 7, 2020.
CRP General Signup. FSA will be holding a General CRP signup this winter from Jan. 4, 2021, through Feb. 12, 2021. If you are interested in offering land into the CRP program it must be free of trees, brush, and noxious weeds, have been owned for a least one year, and been farmed four of the six years between 2012-2017. Daviess County will be taking appointments for this signup. The estimated maximum rental rate possible for Daviess County in the 2021 signup year will be $115/acre. These rates will vary by farm depending on the types of soils that lie within the offer being made.
Transition Incentive Program. One option for landowners with expiring CRP Contracts is the Transition Incentive Program (TIP). This program provides two years of additional CRP payments to the landowner if they agree to a long term lease (at least five years) or sell their land to a beginning farmer, veteran or socially disadvantaged farmer (See form CCC-860 for definitions). The land expiring out of CRP shall then be returned to sustainable grazing, hay or crop production methods. The landowner will receive their CRP annual payment for the first two years of the lease, as well as the cash lease amount from the tenant. Then in years 3-5 just the cash lease amount. After the five-year lease with the beginning farmer ends, the land can be offered back into CRP, pending a signup and all eligibility requirements are met, or it can continue to be used for production at the landowners discretion. One stipulation of the TIP is the landowner and tenant cannot be family members. For more information on this program, contact the office or visit farmers.gov and search for the TIP Fact Sheet.
From all of us here at Farm Service Agency, we wish our farmers a happy and blessed Thanksgiving.