FSA Andy

Hello again!

Transitions are a part of life. Sometimes it is a long transition, such as if you have a child going to college. College bound kids are just starting their journey to adult hood and independence.

They may be out of the house, but their stuff is still in their room, they still are asking for money, and they still know where to go for a hot meal. Heck, I am in my 40s and I still know Mom will cook me a hot meal.

Sometimes it is a quick transition, like my junior high son moving from soccer season into wrestling season. You think you are going to catch a breath but then a week full of conditioning and practices suddenly pop up. Cleats come out of the duffel bag and are quickly replaced with headgear.

Here at FSA, we go through some type of transition every time a farm bill comes and goes. This time it looks like it will be a longer transition.

Farm bill

The 2008 Farm Bill expired Sept. 30, leaving the fate of several programs up in the air. Even without a renewal of the farm bill for 2013, there are still lose ends to tie up from previous years.

Payments for the 2012 contract years of both the Direct and Counter-cyclical Program (DCP) and the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) have been processed here in October. Participants should have already received these deposits into their accounts.

SURE

Also this month, Oct. 22 was the beginning of sign up for the 2011 Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments (SURE) program. The SURE program provides assistance to producers who suffered crop losses due to natural disasters.

Eligible producers must have a qualifying loss, which means at least a 10 percent production loss affecting one crop of economic significance due to a disaster on a farm in a disaster county.

Declared SURE disaster counties in northeastern Ohio for 2011 include Ashtabula, Coshocton, Geauga, Holmes, Lake, Portage, Stark, Summit, Tuscarawas, Trumbull, and Wayne. A complete listing of disaster declared counties can be found at www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/ under the Disaster Assistance Program tab.

Producers outside a declared disaster county, but with production losses greater than or equal to 50 percent of the normal production on the farm (expected revenue for all crops on the farm), also qualify for SURE.

Remember that SURE is a “whole farm” disaster loss program. SURE covers all crops in all counties that contribute at least 5 percent of the expected revenue for a producer’s farm.

Losses for one crop may be offset by other crops that show higher than average income, much the same way loses in one or two crops may pull down total farm income to qualify for benefits. The sign-up deadline is June 7, 2013; however, all interested producers are encouraged to apply well before that date.

That’s all for now!

FSA Andy