April is bringing good fieldwork weather

Hello again,

March weather in April was not expected, but things seem to be looking up with sunshine for a week now!

Agricultural producers are reminded to consult with FSA and NRCS before breaking out new ground for production purposes as doing so without prior authorization may put a producer’s federal farm program benefits in jeopardy.

This is especially true for land that must meet Highly Erodible Land (HEL) and Wetland Conservation (WC) provisions. Producers with HEL determined soils are required to apply tillage, crop residue and rotational requirements as specified in their conservation plan.

Land clearing

Producers should notify FSA as a first point of contact prior to conducting land clearing or drainage type projects to ensure the proposed actions meet compliance criteria, such as clearing any trees to create new cropland.

These areas may need to be reviewed to ensure such work will not risk your eligibility for benefits.

Landowners and operators complete the form AD-1026 — Highly Erodible Land Conservation (HELC) and WC Certification — to identify the proposed action and allow FSA to determine whether a referral to Natural Resources Conservation Service for further review is necessary.