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AGRICULTURE
Committee
election results are in
Landowners, farmers and producers in local administrative area
(LAA) 2 of Owen County have elected Mark Wright to serve a three-year
term on the local county committee. David Smith of Gratz was elected
to serve as the first alternate to the county committee.
Alternates serve when regular members are unable to attend committee
meetings. County committees are responsible for the delivery of
federal farm programs at the local level.
The members of the county committee recently met and elected the
following positions: Mark Wright, chairperson; Forrest Hunter,
vice-chairperson; and W. A. Grisham, regular member.
2006 Direct and Counter Cyclical Program (DCP)
Producers on farms with crop acreage bases of corn, soybeans,
grain sorghum, wheat, barley and oats are reminded to enroll in
the 2006 Direct and County Cyclical Program (DCP). The application
period has begun and will continue until June 1. Producers may
request a 50-percent advance payment for any month (February to
September) with the final payment being issued after Oct. 1. All
required signatures of owners, tenants and farm operators are
required before contracts can be approved. A $100 late-filing
fee will be charged for farms enrolled after June 1.
Farms enrolled in the DCP have a limitation on the amount of fruits
and vegetables that can be grown before incurring payment reductions.
Producers are reminded to contact the FSA before planting any
fruits and vegetables on a farm that is enrolled in the DCP program.
Sweet corn is considered a vegetable crop.
Loan Deficiency Payments (LDP)
The final date to apply for a loan or loan deficiency payment
for a 2005 crop of wheat, barley or oats is March 31. The final
date to apply for a 2005 crop of corn, grain sorghum or soybean
loan or LDP is May 31.
The posted county price (PCP) for corn has been below the loan
rate for some time meaning producers may be eligible for loan
deficiency payments. Rates are posted by 8:15 a.m. each day.
Beginning with the 2006 crop year, requests for LDPs will be consolidated
on one new form that will cover both basic LDPs and field-direct
LDPs. Producers should file the new CCC-633-EZ at the time they
make crop reports for planted acreages of grain crops. Beneficial
interest requirements have not changed.
Program Sign-up
Producers may enroll acreage under the Continuous Conservation
Reserve Program (CRP) for 10- to 15-year contracts. In return
for establishing practices on the enrolled acreage, producers
earn an annual rental payment calculated using the average soil
rental rate plus a maintenance rate, plus incentive payments.
Producers also are eligible for cost-share assistance to establish
approved covers. A conservation plan must be established by NRCS
specifications. The following practices are eligible under the
continuous sign-up:
CP-33, Habitat Buffers for Upland Birds — This is a new
practice to provide food and cover for quail and other species.
Eligible land must have been cropped at least four years from
1996-2001 and only a border around the field can be offered.
CP-21, Filter Strip — This is an available practice to establish
a grass cover adjacent to a stream on land that has been cropped
at least four years during the period 1996-2001.
CP-22, Riparian Buffer — This is a practice where producers
plant trees on either cropland or marginal pastureland (land that
has not been cropped, but capable of being cropped) adjacent to
streams or water bodies (ponds).
Loans
available for socially disadvantaged persons
USDA Farm Service Agency reserves funds each year to make loans
to socially disadvantaged applicants to buy and operate family-size
farms. A socially disadvantaged farmer is one of a group whose
members have been subjected to racial, ethnic or gender prejudice
because of their identity as members of the group without regard
to their individual qualities. For the purposes of this program,
socially disadvantaged groups have been defined as women, African-Americans,
American Indians, Alaskan Natives, Hispanics, Asians and Pacific
Islanders.
Types of Loans
• Operating loans may be used for various short and intermediate
type credit needs, such as the purchase of livestock and equipment
and annual operating expenses.
• Farm ownership loans may be used for the purchase and/or
improvement of farmland and buildings.
Who May Borrow
Individuals, partnerships, joint operations, corporations, and
cooperatives primarily and directly engaged in farming on family-size
operations may apply. A family-size operation is considered to
be one that a family can operate and manage itself.
Terms and Interest Rates
Repayment terms for direct operating loans depend on the collateral
securing the loan and usually run from 1 to 7 years. Repayment
terms on direct ownership loans are up to 40 years. Guaranteed
loan terms (through a third party, i.e., bank) are set by the
lender.
Interest Rates
Current interest rates are:
• Operating loans: 5 percent
• Farm Ownership loans: 5.25 percent
• Emergency loans: 3.75 percent
How to Get a Loan
Applications for all FSA direct loan programs are made through
the local FSA county office. Guaranteed loan applications are
made with the lender. For information on participating lenders,
contact the local FSA county office.
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