USDA Announces Disaster Assistance Sign up for 2010 Crop Losses

Lexington, KY - October 25, 2011 - John W. McCauley, FSA State Executive Director, today announced that the Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments (SURE) program enrollment for 2010 crop year losses begins November 14, 2011.

"Producers across the state experienced several natural disasters during the 2010 crop year that caused hardship and financial losses to many agricultural operations," said McCauley. "The SURE program provides assistance to producers when disaster strikes, so I strongly encourage producers with 2010 crop losses to contact their local FSA office to learn more about the program," he said.

To qualify for a SURE payment, the producer's operation must be located in a county that was declared a disaster, either as a primary or contiguous county, for 2010 and have at least a 10 percent production loss that affects one crop of economic significance. Producers with agricultural operations located outside a disaster county are eligible for SURE benefits if they had a production loss greater or equal to 50 percent of the normal production on the farm.

All Kentucky counties received a disaster designation, either as a primary or contiguous county, during 2010, EXCEPT these counties: Clay, Floyd Harlan, Johnson, Knox, Lawrence, Leslie, Letcher, Martin and Pike.

To meet program eligibility requirements, producers must have obtained a policy or plan of insurance for all insurable crops through the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation and obtained Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) coverage on non-insurable crops, if available, from FSA. Eligible farmers and ranchers who meet the definition of a socially disadvantaged, limited resource or beginning farmer or rancher do not have to meet this requirement. Forage crops intended for grazing are not eligible for SURE benefits.

For more information on SURE program eligibility requirements contact your local County FSA office or visit the website at http://www.fsa.usda.gov/sure.

FSA News: Signup Continues for Livestock Indemnity Program

Livestock producers are reminded that the deadline to report death losses under the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) is no later than 30 calendar days after the loss becomes apparent to the livestock producer. Producers are eligible for compensation on livestock deaths in excess of normal mortality that occur due to adverse weather conditions.

Eligible causes of loss include extreme heat, extreme cold, lightning, tornado, floods, hurricanes, blizzards, wildfires, tropical storm, earthquake and typhoon. For cases of extreme heat or extreme cold the Kentucky State FSA Committee sets guidelines to determine the eligible days for payment that deaths occur on.

Producers must provide documentation according to one of the following:

Verifiable Documentation for proof of death may include, but is not limited to: (1) rendering truck receipts or certificates; (2) National Guard records; (3) veterinary records; (4) records assembled for tax purposes; (5) production records; or (6) FEMA records. Verifiable documentation may also include property tax records, private insurance documents, written contracts, purchase records, bank or other loan documents. Documentation must provide sufficient data that identifies the kind/ type/ weight range of livestock and the number of livestock lost.

Reliable Records may be provided if adequate verifiable proof of death records documentation is not available, in conjunction with verifiable beginning and ending inventory records as proof of death such as, but not limited to: (1) contemporaneous producer records existing at time of event; (2) Dairy Herd Improvement (DHI) records; (3) vaccination/branding records; (4) brand inspection records; (5) pictures with a date; and (6) other similar reliable documents.

Third Party Certification may be accepted only when participant certifies in writing on an FSA-926 that no other form of proof of deaths is available and includes the number and physical location of livestock in inventory at time death occurs. Documentation must also be provided to support the number of livestock in inventory at the time the deaths occurred.

For additional information contact the Columbia FSA Service Center by phone at (270) 384-6431 or 1-888-758-6634 or come by the office at 961 Campbellsville Road, Columbia KY.

Livestock Forage Program Signup

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FSA Announces Eligible Counties for the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP)

Lexington, October 14, 2009 – On October 2, Secretary Vilsack announced the eligible counties for the LFP Program where producers can receive disaster payments for forage losses due to severe drought. Producers are reminded that LFP sign up for 2008 losses began on September 14, 2009, and ends Dec. 10, 2009, and Jan. 30, 2010, for 2009 losses.

LFP provides payments to eligible livestock producers that have suffered livestock grazing losses due to qualifying drought or fire. For drought, the losses must have occurred on land that is native or improved pastureland with permanent vegetative cover or a crop planted specifically for grazing for covered livestock due to a qualifying drought during the normal grazing period for the specific type of grazing land in the county. For fire, LFP provides payments to eligible livestock producers that have suffered grazing losses on rangeland managed by a federal agency if the eligible livestock producer is prohibited by the federal agency from grazing the normal permitted livestock on the managed rangeland due to a qualifying fire.

Eligible Kentucky counties for the 2008 calendar year are: Adair, Bell, Casey, Clinton, Cumberland, Harlan, Knox, Laurel, Lincoln, McCreary, Pulaski, Rockcastle, Russell, Wayne and Whitley. Currently no counties are eligible for 2009.

Eligible livestock under LFP include beef cattle, alpacas, buffalo, beefalo, dairy cattle, deer, elk, emus, equine, goats, llamas, poultry, reindeer, sheep and swine. For losses due to drought, qualifying drought ratings are determined using the U.S. Drought Monitor located at http://www.drought.unl.edu/dm/monitor.html.

For additional information regarding the LFP program, contact your local FSA Service Center.

USDA Reminds Tobacco Quota Holders and Producers of Sign-Up Deadline for 2010

WASHINGTON, Oct. 8, 2009 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today reminded tobacco quota holders and producers not currently enrolled in the Tobacco Transition Payment Program (TTPP) that they have until Nov. 2, 2009, to sign-up to receive a 2010 TTPP payment.

The TTPP, also known as the tobacco buy-out, provides approximately $10 billion in ten annual installments to eligible tobacco quota holders and producers from 2005 through 2014. Payments for 2010 through 2014 will be issued annually in January.

USDA also reminds tobacco quota holders and producers that they have until Nov. 2, 2009, to sell their remaining five annual payments to a successor to receive a lump-sum payment. Certain requirements must be met to qualify for lump-sum payments. More information on lump-sum payments is available at www.fsa.usda.gov/tobacco or by calling the USDA Farm Service Agency at (202) 720-7901. Contract holders who do not complete this process by Nov. 2, 2009, can arrange for the sale of their remaining four payments beginning Jan. 19, 2010.

The TTPP marks the end of federal tobacco marketing quota and price support loan programs. This program helps American tobacco quota holders and producers transition to the free market. Payments are made from assessments on tobacco product importers and manufacturers.

For more information about TTPP, please visit your FSA county office or www.fsa.usda.gov/tobacco.