FARM BILL
If you know me, you know I don't like to give out information until I have all of the facts. You've been asking about the farm bill...here is the information from Farm Services:
SIGN-UP BEGINS FOR USDA DISASTER ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS RESTORED BY FARM BILL
BY APPOINTMENT ONLY
Depending on the size and type of farm or
ranch operation, eligible producers can enroll in one of four programs
administered by the Farm Service Agency. The Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP), and
the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) will provide
payments to eligible producers for grazing losses and livestock
deaths that have occurred since the expiration of the livestock disaster
assistance programs in 2011, and including calendar years 2012, 2013, and
2014. The Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and
Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP) provides emergency assistance to
eligible producers of livestock, honeybees and farm-raised fish that have
suffered losses because of disease, severe weather, blizzards and
wildfires.
Producers signing up for these programs are
encouraged to contact their local FSA office for information on the types of
records needed and to schedule an appointment. Taking these steps in
advance will help producers ensure their application moves through the process
as quickly as possible.
(Producers are reminded that all leases
covering pastures for LFP for these years must include the following)
* Start date and ending date of the lease
* Terms of the lease (example: cash or set
amount) dollar amount is not required.
* FSA Farm Number and/or acres
* All owner signatures as per the FSA farm
records
Any leases other than those with this
information will not be used or accepted. Producers may use an CCC-855 Disaster Program (LFP) Lease
Agreement Certification Statement if needed.
Producers have three to nine months to apply
depending on the program and year of the loss. Details are available from
any local FSA office.
For more information, producers may review
the 2014 Farm Bill Fact Sheet, and the LIP, LFP,
ELAP and TAP fact sheets online, or visit any local FSA
office or USDA Service Center.
SAVE TIME – MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH FSA
As we roll out the Farm Bill programs administered by FSA, there will be related signups and in some cases multiple management decisions that need to be made by you, the producer, in consult with FSA staff. To insure maximum use of your time and to insure that you are afforded our full attention to your important business needs, please call our office ahead of your visit to set an appointment and to discuss any records or documentation that you may need to have with you when you arrive for your appointment. For local FSA Service Center contact information, please visit: http://offices.sc.egov.usda.gov/locator/app .USDA’S FARM SERVICE AGENCY (FSA) OFFERS FARM BILL WEBSITE AND ONLINE OVERVIEW OF FARM BILL PROGRAMS
The Agricultural Act of 2014 (the Act), also
known as the 2014 Farm Bill, was signed by President Obama on Feb. 7, 2014. The
Act repeals certain programs, continues some programs with modifications, and
authorizes several new programs administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA).
Most of these programs are authorized and funded through 2018.
For the latest on 2014 Farm Bill programs
administered by FSA, please visit our Farm Bill website at www.fsa.usda.gov/farmbill
and for an FSA program overview please read, download and/or print our recently
posted FSA Farm Bill Fact Sheet titled, What’s in the 2014 Farm Bill for Farm Service Agency
Customers?
For more information on FSA, please contact
your local USDA Service Center or visit us online at www.fsa.usda.gov.
NEW FARM BILL PROVIDES PERMANENT LIVESTOCK DISASTER ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS
The 2014 Farm Bill, formally known as the
Agricultural Act of 2014, makes the Livestock Forage Program (LFP) and
Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) permanent programs and provides retroactive
authority to cover eligible losses back to Oct. 1, 2011.
LFP provides compensation to eligible
producers who suffered grazing losses due to drought and fire after October 1,
2011. LIP provides compensation to livestock producers who suffered livestock
death losses in excess of normal mortality due to adverse weather and attacks
by animals reintroduced into the wild by the Federal Government or protected by
Federal law, including wolves and avian predators. Drought is not an eligible
cause of loss for the LIP program.
USDA is determined to make implementing the
livestock disaster programs a top priority and opened program
enrollment on April 15, 2014.
As USDA begins implementing the livestock
disaster assistance programs, producers should record all pertinent information
of natural disaster consequences, including:
·
Documentation of the number and kind of livestock that have died, supplemented
if possible by photographs or video records of ownership and losses and dates
of death.
Many producers still have
questions. USDA is in the process of interpreting Farm Bill program
regulations. In the meantime, producers can review the LIP and LFP Fact Sheets. Thanks for your
patience as USDA works diligently to put Farm Bill programs into action to
benefit the farmers and ranchers of rural America.
NEW FARM BILL OFFERS INCREASED OPPORTUNITIES FOR PRODUCERS
The 2014 Farm Bill offers increased
opportunities for producers including farm loan program modifications that
create flexibility for new and existing farmers. A fact sheet outlining
modifications to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service
Agency (FSA) Farm Loan Programs is available here.
The Farm Bill expands lending opportunities
for thousands of farmers and ranchers to begin and continue operations,
including greater flexibility in determining eligibility, raising loan limits,
and emphasizing beginning and socially disadvantaged
producers.
Changes that will take effect immediately
include:
·
Elimination of loan term limits for guaranteed operating loans.
·
Modification of the definition of beginning farmer, using the average farm size
for the county as a qualifier instead of the median farm size.
·
Modification of the Joint Financing Direct Farm Ownership Interest Rate to 2
percent less than regular Direct Farm Ownership rate, with a floor of 2.5
percent. Previously, the rate was established at 5 percent.
·
Increase of the maximum loan amount for Direct Farm Ownership down payments
from $225,000 to $300,000.
·
Elimination of rural residency requirement for Youth Loans, allowing urban
youth to benefit.
·
Debt forgiveness on Youth Loans, which will not prevent borrowers from
obtaining additional loans from the federal government.
·
Increase of the guarantee amount on Conservation Loans from 75 to 80 percent
and 90 percent for socially disadvantaged borrowers and beginning farmers.
·
Microloans will not count toward loan term limits for veterans and beginning
farmers.
Additional modifications must be implemented
through the rulemaking processes. Visit the FSA Farm Bill website for detailed information
and updates to farm loan programs.
______________________________Travis County FSA Office
1106 Clayton Lane Suite 210E
Austin, Texas 78723
Phone: 512-454-2571 ex. 2 Austin, Texas 78723
