FSA Scoop
Once again, the summer has flown by and summer crops are starting to slow down with fall harvest just around the corner. I hope this message finds you enjoying fall sports activities with the anticipation of harvest. Perkins County Farm Service Agency (FSA) Office has a few items to bring to your attention.
Nov. 15 acreage reporting deadline
As you finish drilling your fall seeded crops, please remember to call the office and make your appointment to report acres. If you have alfalfa, wheat, other fall seeded small grains, and grass for hay or grazing these acres MUST be certified by Nov. 15 for the 2018 crop year.
Failure to report acres timely may result in a late file certification fee. It is your responsibility to ensure these acres have been reported.
In order to comply with FSA program eligibility requirements, all producers are encouraged to visit the Perkins County FSA office to file an accurate crop certification report by the applicable deadline.
Review records and notify us of changes
As our office prepares for the October payment cycle, I ask that you review your records to ensure we have accurate information.
If you have moved in the last year and have not previously notified FSA, please provide our office with a current mailing address so disbursement transaction statements are mailed to the correct address.
Also, if you have changed financial institutions or bank accounts that are used for direct deposit or assignment of payment, please notify our office to initiate a change of this information so the electronic funds transfer processes successfully rather than being rejected.
Also, keep in mind the availability of Marketing Assistance Loans (MAL) for 2017 harvested corn, soybeans and other oilseeds, grain sorghum, pulse crops, and wheat.
Farmers and ranchers urged to vote in county committee elections
USDA encourages farmers and ranchers to make their voices heard by voting in the upcoming FSA county committee elections.
Beginning Monday, Nov. 6, USDA will begin mailing ballots to eligible farmers and ranchers across the country. Producers must return ballots to their local FSA offices by Dec. 4 to ensure their vote is counted.
Nearly 7,700 FSA county committee members serve FSA offices nationwide. Each committee has three to 11 elected members who serve three-year terms of office. One-third of county committee seats are up for election each year.
County committee members apply their knowledge and judgment to help FSA make important decisions on its commodity support programs, conservation programs, indemnity and disaster programs, and emergency programs and eligibility.
The following are the candidates in this year’s election:
• Chod Briggs is nominated in LAA 1, Perkins County, to serve as a committee member. Briggs is a member of D & S Enterprises, Inc. which has produced corn, popcorn, wheat, grain sorghum, millet, soybeans, dry edible beans and sunflowers for 35 years.
• Jeff Nodlinski is nominated in LAA 1, Perkins County, to serve as a committee member. Nodlinski has produced corn, wheat, soybeans, and yellow peas for 7 years.
Producers must participate or cooperate in an FSA program to be eligible to vote in the county committee election. Farmers and ranchers who supervise and conduct the farming operations of an entire farm, but are not of legal voting age, also may be eligible to vote.
Farmers and ranchers will begin receiving their ballots the week of Nov. 6. Ballots include the names of candidates running for the local committee election.
FSA has modified the ballot, making it easily identifiable and less likely to be overlooked. Voters in local administrative area 1 who do not receive ballots in the coming week can pick one up at their local FSA office. Ballots returned by mail must be postmarked no later than Dec. 4. Newly elected committee members will take office Jan. 1, 2018.
For more information, visit the FSA website at www.fsa.usda.gov/elections or contact the Perkins County FSA office at 308-352-4747.