Be prepared
It’s the start of a new year, and we at Perkins County Farm Service Agency want to help you get a head start now on your FSA farm business needs for this growing season. There are some important things we can take care of during these dark, cold winter months that will free up some of your time once the weather warms, things thaw out, and you’d rather be outside.
ARC/PLC Enrollment
The Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage programs are the main farm bill safety net tools for commodity crop producers (along with crop insurance), and you must enroll annually in order to receive these financial benefits. While there is still plenty of time to enroll, why not take care of it now and cross it off your to-do list?
Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP)
This program provides a safety net option for some crops not covered by federal crop insurance, such as alfalfa, perennial grasses, mixed forage, annual fruits and vegetables and others. If you raise crops such as these, come in now and find out more about your options. March 15 is the deadline to apply for 2018 coverage for these crops and others.
Changes to Your Farming Operation
If you have added a farm by lease or purchase, or even just had a change of phone number, email address or physical address, we need to know about it so we can update your farm record in our database. Doing so now will save time later in the year when you come in for acreage certification and other services.
Foreign Buyers Notification
The Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act (AFIDA) requires all foreign owners of U.S. agricultural land to report their holdings to the Secretary of Agriculture. The Farm Service Agency administers this program for USDA.
All individuals who are not U.S. citizens, and have purchased or sold agricultural land in the county are required to report the transaction to FSA within 90 days of the closing. Failure to submit the AFIDA form (FSA-153) could result in civil penalties of up to 25 percent of the fair market value of the property. County government offices, Realtors, attorneys and others involved in real estate transactions are reminded to notify foreign investors of these reporting requirements.