DATES TO REMEMBER
Dec, 25 — Office closed for the Christmas Holiday
Jan. 1 — Office closed for the New Year's Day Holiday
Jan. 20 — Office closed in observance of Martin Luther King Jr's Birthday
Feb. 28 — General CRP sign-up 54 deadline to submit offer
Feb. 29 — Final day to file an application for payment for 2019 LIP losses
March 15 — Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) sales closing date
March 15 — ARC/PLC sign-up deadline.
COC Election Results
Dave Palmer was re-elected to serve another three-year term for LAA3. Congratulations!
Farm Bill sign-up
Producers have a choice to enroll in three different programs:
• Price Loss Coverage (PLC) price protection only
• Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC-CO) county level revenue coverage
• Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC-IC) individual farm level revenue coverage
The deadline to elect a program and enroll for 2019 is March 15, 2020. The program elected for 2019 will also be effective for 2020. Farm owners will also have a one-time opportunity to update PLC payment yields that takes effect beginning with crop year 2020. Please call for an appointment.
Land Changes
If you are operating new land for 2020, we need either a cash lease or notification from the owner indicating you are either cash renting or share renting the acreage for 2020
Changes to CRP Acreage Reporting
For 2020 and future years, an annual acreage report of all CRP acreage is required. The certification can be filed on either FSA-578 or CRP817U.
Palmer Amaranth
If you planted millet in 2019, be sure to check your fields for Palmer Amaranth. This weed was recently added to South Dakota’s list of prohibited noxious weed seeds. For 2020 we encourage you to have your seed tested before planting.
USDA Announces Opening Signup for Conservation
Reserve Program on December 9, 2019
USDA opened signup for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) on December 9, 2019. The deadline for agricultural producers to sign up for general CRP is February 28, 2020, while signup for continuous CRP is ongoing.
Farmers and ranchers who enroll in CRP receive a yearly rental payment for voluntarily establishing long-term, resource-conserving plant species, such as approved grasses or trees (known as “covers”) to control soil erosion, improve water quality and develop wildlife habitat on marginally productive agricultural lands.
By enrolling in CRP, producers are improving water quality, reducing soil erosion, and restoring habitat for wildlife. This in turn spurs hunting, fishing, recreation, tourism, and other economic development across rural America.
CRP Enrollment Options
General Signup CRP general signup will be held annually. The competitive general signup will now include increased opportunities for enrollment of wildlife habitat through the State Acres For Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) initiative.
Continuous Signup
While some practices under SAFE will remain available through continuous signup, CRP continuous signup will focus primarily on water quality with the Clean Lakes, Estuaries, and Rivers (CLEAR) Initiative. The 2018 Farm Bill prioritizes water quality practices such as contour grass strips, filter strips, riparian buffers, wetlands and a new prairie strip.
USDA will also be working with Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) partners to relaunch CREP continuous options in each state under new statutory provisions. CREP will continue to target high-priority local, state or regional conservation concerns.
Grasslands Signups
CRP Grasslands signup helps landowners and operators protect grassland, including rangeland, and pastureland and certain other lands while maintaining the areas as grazing lands. A separate CRP Grasslands signup will be offered each year following general signup.
Pilot Programs
Later in 2020, (FSA will roll out pilot programs within CRP: CLEAR 30, which allows contracts expiring with CLEAR practices to be reenrolled in 30-year contracts and in the Soil Health and Income Protection Program (SHIPP) in the prairie pothole region. More information on these programs will be announced in the new year.
Land Transition
The CRP Transition Incentives Program (TIP) is an option for producers interested in transitioning land to a beginning farmer or rancher or a member of a socially disadvantaged group to return land to production for sustainable grazing or crop production. CRP contract holders no longer need to be a retired or retiring owner or operator to transition their land. TIP participants may have a lease less than five years with an option to purchase, and they have two years before the end of the CRP contract to make conservation and land improvements.
Previously Expired Land
Land enrolled in CRP under a 15-year contract that expired in September 2017, 2018 or 2019, may be eligible for enrollment if there was no opportunity for re-enrollment and the practice under the expired contract has been maintained.
CRP Rates and Payments
FSA recently posted updated soil rental rates for CRP. County average rates are posted on the CRP Statistics webpage. Soil rental rates are statutorily prorated at 90 percent for continuous signup and 85 percent for general signup. The rental rates will be assessed annually. Under continuous signup, producers also receive incentives, including a signup incentive payment and a practice incentive payment.
To enroll in CRP, contact your local FSA county office or visit fsa.usda.gov/crp. To locate your local FSA office, visit farmers.gov/service-locator.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.
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