The Blaine County Journal News-Opinion - We've Got The County Covered

BOZEMAN, Mont., March 14, 2018 - USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) State Executive Mike Foster today announced nine public meetings for livestock producers scheduled in March and April 2018. The meetings are open to the public.

FSA will present information on the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) authorized by the Agricultural Act of 2014 (2014 Farm Bill).

Meeting dates, times

and locations:

Thursday, March 15, 2 p.m, Lame Deer (Charging Horse Hall)

Friday, March 16, 1 p.m, Harlowton (Harlowton Public Library)

Thursday, March 22, 2 p.m, Browning (Blackfeet Tribal Chambers)

Wednesday, March 28, 6 p.m, Choteau (Stage Stop Inn) – RSVP to 406.466.5351

Tuesday, April 3, 8:30 a.m, Great Falls (1st Interstate Bank Building Basement Conference Room, 12 3rd St NW)

Tuesday, April 3, 2 p.m, Rocky Boy Agency (New Stone Child College, Kennewash Hall, Upstairs Conference Room)

Wednesday, April 4, 1 p.m, Fort Belknap Agency (Aaniiih Nakoda College, White Clay People Hall, Curly Head Classroom)

Wednesday, April 4, 2 pm, Billings (711 Central Ave, Top Floor, RMTLC Conference Room)

Thurs., April 5, 1 pm, Wolf Point, Fort Peck Community College, Dumont Building, Community Room, 301 Benton St.

LIP provide benefits to livestock producers for livestock deaths in excess of normal mortality caused by eligible loss conditions, including eligible adverse weather, eligible disease and eligible attacks (attacks by animals reintroduced into the wild by the federal government or protected by federal law, including wolves and avian predators). LIP payments are equal to 75 percent of the market value of the applicable livestock on the day before the date of death of the livestock as determined by the Secretary.

Livestock producers who suffer livestock deaths due to an eligible loss condition including eligible adverse weather events, eligible disease and eligible attacks from January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018 must submit a notice of loss within 30 calendar days of when the loss of livestock is first apparent. Livestock producers suffering livestock losses may submit the notice of loss to FSA by phone, fax, and email or in person. An application for payment must be filed with the local FSA County Office by the March 31, 2019 deadline.

Persons with disabilities who require accommodations to attend this meeting should contact Jennifer Cole at 406-654-1333, extension 117, jennifer.cole@mt.usda.gov or Federal Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339.

Training Underway in

Montana FSA Offices

County Operations Training

FSA develops new local leaders through a one-year training program for County Operations Trainees. Each trainee is guided through the training program by an experienced County Executive Director (CED). A combination of classroom-type training, hands-on experience and formal management training prepare the trainees to step into the managerial role of CED to provide oversight for FSA commodity, conservation and livestock programs for one or more counties.

We would like to introduce you to the following trainees currently located in five Montana offices:

Custer County Office in Miles City: Lacey Wilson

Dawson County Office in Glendive: Moses Wanyakha

Cascade County Office in Great Falls: Shanan Smiley

Judith Basin Office in Stanford: Liz Bradshaw

Teton County Office in Choteau: Laura Antone

Farm Loan Officer Training

FSA’s 2-year training program for Farm Loan Officer Trainees uses classroom and on-the-job training to develop competencies required to be a successful Farm Loan Officer. The training program involves intense credit and financial analysis training related to agricultural enterprises under the supervision of an experienced Farm Loan Manager.

We would like to introduce you to the following trainees currently located in five Montana offices:

Cascade County Office in Great Falls: Kent Wietgrefe.

Glacier County Office in Cut Bank: Kris Nicholson.

Roosevelt County Office in Culbertson: Cheryl Tompt and Scott Johnson.

Yellowstone County Office in Billings: Abby Cook.

Blaine County Office in Chinook: Kari Sullivan.

Enrollment Period Continues for 2018 ARC-PLC Safety Net Coverage

Montana farmers and ranchers with base acres in the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) or Price Loss Coverage (PLC) safety net program may now enroll for the 2018 crop year. The enrollment period, which began on Nov. 1, will end on Aug. 1, 2018.

Since shares and ownership of a farm can change year-to-year, producers must enroll by signing a contract each program year.

The producers on a farm that are not enrolled for the 2018 enrollment period will not be eligible for financial assistance from the ARC or PLC programs for the 2018 crop should crop prices, county revenues, or farm revenues fall below the historical price or revenue benchmarks established by the program. Producers who made their elections in previous years must still enroll during the 2018. For more information, contact your local FSA office and visit https://www.fsa.usda.gov/programs-and-services/arcplc_program/index.

ARC/PLC Acreage Maintenance

Producers enrolled in the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) or Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs must protect all cropland and noncropland acres on the farm from wind and water erosion and noxious weeds.

Producers who sign ARC county or individual contracts and PLC contracts agree to effectively control noxious weeds on the farm according to sound agricultural practices.

If a producer fails to take necessary actions to correct a maintenance problem on a farm that is enrolled in ARC or PLC, the County Committee may elect to terminate the contract for the program year.

Unauthorized

Disposition of Grain

If loan grain has been disposed of through feeding, selling or any other form of disposal without prior written authorization from the county office staff, it is considered unauthorized disposition.

The financial penalties for unauthorized dispositions are severe and a producer’s name will be placed on a loan violation list for a two-year period. Always call before you haul any grain under loan.

FSA Offers Joint Financing Option on Direct Farm Ownership Loans

The USDA Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) Direct Farm Ownership loans are a resource to help farmers and ranchers become owner-operators of family farms, improve and expand current operations, increase agricultural productivity, and assist with land tenure to save farmland for future generations.

Depending on the applicant’s needs, there are three types of Direct Farm Ownership Loans: regular, down payment and joint financing. FSA also offers a Direct Farm Ownership Microloan option for smaller financial needs up to $50,000.

Joint financing allows FSA to provide more farmers and ranchers with access to capital. FSA lends up to 50 percent of the total amount financed. A commercial lender, a State program or the seller of the property being purchased, provides the balance of loan funds, with or without an FSA guarantee. The maximum loan amount for a Joint Financing loan is $300,000 and the repayment period for the loan is up to 40 years.

To be eligible, the operation must be an eligible farm enterprise. Farm Ownership loan funds cannot be used to finance nonfarm enterprises and all applicants must be able to meet general eligibility requirements. Loan applicants are also required to have participated in the business operations of a farm or ranch for at least three years out of the 10 years prior to the date the application is submitted. The applicant must show documentation that their participation in the business operation of the farm or ranch was not solely as a laborer.

For more information about FSA Loan programs, contact your local FSA office or visit http://www.fsa.usda.gov. To find your local FSA office, visit http://offices.usda.gov.