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

Montana FSA:

February 2018 Newsletter

Montana producers have until March 15, 2018 to sign-up for Farm Service Agency’s Noninsurable Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) coverage for all 2018 spring planted NAP crops except spring seeded rye, speltz, triticale, wheat, and mixed forage.

NAP provides a catastrophic level (CAT) coverage based on the amount of loss that exceeds 50 percent of the expected production at 55 percent of the average market price for the crop. NAP offers buy-up coverage for the 2015 through 2018 crop years in addition to the basic CAT-level coverage, on all crops except those intended for grazing. These additional coverage levels range from 50-65 percent of the expected production, in 5 percent increments, at 100 percent of the average market price.

In order to meet eligibility requirements for NAP, crops must be noninsurable, commercially-produced agricultural commodity crops for which the catastrophic risk protection level of crop insurance is not available. If the Risk Management Agency (RMA) offers coverage for a crop in the county, NAP coverage is not available for that crop. For questions regarding insurability of a crop, please contact your local crop insurance agent. For information on whether a crop is eligible for NAP coverage, please contact your local FSA office.

The NAP service fee for all coverage levels is the lesser of $250 per crop or $750 per producer per administrative county, not to exceed a total of $1,875 for a producer with farming interest in multiple counties. In addition to the service fee, producers who elect buy-up coverage must pay a premium equal to the lesser of 5.25 percent of the guarantee or 5.25 percent of the payment limit. FSA will waive NAP service fees and reduce buy-up premiums by 50 percent for underserved, limited resource, and beginning farmers. For questions regarding how to calculate the premium, please contact your local FSA office.

Deadline for the 2017 Census of Agriculture is Feb. 5th

The Census of Agriculture is a Producer’s Voice, Future, and Opportunity

USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) reminds our nation’s farmers and ranchers of the deadline for the 2017 Census of Agriculture. Producers should respond online at http://www.agcounts.usda.gov or by mail by Feb. 5. The online questionnaire offers new timesaving features.

The Census of Agriculture is the only NASS questionnaire mailed to every producer across the country and is conducted just once every five years. The Census provides a complete account of the industry, its changes, and emerging trends. Census data are widely used, often relied on when developing the Farm Bill and other farm policy, and when making decisions about disaster relief, community planning, technology development, and more.

Everyone who received the 2017 Census of Agriculture questionnaire is to return it, even if they are not currently farming. The first few qualifying questions on the form will determine whether completing the entire questionnaire is necessary. After the February 5 deadline, NASS will begin following-up with additional mailings, e-mails, phone calls, and personal appointments. To avoid these additional contacts, farmers and ranchers are asked to complete their Census as soon as possible.

The Census is the only source of uniform, comprehensive, and impartial agriculture data for every state and county in the nation. Producers are required by law to respond; NASS is required by the same federal law to keep all information confidential, use the data only for statistical purposes, and only publish in aggregate form to prevent disclosing the identity of any individual producer or farm operation. For more information about the 2017 Census of Agriculture, visit http://www.agcensus.usda.gov or call (800) 727-9540.