In 2018, USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) established a new acreage reporting deadline for perennial forage for 2019 and subsequent years. Previously set in the fall, the new deadline is July 15 for all states, except for Hawaii and Puerto Rico.

Timely and accurate acreage reports for all crops and land uses, including prevented planting or failed acreage, are the foundation for many FSA program benefits, including disaster programs for livestock owners.

Producers must report their acreage to maintain program eligibility.

Producers who have coverage for perennial forage under the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program

(NAP) must report their crop acreage by the earlier of any of the following:

• The established acreage reporting date (July 15)

• 15 calendar days before the onset of harvest or grazing of the specific crop acreage being reported

• The established normal harvest date for the end of the coverage period

Montana NAP producers with perennial forage intended for mechanical harvest or grazing, are required to report their crop acreage 15 calendar days before the onset of harvest or grazing of the specific crop acreage. NAP producers with perennial forage acreage intended for mechanical harvest or grazing are encouraged to report their acreage by April 15.

Livestock Losses

The Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) provides assistance to eligible producers for livestock deaths in excess of normal mortality caused by adverse weather, disease and attacks by animals reintroduced into the wild by the federal government or protected by federal law.

LIP compensates livestock owners and contract growers for livestock death losses in excess of normal mortality due to adverse weather, including losses due to hurricanes, floods, blizzards, wildfires, extreme heat or extreme cold.

For disease losses, FSA county committees can accept veterinarian certifications that livestock deaths were directly related to adverse weather and unpreventable through good animal husbandry and management.

For 2019 livestock losses, eligible livestock owners must file a notice within 30 calendar days of when the loss is first apparent.

Participants must provide the following supporting documentation to their local FSA office no later than 60 calendar days after the end of the calendar year in which the eligible loss condition occurred.

• Proof of death documentation

• Copy of growers contracts

• Proof of normal mortality documentation

USDA has established normal mortality rates for each type and weight range of eligible livestock, i.e. Adult Beef Cow = 1.0% and Non-Adult Beef Cattle (less than 400 pounds) = 3.6%. These established percentages reflect losses that are considered expected or typical under “normal” conditions.

In addition to filing a notice of loss, producers must also submit an application for payment and supporting documentation by March 1, 2020.

Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybee, and Farm-Raised

Fish Program (ELAP)

The Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP) provides emergency assistance to eligible livestock, honeybee, and farm-raised fish producers who have losses due to disease, adverse weather or other conditions, such as blizzards and wildfires, not covered by other agricultural disaster assistance programs.

Eligible livestock losses include grazing losses not covered under the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP), loss of purchased feed and/or mechanically harvested feed due to an eligible adverse weather event, additional cost of transporting water because of an eligible drought and additional cost associated with gathering livestock to treat for cattle tick fever.

Eligible honeybee losses include loss of purchased feed due to an eligible adverse weather event, cost of additional feed purchased above normal quantities due to an eligible adverse weather condition, colony losses in excess of normal mortality due to an eligible weather event or loss condition, including CCD, and hive losses due to eligible adverse weather.

Eligible farm-raised fish losses include death losses in excess of normal mortality and/or loss of purchased feed due to an eligible adverse weather event.

Producers who suffer eligible livestock, honeybee, or farm-raised fish losses from Oct. 1, 2018 to Sept. 30, 2019 must file:

• A notice of loss the earlier of 30 calendar days of when the loss is apparent to the producer or Nov. 1, 2019

• An application for payment by Nov. 1, 2019

The following ELAP Fact Sheets (by topic) are available online:

• ELAP for Farm-Raised Fish Fact Sheet

• ELAP for Livestock Fact Sheet

• ELAP for Honeybees Fact Sheet

Timely Filing a NAP Notice of Loss

Timely filing a Notice of Loss is required for all crops including grasses. For losses on crops covered by the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP), producers must timely report damage or loss to their administrative County Office. For all low yield and value-loss crop claims, a CCC-576 Part B Notice of Loss must be filed within 15 calendar days of earlier of the date disaster occurs (or becomes apparent) or the normal harvest date. However, all producers should be aware that deadlines to provide initial notice to FSA do now vary by method of harvest and crop.

Crops that are either hand-harvested or other crops determined by FSA to deteriorate quickly and therefore need prompt appraisal must notify FSA within 72 hours of the date of damage or loss first becomes apparent. This initial notice may be by the filing of the CCC-576 Part B, e-mail, FAX, or a phone call. When initial notice is by email, FAX, or phone, County Offices will provide a Receipt for Service with additional requirements. A CCC-576 Notice of Loss will still be required within 15 calendar days of earlier of date of occurrence/appearance of damage or harvest date.

See Page B6: FSA April Newsletter

Other crops, such as forages and grains, continue to have the 15 day requirement to file a required CCC-576,

Notice of Loss, to report failed acreage and prevented planting and may be completed by any producer with an interest in the crop. This Notice of Loss must be filed within 15 calendar days of the earlier of date of occurrence/appearance of damage or harvest date.

If filing for prevented planting, an acreage report and CCC-576 Part B must be filed within 15 calendar days of the final planting date for the crop.

Further, to receive NAP assistance for claimed losses producers must timely file an Application for Payment on CCC-576 (Parts D through H) along with all required production records. Each producer on the unit must file their own application for payment. The deadline to apply for payment is 60 calendar days after the end of coverage for the crop year on the unit. There are no late-file provisions for NAP Applications for Payment.

Other crops, such as forages and grains, continue to have the 15 day requirement to file a required CCC-576,

Notice of Loss, to report failed acreage and prevented planting and may be completed by any producer with an interest in the crop. This Notice of Loss must be filed within 15 calendar days of the earlier of date of occurrence/appearance of damage or harvest date.

If filing for prevented planting, an acreage report and CCC-576 Part B must be filed within 15 calendar days of the final planting date for the crop.

Further, to receive NAP assistance for claimed losses producers must timely file an Application for Payment on CCC-576 (Parts D through H) along with all required production records. Each producer on the unit must file their own application for payment. The deadline to apply for payment is 60 calendar days after the end of coverage for the crop year on the unit. There are no late-file provisions for NAP Applications for Payment.

Requesting Emergency Conservation Program Assistance for Flood Damage

Farmers and ranchers suffering severe damage from flooding can request assistance through FSA’s Emergency Conservation Program (ECP). Affected producers can request ECP assistance through their local FSA office.

The types of ECP practices available under this program include:

• removing debris from farmland

• grading, shaping, or releveling severely damaged farmland

• restoring permanent fences

• restoring conservation structures and other similar installations

ECP assists producers with the cost required to restore agricultural land to pre-disaster conditions. Producers can submit ECP applications through the FSA county office. An on-site inspection is required before construction can begin. Completion of the on-site inspection does not guarantee that cost-share funding will be received. If funded, projects are limited to return the land to pre-disaster condition. Approved ECP applicants may receive up to 75 percent of the cost of completing the approved restoration activity, or 90 percent for limited resource producers, socially disadvantaged producers, and beginning farmers.

Breaking New Ground

Agricultural producers are reminded to consult with FSA and NRCS before breaking out new ground for production purposes. Breaking new ground and seeding an agriculture commodity without prior authorization may jeopardize your eligibility to receive USDA benefits. This is especially true for land that must meet Highly Erodible Land (HEL) and Wetland Conservation (WC) provisions.

Producers with HEL determined soils are required to apply tillage, crop residue and rotational requirements as specified in their conservation plan or an approved conservation system.

Producers should notify FSA prior to conducting land leveling, filling, dredging, land clearing such as clearing trees to create new cropland, or drainage type projects to ensure the proposed activities meet compliance criteria. These areas will be reviewed by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to ensure such work will not risk your eligibility for benefits.

Landowners, operators, and other tenants requesting benefits are required to complete form AD-1026 - Highly Erodible Land Conservation (HELC) and Wetland Conservation (WC) Certification and identify the proposed activities to allow FSA to determine whether a referral to NRCS for further review is necessary.

Market Facilitation Program (MFP) – Certify 2018 Production by May 1

The final day to certify 2018 production for the Market Facilitation Program (MFP) is May 1. Payments will not be issued without certification, which must be provided to your local FSA county office. Producers of corn, cotton, sorghum, soybeans, wheat, dairy, hogs, fresh sweet cherries and shelled almonds were eligible to sign up for a MFP payment by Feb. 14, 2019. MFP is designed to help producers significantly impacted by actions of foreign governments resulting in the loss of traditional exports. Contact your local FSA county office for more information.