---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: USDA Farm Service Agency <usdafsa@service.govdelivery.com>
Date: Tue, Jun 24, 2014 at 10:57 AM
Subject: June 2014 Benton County Tennessee Newsletter
To: iammejtm@gmail.com

June 2014

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CED Comments
USDA FARM SERVICE AGENCY COUNTY COMMITTEE NOMINATION PERIOD BEGINS JUNE 15
LIVESTOCK DISASTER ASSISTANCE SIGN-UP UNDERWAY
NEW FARM BILL OFFERS INCREASED OPPORTUNITIES FOR PRODUCERS
2014 ACREAGE REPORTING DATES
HIGHLY ERODIBLE LAND AND WETLAND COMPLIANCE
MARKETING ASSISTANCE LOANS (MAL)

Benton County Tennessee FSA Updates

Benton County FSA Office

205 Hwy 641N
Camden, TN 38320

Phone: 731-584-8186
Fax: 855-490-5044

County Executive Director:
Mark Hargis

Farm Loan Officer:
Anita Mullins

Program Technicians:
Carol Ann Broadway

Gail Marrison

Next County Committee Meeting: July 8th at 9:00 a.m.

County Committee:

Dwayne Kee, Chairman

Jerry Dinwiddie, V. Chairman

Kenneth Waters, Member

Judy Summers, Advisor

CED Comments

Benton County livestock producers are reminded of the ongoing signup for the Livestock Forage Disaster Program or LFP which began last month. The program compensates for feed losses that occurred during the extreme drought of 2012. Rarely do livestock producers have the opportunity for compensation for severe feed losses that occur. This is one of those rare times so if you are a livestock producer don't let this program signup slip by.

What a rain, the county experienced, on June 4th and 5th. Many parts of the county had rainfall totals of 8 to 9 inches for the first few days of the month causing flooding which resulted in severe crop damage in many areas of the county. Crop producers who suffered crop damage should contact their crop insurance provider to report damage to their 2014 spring planted crops or damaged wheat to document the damage and potential yield reduction.

USDA FARM SERVICE AGENCY COUNTY COMMITTEE NOMINATION PERIOD BEGINS JUNE 15

The nomination period for local Farm Service Agency (FSA) county committees begins Sunday, To be eligible to serve on an FSA county committee, a person must participate or cooperate in a program administered by FSA, be eligible to vote in a county committee election and reside in the local administrative area where the person is nominated.

Farmers and ranchers may nominate themselves or others. Organizations representing minorities and women also may nominate candidates. To become a candidate, an eligible individual must sign the nomination form, FSA-669A. The form and other information about FSA county committee elections are available at www.fsa.usda.gov/elections . Nomination forms for the 2014 election must be postmarked or received in the local USDA Service Center by close of business on Aug. 1, 2014. Elections will take place this fall.

While FSA county committees do not approve or deny farm ownership or operating loans, they make decisions on disaster and conservation programs, emergency programs, commodity price support loan programs and other agricultural issues. Members serve three-year terms. Nationwide, there are about 7,800 farmers and ranchers serving on FSA county committees. Committees consist of three to 11 members that are elected by eligible producers.

FSA will mail ballots to eligible voters beginning Nov. 3, 2014. Ballots are due back to the local county office either via mail or in person by Dec. 1, 2014. Newly elected committee members and alternates take office on Jan. 1, 2014.

LIVESTOCK DISASTER ASSISTANCE SIGN-UP UNDERWAY

Livestock disaster program enrollment opened on April 15, 2014. These disaster programs are authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill as permanent programs and provide retroactive authority to cover losses that occurred on or after Oct. 1, 2011.

To expedite applications, all producers who experienced losses are encouraged to bring records documenting those losses to their local FSA Office. Producers should record all pertinent information of natural disaster consequences, including:

Documentation of the number and kind of livestock that have died, supplemented if possible by photographs or video records of ownership and losses
Dates of death supported by birth recordings or purchase receipts
Costs of transporting livestock to safer grounds or to move animals to new pastures
Feed purchases if supplies or grazing pastures are destroyed
Crop records, including seed and fertilizer purchases, planting and production records

Eligible producers can sign-up for the following livestock disaster assistance programs:

Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP):

LFP provides compensation to eligible livestock producers that have suffered grazing losses due to drought on privately owned or cash leased land or fire on federally managed land. Eligible producers must physically be located in a county affected by a qualifying drought during the normal grazing period for the county. Producers who suffered eligible grazing losses should submit a completed CCC-853 and supporting documentation by January 30, 2015.

Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP):

LIP provides compensation to eligible livestock producers that have suffered livestock death losses in excess of normal mortality due to adverse weather and attacks by animals reintroduced into the wild by the federal government or protected by federal law. Producers who suffered livestock death losses should submit a notice of loss and an application for payment to their local FSA office by January 30, 2015.

Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP)

ELAP provides emergency assistance to eligible producers of livestock, honeybees and farm-raised fish that have losses due to disease, adverse weather, or other conditions, such as blizzards and wildfires. ELAP assistance is provided for losses not covered by LFP and LIP. Producers who suffered eligible livestock, honeybee or farm-raised fish losses during 2012 and 2013 program years must submit a notice of loss and application for payment to their local FSA office by August 1, 2014. For 2014 program year losses, the notice of loss and an application for payment must be submitted by November 1, 2014.

For more information, producers can review the LFP, LIP and ELAP Fact Sheets on the Farm Bill webpage. Producers are encouraged to make an appointment with their local FSA office to apply for these programs.

NEW FARM BILL OFFERS INCREASED OPPORTUNITIES FOR PRODUCERS

The 2014 Farm Bill offers increased opportunities for producers including farm loan program modifications that create flexibility for new and existing farmers. A fact sheet outlining modifications to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) Farm Loan Programs is available here.

The Farm Bill expands lending opportunities for thousands of farmers and ranchers to begin and continue operations, including greater flexibility in determining eligibility, raising loan limits, and emphasizing beginning and socially disadvantaged producers.

Changes that will take effect immediately include:

· Elimination of the 15 year term limit for guaranteed operating loans.

· Modification of the definition of beginning farmer, using the average farm size for the county as a qualifier instead of the median farm size.

· Modification of the Joint Financing Direct Farm Ownership Interest Rate to 2 percent less than regular Direct Farm Ownership rate, with a floor of 2.5 percent. Previously, the rate was established at 5 percent.

· Increase of the maximum loan amount for Direct Farm Ownership Down Payment Loan Program from $225,000 to $300,000.

· Elimination of rural residency requirement for Youth Loans, allowing urban youth to benefit.

· Debt forgiveness on Youth Loans, which will not prevent borrowers from obtaining additional loans from the federal government.

· Increase of the guaranteed percentage on Conservation Loans from 75 to 80 percent and 90 percent for socially disadvantaged borrowers and beginning farmers.

· Microloans will not count toward direct operating loan term limits for veterans and beginning farmers.

Additional modifications must be implemented through the rulemaking processes. Visit the FSA Farm Bill website for detailed information and updates to farm loan programs.