---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: USDA Farm Service Agency <usdafsa@service.govdelivery.com>
Date: Fri, Jun 27, 2014 at 10:03 AM
Subject: June-July Pinal-Pima News Letter
To: iammejtm@gmail.com

June 2014

Pinal-Pima County FSA Updates

Pinal-Pima County FSA Office

520 N Camino Mercado Ste 10
Casa Grande, AZ 85122

Phone: 520-836-1960
Fax: 855-220-1756

County Executive Director:
Debbie Hopkins

Farm Loan Manager:
Shawneen Stevenson

Program Technicians:
Angie Carranza, PT
Lori Burns, PT
Kathleen Fanning, PT
Heather Pomerleau, PT
Kent Erickson, FLP
Pat Fox, FLP, PT

Next County Committee Meeting: September 17, 2014
9 AM @ Pinal County FSA Office

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.

CROP CERTIFICATION DEADLINES

July 15th, Cotton (UPCN Long & Short Staple); Corn for all uses.
August 15th, Grain Sorghum

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.