Salem/Gloucester County FSA Office 51 Cheney Road, Woodstown, NJ 08098 Phone: 856-769-1126
Fax: 855-305-6708 County Executive Director:
Al DiBella Farm Loan Manager: Ellen Schmidt (Vineland office) Program Technicians:
Deanne Bill, Sherri Paulding, Ashley Dolbow Next County Committee Meeting: Scheduled as needed | Acreage Reporting Please call now to schedule an appointment to report your 2014 crop acreage! Filing an accurate acreage report for all crops and land uses, including failed acreage and prevented planting, may prevent the loss of benefits for a variety of programs. Most crops are to be reported by July 15, 2014. Failed acreage must be reported within fifteen (15) calendar days of the disaster event and before disposition of the crop. Prevented planting must be reported no later than fifteen (15) calendar days after the final planting date. TIme is running out, please call now! Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) As a reminder to NAP Policyholders, please submit your prior year crop production records as soon as possible, if you have not done so already. We would like to have them in the office by July 15, 2014. If production records are not submitted, your NAP coverage will be reduced. Also, when reporting your 2014 crop acreage, please review your acreage reports carefully. If your reported acreage is off by more than 15%, plus or minus, you will be ineligible for NAP benefits. Paid for measurement service is available. If you suspect serious crop damage, you must report it to our office and file a notice of loss within 15 calendar days after the disaster occurrence or the date the damage is apparent. If your crop will not be taken to harvest or is handpicked, you will need to have an appraisal done. Please, do not destroy your field until a loss adjuster has given the field a final appraisal. In addition, if you have experienced prevented planting of crops on your policy, you may file a notice of loss. More than 35% of the total eligible acreage intended for planting must be prevented to qualify. Intention to plant must be established and a field visit required. NAP for the 2015 crop year will be expanded to include buy-up protection, similar to buy-up provisions offered under the federal crop insurance program. Producers may elect coverage for each individual crop between 50 and 65 percent, in 5 percent increments, at 100 percent of the average market price. Producers also pay a fixed premium equal to 5.25 percent of the liability. The waiver of service fees has been expanded from just limited resource farmers to also, include beginning farmers and socially disadvantaged farmers. The premiums for buy-up coverage for these farmers are reduced by 50 percent. | |
County Committee Election Nominations The Farm Service Agency's local committee elections will be held this fall for local administrative area (LAA) 2 and LAA 5. LAA 2 consists of Carney's Point, Oldmans, Logan, Woolwich, Greenwich, East Greenwich and West Deptford Townships. LAA 5 consists of Monroe, Franklin and Pittsgrove Townships. The election of agricultural producers to Farm Service Agency (FSA) county committees is important to ALL farmers and ranchers. It is crucial that every eligible producer participate in these elections because FSA county committees are a link between the agricultural community and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). County Committee members are a critical component of the operations of FSA. They help deliver FSA farm programs at the local level. Farmers and ranchers who serve on county committees help with the decisions necessary to administer the programs in their counties. They work to ensure FSA agricultural programs serve the needs of local producers. FSA county committees operate within official regulations designed to carry out federal laws. Members apply their judgment and knowledge to make local decisions. The COC nomination period runs until August 1, 2014. The nomination form is available at the office or online at www.fsa.usda.gov. If you have any questions, please contact the office. Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) Sign up is underway! The 2014 Farm Bill now makes LIP a permanent program which covers livestock death losses due to eligible adverse weather events dating back to October 1, 2011. Eligible adverse weather events include: lightning; hurricanes; floods, blizzards; and extreme heat and cold. Eligible livestock include Beef cattle, Dairy cattle, Bison, Poultry, Sheep, Equine and Swine. Documentation of death and inventory records is required. January 30, 2015 is the final day to submit a notice of loss and application for payment for past losses, including 2014. For 2015 and future years, losses will need to be reported to our office within 30 days of when they are apparent. If you would like to apply or have any questions, please give us a call Tree Assistance Program (TAP) Sign up has begun! TAP provides financial assistance to qualifying orchardists and nursery tree growers to replant or rehabilitate eligible trees, bushes and vines damaged by natural disasters on or after October 1, 2011. Eligible Trees, bushes and vines are those from which an annual crop is produced for commercial purposes. Nursery trees include ornamental, fruit, nut and Christmas trees produced for commercial sale. Growers must have suffered losses in excess of 15% in addition to normal mortality. The trees, bushes or vines must be replaced within 12 months from the date the application is approved. January 30, 2015 is the final day to submit a notice of loss and application for payment for past losses, including 2014. For 2015 and future years, losses will need to be reported to our office within 90 days of when they are apparent. ELAP - Honeybee Assistance The 2014 Farm Bill authorized the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP). It covers losses due to eligible damaging weather or loss as determined by the Secretary that occurred on or after October 1, 2011. ELAP provides for the loss of honeybee colonies in excess of normal mortality (17.5%). It covers damage to honeybee hives and honeybee feed that was purchased or produced for eligible honeybees including additional feed purchased above normal quantities to sustain honeybees until additional feed becomes available. Eligible loss conditions include: colony collapse disorder (CCD), eligible winter storm, excessive wind, flood, hurricane and lightning. For the 2012 and 2013 program year, you must apply by August 1, 2014. For the 2014 program year, you must apply by November 1, 2014. For 2015 and future years, losses will need to be reported to our office within 30 days of when they are apparent. If you would like to apply or have any questions, please give us a call. USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (866) 632-9992 (Toll-free Customer Service), (800) 877-8339 (Local or Federal relay),
(866) 377-8642 (Relay voice users). |
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