Complete Base Acre Reallocation, Yield Updates by February 27
The first deadline in the Agricultural Act of 2014 (2014 Farm Bill) sign up is approaching. The deadline for completing Base Acre Reallocation and Yield Updates at the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) FSA (Farm Service Agency) Office is Friday, February 27.
Owners of farms have a one-time opportunity to:
1. Maintain the farm’s 2013 base acres of covered commodities (corn, soybeans, wheat, barley, oats or grain sorghum) through 2018, or
2. Reallocate the base acres of covered commodities (corn, soybeans, wheat, barley, oats or grain sorghum) based on the planting history of these crops between 2009 through 2012 crop years.
3. Update the Counter-Cyclical yields on each FSA farm unit based on the actual yields between 2008 and 2012 for each farm.
Landowners are provided a one-time opportunity to update program payment yields for each covered commodity for which they have base acres using 90% of the farm’s 2008-2012 average yield per planted acre, excluding any year in which the covered commodity was not planted. Producers with a yield in any of the 2008-2012 that is less than 75% of the county average yield can substitute that yield in the calculation with a yield equal to 75% of the county average yield.
Program payment yields are used to determine payment amounts for the PLC program; however, all farm owners have the option of updating yields regardless of program participation.
The decision to update yields is made on a covered commodity-by-covered commodity basis. If the landowner chooses not to update farm yields and/or does not make the necessary updates before the February 27, 2015 deadline, the farm’s 2013 Counter-Cyclical yields will be carried forward as the payment yields for 2014-2018. The decision to reallocate base acres and/or update crop yields must be a unanimous decision by all owners on the farm.
The traffic to review base acres and crop yields for Base Acre Reallocation and Yield Update Schedule for both Cottonwood County and Watonwan County Offices has been slow. The goal of each FSA Office is to make sure that every owner and/or operator meets the deadline.
It is anticipated that the operator of the farm will come to the FSA Office to review the base data and supply the yield information from 2008-2013 for the farm units in order to update the yield. Owners are very much welcome as well to come in and complete the updates, but are advised to be sure bring along the yield data from the operators.
In order to avoid long lines and wait times to visit an FSA employee, schedules have been developed to get everyone through the door and ensure that all farm base and yields are reviewed and/or updated by the deadline. Everyone is scheduled out so that time spent in the office is minimized and also allows time to contact land owners to collect signatures of the base and yield update forms.
The schedule has been organized based on the beginning letter of last names.
Cottonwood County Schedule
Monday, January 5 to Friday, January 9 – A, B, C.
Monday, January 5 to Friday, January 16 – D, E, F.
Tuesday, January 20 to Friday, January 23 – G, H, I.
Monday, January 26 to Friday, January 30 – J, K, L.
Monday, February 2 to Friday, February 6 – M, N, O, P.
Monday, February 9 to Friday, February 13 – Q, R.
Tuesday, February 17 to Friday, February 20 – S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z.
Monday, February 23 to Friday, February 27 – Open to all.
Contact the Cottonwood County FSA Office at 507-831-1550 with any questions.
Watonwan County Schedule
Monday, January 5 to Friday, January 9 – A, B.
Monday, January 5 to Friday, January 16 – C, D, E, F.
Tuesday, January 20 to Friday, January 23 – G, H, I.
Monday, January 26 to Friday, January 30 – J, K, L.
Monday, February 2 to Friday, February 6 – M, N, O, P, Q.
Monday, February 9 to Friday, February 13 – R, S.
Tuesday, February 17 to Friday, February 20 – T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z.
Monday, February 23 to Friday, February 27 – Open to all.
Contact the Watonwan County FSA Office at 507-375-3191 with any questions.
