Ag Policy Blog

FSA: Farm Program Signup Begins Feb 19

Chris Clayton
By  Chris Clayton , DTN Ag Policy Editor
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The Farm Service Agency on Tuesday announced that signup will begin Feb. 19 for the direct and counter-cyclical payment program as well as the Average Crop Revenue Election program.

As Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack had said last week, the only change will be that farmers can choose to move land out of the ACRE program, or into the program. Since ACRE was created in the 2008 farm bill, land that had been enrolled in the ACRE program was locked in. USDA opted to allow producers to drop ACRE because that issue was not addressed in the late extension approved by Congress Jan. 1.

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FSA stated the sign-up period for ACRE will end June 3. The enrollment period in the direct and counter-cyclical program will end on Aug. 2.

House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas, R-Okla., issued a statement Tuesday praising Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack for announcing the enrollment dates. There had been rampant speculation that the $5 billion direct payment program might not issue checks later this year due to possible budget cuts.

"I want to commend Secretary Vilsack for today’s announcement that sign-up for farm programs, including direct payments, will begin on Feb. 19th," Lucas said. "It is vitally important that our farmers, and lenders alike, know that Congress and the Administration intend to keep the commitment made with the one-year extension of the 2008 farm bill. Short of a five-year bill, this extension provides certainty for the 2013 crop year."

FSA will provide producers with information on program requirements, updates and signups as the information becomes available. Any additional details will be posted on FSA’s website.

For more information about the programs and loans administered by FSA, visit any FSA county office or www.fsa.usda.gov.

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