EIF-B_Where We Come From

By JESSICA YUSKA
Scott & Muscatine County Executive Director
Farm Service Agency
jessica.yuska@usda.gov
EASTERN IOWA FARMER
Your local Farm Service Agency (FSA)
county offices have multiple programs
competing for staff time and
attention. Last November, the 2018
Farm Bill was extended through Sept.
30, 2024. This extension allows authorized programs,
including ARC and PLC, CRP and others,
to continue operating.
ARC-PLC
Producers can elect coverage and enroll in
ARC-County (ARC-CO) or PLC, which provide
crop-by-crop protection, or ARC-Individual
(ARC-IC), which provides entire farm protection.
Although election changes for 2024 are optional,
the reference prices have increased for many crops,
and producers should review impact on program
selection prior to visiting FSA.
If producers do not submit their election revision
by the March 15 deadline, the election remains the
same as their 2023 election for commodities on the
farm. Producers must enroll through a signed contract
annually with only those with a share interest
in the cropland may enroll. Also, if a producer has
a multi-year contract on the farm it will continue
for 2024 unless an election change is made.
CRP
For those interested in enrolling eligible land
into the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP),
a new sign up began Jan. 12. FSA encourages
agricultural producers and landowners interested
in conservation opportunities for their land in exchange
for annual rental payments to consider the
enrollment options available through Continuous
CRP.
Additionally, producers with acres enrolled in
Continuous CRP set to expire Sept. 30, 2024, were
able to begin offering acres for re-enrollment in
Farm bill
extension allows
for authorized
programs to
continue
January. A producer can both enroll new acres into
Continuous CRP and re-enroll any acres expiring
Sept. 30, 2024.
Continuous CRP is one of the best conservation
tools we can provide producers and landowners.
FSA water quality practices, such as riparian
buffers, prairie strips, grassed waterways, and
wetlands, will receive an additional 20% incentive.
Buffer practices also have a positive impact on
water quality.
To submit an offer, producers must contact their
local FSA right away and no later than by July
31 for a CRP offer start date of Oct. 1. To ensure
enrollment acreages do not exceed the statutory
cap, FSA will accept offers from producers on a
first-come, first-served basis and will return offers
for approval in batches throughout the year.
LDP
Loan Deficiency Payments (LDPs) provide
financing and marketing assistance for many crops
including corn, soybeans, wool and honey. A producer
who is eligible to obtain a loan, but agrees
to forgo it, may instead obtain an LDP if such a
payment is available. For example, current LDP
rate on ungraded wool is $0.40.
Please submit CCC-633ez, page 1 to FSA prior
to losing beneficial interest for sales occurring
during the 2024 calendar year. This will ensure eligibility
for crop sales, including Wool shearing or
sales of unshorn lambs. Pages 2, 3 or 4 of the form
must be submitted when payment is requested, and
FSA staff will assist with this paperwork at time of
application.
Disaster Assistance Programs
Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP)
– provides compensation to eligible livestock
producers who suffered grazing losses due to
drought for covered livestock on privately owned
or cash leased land. Eligible livestock producers
must complete form CCC-853 and provide the
required supporting documentation to FSA within
30 days of the end of the calendar year following
If you have
any questions,
please contact
your local
FSA Office.
Cedar
County FSA
205 W. South St.,
Ste. 3, Tipton, IA
52772
(563) 886-6061
Johnson
County FSA
51 Escort Ln. SW
Iowa City, IA
52240
(319) 354-1074
Louisa
County FSA
260 Mulberry St.
Wapello, IA 52653
(319) 527-8067
Muscatine
County FSA
3500 Oakview
Drive
Muscatine, IA
52761-5450
(563) 263-4601
Scott
County FSA
8370 Hillandale Rd
Davenport, IA
52806-6449
(563) 391-3335
80 EASTERN IOWA FARMER | SPRING 2024 eifarmer.com