North Carolina FSA June 2014 Electronic Monthly Newsletter USDA Announces Planting and harvesting fruits, participation in programs vegetables and wild rice on established by the 2014 Farm Bill Changes to Fruit, ARC/PLC acreage is subject to the will mean for their businesses. Vegetable and Wild Rice acre-for-acre payment reduction North Carolina State University Planting Rules when those crops are planted on receives $57,460. North Carolina either more than 15 percent of the A&T State University receives Farm Service Agency (FSA) base acres of a farm enrolled in $24,907. has announced fruit, vegetable and ARC using the county coverage or wild rice provisions that affect PLC, or more than 35 percent of The University of Illinois (lead the base acres of a farm enrolled in for the National Coalition for producers who intend to participate ARC using the individual coverage. Producer Education), along with in certain programs authorized by the Food and Agricultural Policy the Agricultural Act of 2014. Fruits, vegetables and wild rice Research Institute (FAPRI) at the that are planted in an approved University of Missouri and the double-cropping practice will not Agricultural and Food Policy Producers who intend to cause a payment reduction if the Center at Texas A&M (co-leads for participate in the Agriculture Risk farm is in a double-cropping region the National Association of Coverage (ARC) or Price Loss as designated by the USDA’s Agricultural and Food Policy), will Coverage (PLC) programs are Commodity Credit Corporation. receive a total of $3 million to subject to an acre-for-acre develop the new online tools and payment reduction when fruits and train state-based extension agents nuts, vegetables or wild rice are who can in turn help educate planted on the payment acres of a USDA Awarding $6 farmers. farm. Payment reductions do not Million to Prepare apply to mung beans, dry peas, Farmers for New Farm The new resources will help lentils or chickpeas. Planting fruits, farmers and ranchers make an vegetables or wild rice on acres Bill Programs educated choice between the new that are not considered payment Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) acres will not result in a payment USDA is awarding $6 million to program and the Price Loss reduction. Farms that are eligible universities and cooperative state Coverage (PLC) program. Using to participate in ARC/PLC but are extension services to develop the new online tools, producers will not enrolled for a particular year online decision tools and other be able to use data unique to their may plant unlimited fruits, materials and train experts to specific farming operations vegetables and wild rice for that educate producers about several combined with factors like the year but will not receive ARC/PLC key farm bill programs. The new geographical diversity of crops, payments for that year. Eligibility Web tools will help farmers and soils, weather and climates across for succeeding years is not ranchers determine what affected. USDA is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer 1 the country to test a variety of guarantees, and PLC payment rate program. TAP provides financial financial scenarios before officially projections. These tables are assistance to qualifying orchardists signing up for the new program available on the FSA website. and nursery tree growers to replant options later this year. Once a or rehabilitate eligible trees, producer enrolls in the ARC or PLC Visit www.fsa.usda.gov or the bushes and vines damaged by program, he or she must remain in local FSA office for information natural disasters. the program through the 2018 crop about FSA and the 2014 Farm Bill year. programs. Eligible tree types include trees, bushes or vines that produce New tools will be provided for Save Time Make an an annual crop for commercial other programs as well. Sign-up for purposes. Nursery trees include the newly established Margin Appointment with FSA ornamental, fruit, nut and Protection Program for Dairy Christmas trees that are produced As we roll out the Farm Bill (MPP) begins late this summer and for commercial sale. Trees used for enrollment for "buy-up" provisions programs administered by FSA, pulp or timber are ineligible. under the Noninsured Crop there will be related signups and in Disaster Assistance Program some cases multiple management To qualify for TAP, orchardists (NAP) will begin early next year. decisions that need to be made by must suffer a qualifying tree, bush An online MPP tool will be you, the producer, in consult with or vine loss in excess of 15 percent available when sign up begins and mortality from an eligible natural FSA staff. To insure maximum use the NAP buy-up provision resource disaster. The eligible trees, bushes will become available to producers of your time and to insure that you or vines must have been owned in the fall for the 2015 crop year. are afforded our full attention to when the natural disaster occurred; your important business needs, however, eligible growers are not USDA will also award $3 million please call our office ahead of your required to own the land on which to state cooperative extension visit to set an appointment and to the eligible trees, bushes and vines were planted. services—a nationwide network of discuss any records or experts based at land-grant documentation that you may need universities—for outreach and If the TAP application is education on the new Farm Bill to have with you when you arrive approved, the eligible trees, programs. Funds will be used to for your appointment. For local bushes and vines must be conduct public education outreach FSA Service Center contact replaced within 12 months from the meetings where producers can information, please visit: date the application is approved. speak with local extension agents The cumulative total quantity of and Farm Service Agency (FSA) http://offices.sc.egov.usda.gov/loca acres planted to trees, bushes or staff. Outreach meetings will begin tor/app . vines, for which a producer can late this summer to help farmers receive TAP payments, cannot and ranchers understand the new USDA Farm Service exceed 500 acres annually. programs and their options. Agency Announces Tree USDA Kicks off the 2014 While universities work to Assistance Program create new online tools, producers (TAP) Sign-Up "Feds Feed Families" now have access to a preliminary Nationwide Food Drive website that gives them a chance As of Tuesday, April 15, 2014, to begin familiarizing themselves The food drive is an annual orchardists and nursery tree with the new programs and the event in which Federal employees, growers who experienced losses type of information they will need to nationwide, collect food for from natural disasters that consider when deciding which distribution by food banks, food occurred on or after Oct. 1, 2011, program options work better for pantries, and shelters. can sign up for the Tree Assistance them. At this site, farmers and Program (TAP). TAP was ranchers can view ARC and PLC The Feds Feed Families authorized by the Agricultural Act projected payments, ARC program started in 2009. The 2014 of 2014 as a permanent disaster USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. 2 food drive officially began on June including native and improved 2 and will run through August 27. For the latest on 2014 Farm Bill grassland intended for haying. programs administered by FSA, All Federal agencies across the please visit our Farm Bill website at Producers considered socially country participate in the campaign www.fsa.usda.gov/farmbill and for disadvantaged, a beginning farmer and Federal employees are asked an FSA program overview please or rancher, or a limited resource to donate non-perishable food read, download and/or print our farmer may be eligible for SURE items throughout the summer. recently posted FSA Farm Bill Fact without a policy or plan of Donations are given to local food Sheet titled, What’s in the 2014 insurance or Noninsured Crop banks across the country – having Farm Bill for Farm Service Agency Disaster Assistance Program a positive impact to help food Customers? coverage. banks address food insecurity. Secretary Vilsack noted that the For more information on FSA, latest USDA estimates show that in please contact your local USDA Farmers and ranchers 2012, food insecurity affected 14.5 Service Center or visit us online at interested in signing up must do so percent of American households at www.fsa.usda.gov. before the Aug. 29, 2014, deadline. some point. Note: A producer who only For more information on the If you are interested in making plants fall seeded or spring seeded 2012 SURE program, visit any a donation to the annual "Feds crops with a final planting date on USDA Service Center or online at Feed Families" Food Drive, please Oct. 1, 2011 or later) cannot meet www.fsa.usda.gov/sure. contact your local USDA Service the above eligibility criteria and will Center. not be eligible for the 2012 SURE program. AskFSA For more information on the Feds Feed Families campaign, • A policy or plan of insurance Are you looking for answers to please visit: under the Federal Crop your FSA questions? Then ASK http://www.usda.gov/fedsfeedfamili Insurance Act or the Noninsured FSA at askfsa.custhelp.com. es. Crop Disaster Assistance Program for all economically AskFSA is an online resource significant crops; USDA’s Farm Service that helps you easily find Agency (FSA) Offers information and answers to your • Been physically located in a Farm Bill Website and FSA questions no matter where county that was declared a you are or what device you use.