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2013-05-16, FSA Administrator Urges Producers to Enroll in DCP/ACRE »»

Release 0085.13

FSA Administrator Urges Producers to Enroll in DCP/ACRE

WASHINGTON, May 16, 2013 — USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Juan M. Garcia today encouraged farmers and ranchers to enroll for the 2013 Direct and Counter-Cyclical Payment Program (DCP) or the Average Crop Revenue Election Program (ACRE) before the deadline. Producers who wait until the last minute to sign up could face increased waiting time in FSA county offices.

“We understand that producers have gotten busy, but they can’t forget to visit their county office and sign up for DCP or ACRE,” said Garcia. “Just as farmers and ranchers plan their spring plantings, producers should plan to schedule an appointment to visit their USDA Service Center at the earliest possible time. It’s best to complete the paperwork now rather than to stand in line the day before the deadline,” advised Garcia.

The sign-up for both programs began Feb. 19, 2013. The deadline to sign up for ACRE is June 3, 2013. The DCP sign up period ends Aug. 2, 2013.

The 2013 DCP and ACRE program provisions are unchanged from 2012, except that all eligible participants in 2013 may choose to enroll in either DCP or ACRE for the 2013 crop year. This means that eligible producers who were enrolled in ACRE in 2012 may elect to enroll in DCP in 2013 or may re-enroll in ACRE in 2013 (and vice versa).

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

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).

2013-05-14, USDA Announces Conservation Reserve Program Sign-Up »»

USDA Announces Conservation Reserve Program Sign-Up

Landowners and Producers Can Now Enroll in Continuous CRP with General Sign-Up to Follow

WASHINGTON, May 14, 2013— Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack today reminded farmers and ranchers that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will conduct a four-week Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) general sign-up beginning May 20 and ending on June 14. Vilsack also announced the restart of sign-up for continuous CRP, including the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program, State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement Initiative, the Highly Erodible Land Initiative, the Grassland Restoration Initiative, the Pollinator Habitat Initiative and other related initiatives. Sign-up for continuous CRP began on May 13 and will continue through Sept. 30, 2013.

“As always, we expect strong competition to enroll acres into CRP, and we urge interested producers to maximize their environmental benefits and to make cost-effective offers,” said Vilsack. “CRP is an important program for protecting environmentally sensitive lands from erosion and sedimentation, and for ensuring the sustainability of our groundwater, lakes, rivers, ponds and streams. Through the voluntary participation of our farmers and ranchers, CRP helps us to protect our natural resources, preserve wildlife habitat and bring good paying jobs to rural America related to hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation.

Vilsack encouraged producers to look into CRP’s other enrollment opportunities offered on a continuous, non-competitive, sign-up basis.

CRP has a 27-year legacy of successfully protecting the nation's natural resources through voluntary participation, while providing significant economic and environmental benefits to rural communities across the United States. Producers enrolled in CRP plant long-term, resource-conserving covers to improve the quality of water, control soil erosion and develop wildlife habitat. In return, USDA provides participants with rental payments and cost-share assistance. Contract duration is between 10 and 15 years. Currently, 27 million acres are enrolled in CRP through 700,000 contracts on 390,000 farms throughout the U.S., with enrollment in 49 states and Puerto Rico. Contracts on an estimated 3.3 million acres will expire on Sept. 30, 2013. Enrollment authority for all types of CRP, which had expired Sept. 30, 2012, was extended through 2013 by the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012.

Offers for general sign-up CRP contracts are ranked according to an Environmental Benefits Index (EBI). USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) collects data for each of the EBI factors based on the relative environmental benefits for the land offered. FSA uses the following factors to assess the environmental benefits for the land offered:

Wildlife habitat benefits resulting from covers on contract acreage; Water quality benefits from reduced erosion, runoff and leaching; On-farm benefits from reduced erosion; Benefits that will likely endure beyond the contract period; Air quality benefits from reduced wind erosion; and Cost.

CRP soil rental rates for non-irrigated cropland were updated this year to better reflect location and market conditions. A nationwide cap was placed on the maximum amount that may be paid per acre for the general sign-up. Taken together these steps help ensure that taxpayer dollars are spent in a fiscally responsible manner while producing the maximum environmental benefits for each dollar spent.

CRP is the largest USDA conservation program and continues to make major contributions to national efforts to improve water and air quality, prevent soil erosion, and protect the most sensitive areas including those prone to flash flooding and runoff. At the same time, CRP has helped increase populations of pheasants, quail and ducks and is recognized as benefiting certain rare species like the sage grouse, the lesser prairie chicken and other grassland birds. Highlights of CRP accomplishments include:

The restoration of more than two million acres of wetlands and two million acres of riparian buffers; Prevention of more than 600 million pounds of nitrogen and more than 100 million pounds of phosphorous from flowing into our nation’s streams, rivers, and lakes. Providing $1.8 billion annually to landowners — dollars that make their way into local economies, supporting small businesses and creating jobs; and Sequestering more carbon than any other conservation program in the country. By placing vulnerable cropland into conservation, CRP sequesters carbon in plants and soil and reduces both fuel and fertilizer usage. In 2011, CRP resulted in carbon sequestration equal to taking almost 10 million cars off the road.

USDA has made a concerted effort to deliver results for the American people, even as USDA implements sequestration – the across-the-board budget reductions mandated under terms of the Budget Control Act. USDA has already undertaken historic efforts since 2009 to save more than $828 million in taxpayer funds through targeted, common-sense budget reductions. These reductions have put USDA in a better position to carry out its mission, while implementing sequester budget reductions in a fair manner that causes as little disruption as possible.

The Obama Administration, with Secretary Vilsack’s leadership, has worked tirelessly to strengthen rural America, maintain a strong farm safety net and create opportunities for America’s farmers and ranchers. U.S. agriculture is currently experiencing one of its most productive periods in American history thanks to the productivity, resiliency and resourcefulness of our producers.

For more information on CRP and other FSA programs, visit a local FSA service center or www.fsa.usda.gov.

2013-05-09, USDA Announces Refined Sugar Re-Export Program Waivers »»

USDA Announces Refined Sugar Re-Export Program Waivers

WASHINGTON, April 30, 2013 - In light of large supplies of sugar on the U.S. market, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced that it will take the following actions under the waiver authority of the Refined Sugar Re-Export Program:

USDA will temporarily permit licensed refiners to transfer program sugar from their license to another licensed refiners license through Sept. 30, 2013.

USDA will temporarily increase the license limit for raw cane sugar refiners from 50,000 metric tons raw value of credits to 100,000 metric tons raw value of credits, through Dec. 31, 2014. Beginning January 1, 2015, the credit limit will revert to 50,000 metric tons raw value. No change is being made to the 50,000 metric ton raw value limit for debits on the licenses.
Further details are in a public notice that went on display today at the Office of the Federal Register and will publish in the May 1, 2013 edition, which will be available at: http://www.ofr.gov/OFRUpload/OFRData/2013-10246_PI.pdf.

Federal law requires USDA to operate the sugar program, to the extent possible, at no cost to the government. Todays actions are intended to facilitate a re-balancing of Re-Export Program licenses and provide greater flexibility for licensees to balance program sugar imports, exports and transfers. These actions are authorized under the waiver authority for the Refined Sugar Re-Export Program regulation (7 CFR 1530.113).

USDA will continue to monitor the U.S. sugar market and may take further actions if necessary.

Media with questions regarding this announcement should contact Sally Klusaritz, Foreign Agricultural Service, at (202) 720-3448.　Licensees seeking for further information may contact Ron Lord, Foreign Agricultural Service, at (202) 720-6939, or ronald.lord@fas.usda.gov.

2013-05-08, USDA Announces Farm Payments Scheduled to Resume »»

Release No. 0083.13

USDA Announces Farm Payments Scheduled to Resume
MILC, SURE, and NAP will restart on May 8

WASHINGTON, May 8, 2013 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Juan M. Garcia announced today that farm payments, which had been temporarily suspended due to sequestration, are scheduled to resume today, May 8. This includes payments for the 2011 Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments Program (SURE), the Noninsured Crop Assistance Program (NAP) and the Milk Income Loss Contract Program (MILC).

“I’m pleased to announce that farmers and ranchers can expect to begin receiving their payments beginning today, May 8,” said Garcia. “We appreciate the producers’ patience during the delay. We’re working diligently to get these payments out as quickly as possible.”

On March 4, 2013, FSA began a temporary suspension of FSA program payments in order to assess the impact of sequestration and determine the least-disruptive process possible for carrying out required cuts. The Department will use the Secretary’s limited authority to transfer funds to avoid reducing these program payments.

Producers should be advised that program sign-up periods currently underway have the following enrollment deadlines: 2013 Average Crop Revenue Election (ACRE) Program – June 3rd; 2011 SURE – June 7; and the 2013 Direct and Counter-Cyclical Program – August 2nd. Producers should contact their local Farm Service Agency office as soon as possible for appointments to enroll in these programs before the deadlines.

2013-04-29, USDA Announces Commodity Credit Corporation Lending Rates for May 2013 »»

USDA Announces Commodity Credit Corporation Lending Rates for May 2013

WASHINGTON, May 1, 2013 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) today announced interest rates for May 2013. The CCC borrowing rate-based charge for May 2013 is 0.125 percent, unchanged from 0.125 in April 2013. For 1996 and subsequent crop year commodity and marketing assistance loans, the interest rate for loans disbursed during May 2013 is 1.125 percent, unchanged from 1.125 in April 2013.

Interest rates for Farm Storage Facility Loans approved for May 2013 are as follows, 1.250 percent with seven-year loan terms, down from 1.375 in April 2013; 1.875 percent with 10-year loan terms, down from 2.000 in April 2013 and; 2.125 percent with 12-year loan terms, down from 2.250 percent in April 2013. The interest rate for Sugar Storage Facility Loans for May 2013 is 2.375 percent, down from 2.500 in April 2013.

The maximum discount rate applicable for May 2013 for the Tobacco Transition Payment Program is 5 percent, unchanged from April 2013. This is based on the 3.250 percent prime rate plus 2 percent, rounded to the nearest whole number.

Past monthly releases announcing interest rates charged by CCC on commodity and marketing assistance loans disbursed for that particular month reflect the interest rate the U.S. Treasury charged CCC for that month. This was the interest rate specified by CCC since Jan. 1, 1982, but the process of establishing the interest rate was changed by a provision of the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (the Act), enacted on April 4, 1996.

Section 163 of the Act requires that monthly interest rates applicable to commodity and marketing assistance loans are to be 100 basis points — or 1 percent — greater than the rate determined under the applicable interest rate formula in effect on Oct. 1, 1995. This formula resulted in a rate equivalent to the amount the U.S. Treasury charged CCC for borrowing, for the month.

Further program information is available from USDA Farm Service Agency's (FSA) Financial Management Division at 202-772-6041.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Stop 9410, Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call toll-free at (866) 632-9992 (English) or (800) 877-8339 (TDD)or (866) 377-8642 (English Federal-relay) or (800) 845-6136 (Spanish Federal-relay).

2008-10-28, What's New in Food »»

Food safety and nutrition announcements, and newly posted documents on the FDA/Foods website.
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