Farmers urged not to delay farm program sign-up plans
By WILLIAM J. HARMON
Executive Director
Marion County FSA
Farmers who have not yet renewed or signed a 2006 Direct and Counter-cyclical Program (DCP) contract on their farms are encouraged to do so during these winter weeks and avoid the last minute rush prior to the busier periods in the spring when field activities become the main concern among producers. Completing contract paperwork is not complicated, however depending upon the size and complexity of the farm, the process for some can be time consuming. About 40 percent of producers have enrolled their contracts thus far. The deadline for submitting a signed 2006 year DCP contract without incurring a $100 per farm late fee is June 1. Planned appointments can be scheduled by calling the county FSA office at 620-382-3714.
When producers enroll their contracts they have the option of selecting whether and when to receive the direct and counter-cyclical payments offered by the program. Under DCP provisions, all producers receive a direct payment based on their historical crop base acreage and yield for eligible commodities. Producers can elect to request their direct payment in two equal installments.
A DCP's counter-cyclical payments are made for commodities only when a commodity's effective price is below a target price, which is established by law.
The final challenge in the DCP process is for producers to secure all of the required signatures on applicable contract(s). All producers, including owners and tenants, who will share in the contract payments on the farm must sign contracts before the county FSA committee can initiate their approval.
