Nebraska agricultural producers are urged to schedule appointments with their local U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) service centers to complete their crop acreage reports before the approaching July 17 deadline. Timely and accurate reporting is essential for participating in various USDA programs and safeguarding benefits.
An acreage report documents the crops planted on a farm or ranch as well as their planned uses. As Divis emphasises, it is critical to provide correct and timely records for all crops and land uses, including failed and prohibited planted acres, in order to avoid benefit loss.
The July 17, 2023 deadline applies to certifying acreage, encompassing common spring-planted crops like corn, soybeans, dry edible beans, and sugar beets. It also covers Conservation Reserve Program acres and perennial grasses such as pastures.
Divis advised producers to closely follow communications from their county FSA offices, which may have specific processes and timelines in place for acreage reporting, including the return of maps.
Producers must declare acreage they planned to plant but were unable to do so owing to natural disasters. Prevented planting acreage must be reported on form CCC-576, Notice of Loss, within 15 calendar days of the FSA and USDA's Risk Management Agency's final planting date.
For Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) policyholders, the acreage reporting date for NAP-covered crops is either the aforementioned date or 15 calendar days before the crop's grazing or harvesting begins.
FSA offers continuous certification for perennial forage, meaning that once reported and continuously certified, the certification remains valid until any changes are made. Producers can consult their local USDA Service Center for further information on continuous certification.
Farmers can access FSA farm records, maps, and common land units through the farmers.gov portal. Producers can import and inspect shapefiles, including precision agriculture planting boundaries, using a new mapping function. Level 2 eAuth access is required for mapping functionality and other online tools. farmers.gov/account provides detailed instructions for creating an account.
Video training, including guidance on utilizing mapping tools, are accessible on the farmers.gov YouTube channel to enable a seamless reporting procedure.
Nebraska producers are encouraged to promptly make appointments with their local USDA Service Center to report acres. USDA remains committed to equal opportunity in providing assistance, employment, and lending opportunities
Photo Credit: getty-images-elhenyo
Categories: Nebraska, Crops, Corn, Soybeans, Sugar Beets, Harvesting