UA Logo - Small
Farm Bill Update
April 09, 2014

Articles
Farm Service Agency on the 2014 Farm Bill - Farm Safety Net
Farm Bill Implementation Focus of House Appropriations Subcommittee Hearing
USDA Officially Announces Sign-Up Date for Farmer and Rancher Disaster Assistance Programs
Farm Bill Webinar Series: Specialty Crop Programs, Food Safety & FSMA and Thoughts for the Future
2014 Farm Bill - Nutrition & Food Policy, Trade Implications and Research Title Highlights
Quick Links

Join Our Mailing List!

Farm Service Agency on the 2014 Farm Bill - Farm Safety Net 

 

Base Reallocation and Yield Updates:

 

Owners of farms that participate in PLC or ARC programs for the 2014-2018 crops have a one-time opportunity to: (1) maintain the farm's 2013 bases through 2018; or (2) reallocate base acres (excluding cotton bases). Covered commodities include wheat, oats, barley, corn, grain sorghum, rice, soybeans, sunflower seed, rapeseed, canola, safflower, flaxseed, mustard seed, crambe and sesame seed, dry peas, lentils, small chickpeas, and large chickpeas. Upland cotton is no longer considered a covered commodity, but the upland cotton base acres on the farm are renamed "generic" base acres. Producers may receive payments on generic base acres if those acres are planted to a covered commodity.

 

A producer also has the opportunity to update the counter-cyclical payment yield for each covered commodity based on 90 percent of the farm's 2008-2012 average yield per planted acre, excluding any year when no acreage was planted to the covered commodity. Program payment yields are used to determine payment amounts for the Price Loss Coverage program.

   

 

Farm Bill Implementation Focus of House Appropriations Subcommittee Hearing

 

Mike Scuse says: 

"MAP and FMD, more..."

(Photo credit:  USDA)

 On April 9, 2014 at the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies hearing, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) testified about the implementation of the Farm Bill and the proposed budget for FY 2015.  The USDA panel included Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services Michael Scuse; FSA Administrator Juan Garcia; RMA Administrator Brandon Willis; FAS Administrator Phil Karsting; NRCS Chief Jason Weller; and Michael Young, USDA Budget Officer.

 

Secretary Scuse said that, "education and outreach is the most important part of implementation.  Because of how these new programs under the new farm bill are tied together, this will be a key focus for the remainder of this year."   

 

Many members of the subcommittee asked about FSA office consolidation efforts under the new budget.  With the significant outreach needed to successfully implement the farm bill, staffing levels and appropriate resources for local offices are a concern for both USDA and the subcommittee.  

 

"We are pleased that implementation efforts at USDA are moving ahead, and we're also conducting as many briefings out in the field as possible, but ensuring USDA has the necessary staff and resources in the field to make for a smooth implementation process is critical," said Reece Langley, USA Rice's vice president of government affairs.

 

Noting the breadth of the programs that USDA oversees, Rep. Kevin Yoder (R-KS) asked about opening more markets for U.S. agriculture exports.  Secretary Scuse mentioned the wildly successful MAP and FMD programs and their efforts to open new markets and increase market share.  He said that these programs enjoy a $35 return on every $1 invested.

 

"With approximately 50 percent of our rice crop being exported each year, we fully support the MAP and FMD programs, and the rice industry contributes $5.77 for every dollar it spends through the FAS programs," said Langley.  "They've helped us find, keep, and grow foreign markets for U.S.-grown rice and we were pleased to hear Secretary Scuse speak highly of the programs."

 

Source: Lauren Echols, Senior Manager of Government Affairs, USA Rice Federation  


USDA Officially Announces Sign-Up Date for Farmer and Rancher Disaster Assistance Programs 

 

Sign-Up Begins April 15 for Livestock, Honeybee, Fruit Grower Programs

 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced on April 7, 2014 that farmers and ranchers can sign-up for disaster assistance programs, reestablished and strengthened by the 2014 Farm Bill, beginning Tuesday, April 15, 2014. Quick implementation of the programs has been a top priority for USDA.

 

"These programs will provide long-awaited disaster relief for many livestock producers who have endured significant financial hardship from weather-related disasters while the programs were expired and awaiting Congressional action," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "President Obama and I prioritized the implementation of these disaster assistance programs now that the Farm Bill has restored and strengthened them."

 

The Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) and the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) will provide payments to eligible producers for livestock deaths and grazing losses that have occurred since the expiration of the livestock disaster assistance programs in 2011, and including calendar years 2012, 2013, and 2014.

 

Enrollment also begins on April 15 for producers with losses covered by the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP) and the Tree Assistance Program (TAP).

  • LIP provides compensation to eligible livestock producers that have suffered livestock death losses in excess of normal mortality due to adverse weather. Eligible livestock includes beef cattle, dairy cattle, bison, poultry, sheep, swine, horses, and other livestock as determined by the Secretary. 
  • LFP provides compensation to eligible livestock producers that have suffered grazing losses due to drought or fire on publicly managed land. An eligible livestock producer must own, cash lease, or be a contract grower of eligible livestock during the 60 calendar days before the beginning date of the qualifying drought or fire in a county that is rated by the U.S. Drought Monitor as D2, D3, or D4. 
  • ELAP provides emergency assistance to eligible producers of livestock, honeybees and farm-raised fish that have losses due to disease, adverse weather, or other conditions, such as blizzards and wildfires, as determined by the Secretary of Agriculture. 
  • TAP provides financial assistance to qualifying orchardists and nursery tree growers to replant or rehabilitate eligible trees, bushes and vines damaged by natural disasters. 

 

USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) employees have worked exceptionally hard over the past two months to ensure eligible farmers and ranchers would be able to enroll to receive disaster relief on April 15. 

 

To expedite applications, all producers who experienced losses are encouraged to collect records documenting these losses in preparation for the enrollment in these disaster assistance programs. Information on the types of records necessary can be provided by local FSA county offices. Producers also are encouraged to contact their county office ahead of time to schedule an appointment.


Farm Bill Webinar Series: Specialty Crop Programs, Food Safety & FSMA and Thoughts for the Future

 

Specialty Crop Programs, Food Safety & FSMA and Thoughts for the Future 

Date: Monday - April 14, 2014

Time: 12:00 p.m.  Eastern/11:00 a.m. Central/10:00 a.m. Mountain/9:00 a.m. Pacific

 

Presentations:

* Dr. Daniel Sumner, University of California- Davis - 2014 Farm Bill Specialty Crop Programs
* Dr. Elizabeth (Betsy) Bihn, Cornell University - Food Safety and the Food Safety Modernization Act

* Dr. Shannon Neibergs, Washington State University - 2014 Farm Bill Insights and Thoughts for the Future


How to Join?
 Please join the webinar site by clicking on:

http://msuextensionconnect.org/aginuncertaintimes 

Test Your Connectivity:

 We strongly encourage you to test your computer internet connectivity prior to the scheduled meeting time. Follow the link to test your computer at: 
http://msuextensionconnect.org/common/help/en/support/meeting_test.htm 
Archives: Webinars will be recorded and presentation materials are archived at:

 

http://www.farmmanagement.org/aginuncertaintimes 

For More Information: 
Point your browser to 
http://AgInUncertainTimes.FarmManagement.org for additional details and to log in.

Webinar Sponsors:
 

Extension Risk Management Education Centers

SERA 39 Multistate Public Policy Issues Education Committee

Agricultural and Applied Economics Association-Extension Section

The Council on Food, Agriculture, & Resource Economics

Regional Extension Farm Management Committees and Ag in Uncertain Times

 

Recordings Posted for:

2014 Farm Bill - Nutrition & Food Policy, Trade Implications and Research Title Highlights

 

Presentations:

* Dr. Helen Chipman, NPL-Food and Nutrition Education NIFA, USDA - Nutrition and Food Policy: Nutrition Education - EFNEP/SNAP-Ed

* Dr. John VanSickle, University of Florida - 2014 Farm Bill Implications to Trade Policy and Food Aid

* Dr. John King & Kelly Day-Rubenstein Agricultural Economists, USDA Economic Research Service - 2014 Farm Bill Research Title Highlights

 

http://www.farmmanagement.org/aginuncertaintimesenglish/ag-in-uncertain-times/recordings/ 

 

 

University of Arkansas Extension 2014 Farm Bill Web Site 

 

 

 

Disclaimer:

  • This information is intended to be for educational purposes only.
  • Without Farm Service Agency (FSA) "FINAL" Rules and Regulations all research and information are preliminary.
  • More (and better) research and information will be available before most decisions need to be made
White Twitter Bird
Follow Our Economic, Market, Policy Links on Twitter