Farm Service Agency announces critical deadline

The Farm Service Agency announced a critical deadline for farm programs.

This is the final year of the Farm Bill that has been in effect for the past seven years. A signature deadline of Aug. 1 is set for all program participants and/or those involved with a farm in the program. All payment accounts will be closed Sept. 30. There will be no authority to issue program payments after Sept. 30.

Signatures are needed for the following actions:

* Participation in the Production Flexibility Contract.

* To enroll a farm resulting from a farm being divided as when some land is sold or purchased.

* To report new participants on the contract, such as the names of new owners of all or parts of a farm.

* To correct shares when more than one person is receiving payment on a participating farm.

This year is the transition year between the old Farm Bill and the newly passed Farm Bill. Producers will have the opportunity to participate in a direct and counter-cyclical payment contract for 2002. Any contracts without proper signatures by Aug. 1 will not be eligible for the DCP and any payments issued to that farm for the fiscal year must be refunded.

All owners and operators of agriculture land are also reminded to make their annual acreage report to the Farm Service Agency office by the deadline of July 15. The report is now considered mandatory under the new Farm Bill.

Questions on any Farm Service Agency programs can be directed to the Crow Wing-Cass County Farm Service Agency office at 512 N.E. C St., Brainerd, or call 829-5965, extension 2.