10/31/2023
FSA Encourages Farmers and Ranchers to Vote in County Committee Elections
The 2023 Farm Service Agency County Committee Elections will begin on Nov. 6, 2023, when ballots are mailed to eligible voters. The deadline to return ballots to local FSA offices, or to be postmarked, is Dec. 4, 2023.
County committee members are an important component of the operations of FSA and provide a link between the agricultural community and USDA. Farmers and ranchers elected to county committees help deliver FSA programs at the local level, applying their knowledge and judgment to make decisions on commodity price support programs; conservation programs; incentive, indemnity and disaster programs for some commodities; emergency programs and eligibility. FSA committees operate within official regulations designed to carry out federal laws.
To be an eligible voter, farmers and ranchers must:
Be of legal voting age or, if not of legal voting age, supervise and conduct the farming operation of an entire farm.
Have an interest in a farm or ranch as either:
An individual who meets one or more of the following:
Is eligible and capable to vote in one’s own right.
Is a partner of a general partnership.
Is a member of a joint venture.
Participates or cooperates in any FSA program that is provided by law. A cooperating producer is someone who has provided information to FSA about their farming or ranching operation(s) but may not have applied or received program benefits.
Eligible voters in Local Administrative Area 5 or 7, who do not receive a ballot can obtain one from their local FSA county office. Customers can identify which LAA they or their farming operation is in by using our new GIS locator tool available at fsa.usda.gov/elections.
Newly elected committee members will take office Jan. 1, 2024.
The candidates in this year’s election are:
Sammy Dale Royal is nominated in LAA 5, Dixie County, to serve as a committee member for a 3-year term. Royal resides in Horseshoe Beach and is a commercial fisherman and Charter Captain. Sammy is the current incumbent and has served 3 terms.
Raymond Scott Robinson is nominated in LAA 7, Levy County, to serve as a committee member for a 3-year term. Robinson resides in Williston and has produced peanuts for several years.
More information on county committees can be found at fsa.usda.gov/elections or by contacting the Dixie Gilchrist Levy County FSA office.
Disaster Assistance Available for Livestock Losses
The Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) provides assistance to you for livestock deaths in excess of normal mortality caused by adverse weather, disease and attacks by animals reintroduced into the wild by the federal government or protected by federal law.
For disease losses, FSA county committees can accept veterinarian certifications that livestock deaths were directly related to adverse weather and unpreventable through good animal husbandry and management.
For 2023 livestock losses, you must file a notice within 30 calendar days of when the loss is first apparent. You then must provide the following supporting documentation to your local FSA office no later than 60 calendar days after the end of the calendar year in which the eligible loss condition occurred.
Proof of death documentation
Copy of grower’s contracts
Proof of normal mortality documentation
USDA has established normal mortality rates for each type and weight range of eligible livestock, i.e. Adult Beef Cow = 1.5% and Non-Adult Beef Cattle (less than 250 pounds) = 5%. These established percentages reflect losses that are considered expected or typical under “normal” conditions.
In addition to filing a notice of loss, you must also submit an application for payment by March 1, 2024.
For more information, contact the Dixie Gilchrist Levy County USDA Service Center at (352) 658-4057 or visit fsa.usda.gov.
Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybee, and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP)
ELAP provides emergency assistance to eligible livestock, honeybee, and farm-raised fish producers who have losses due to disease, adverse weather or other conditions, such as blizzards and wildfires, not covered by other agricultural disaster assistance programs.
Eligible losses include:
Livestock - grazing losses not covered under the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP), loss of purchased feed and/or mechanically harvested feed due to an eligible adverse weather event, additional cost of transporting water because of an eligible drought and additional cost associated with gathering livestock to treat for cattle tick fever.
Honeybee - loss of purchased feed due to an eligible adverse weather event, cost of additional feed purchased above normal quantities due to an eligible adverse weather condition, colony losses in excess of normal mortality due to an eligible weather event or loss condition, including CCD, and hive losses due to eligible adverse weather.
Farm-Raised Fish - death losses in excess of normal mortality and/or loss of purchased feed due to an eligible adverse weather event.
If you’ve suffered eligible livestock, honeybee, or farm-raised fish losses during calendar year 2023, you must file:
A notice of loss within 30 calendar days after the loss is apparent (15 days for honeybee losses)
An application for payment by Jan. 30, 2024
File a Notice of Loss for Failed and Prevented Planted Acres
USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) reminds you to report prevented planted and failed acres in order to establish or retain FSA program eligibility for some programs.
You should report crop acreage you intended to plant, but due to natural disaster, were prevented from planting. Prevented planting acreage must be reported on form CCC-576, Notice of Loss, no later than 15 calendar days after the final planting date as established by FSA and Risk Management Agency (RMA).
If you’re unable to report the prevented planting acreage within the 15 calendar days following the final planting date, a late-filed report can be submitted. Late-filed reports will only be accepted if FSA conducts a farm visit to assess the eligible disaster condition that prevented the crop from being planted. A measurement service fee will be charged.
Additionally, if you have failed acres, you should also use form CCC-576, Notice of Loss, to report failed acres.
For hand-harvested crops and certain perishables, you must notify FSA of damage or loss through the administrative County Office within 72 hours of the date of damage or loss first becomes apparent. This notification can be provided by filing a CCC-576, email, fax or phone. If you notify the County Office by any method other than by filing the CCC-576, you are still required to file a CCC-576, Notice of Loss, within the required 15 calendar days.
For losses on crops covered by the Non-Insured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP), you must file a Notice of Loss within 15 days of the occurrence of the disaster or when losses become apparent. You must timely file a Notice of Loss for failed acres on all crops including grasses.
To file a Notice of Loss, contact your Gilchrist Levy Dixie County USDA Service Center at (325) 658-4057 or visit www.fsa.usda.gov.
Disaster Assistance for 2023 Livestock Forage Losses
Producers in Gilchrist, Dixie, or Levy County are eligible to apply for 2023 Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) benefits on [small grain, native pasture, improved pasture, annual ryegrass, forage sorghum.]
LFP provides compensation if you suffer grazing losses for covered livestock due to drought on privately owned or cash leased land.
County committees can only accept LFP applications after notification is received by the National Office of qualifying drought. You must complete a CCC-853 and the required supporting documentation no later than January 30, 2024, for 2023 losses.
For additional information about LFP, including eligible livestock, contact the Gilchrist Dixie Levy County USDA Service Center at (352)658-4057 or visit fsa.usda.gov.
Producers May be Eligible for Emergency Conservation Program Assistance
Dates to Remember
2023-
November 6, 2023 - COC Election ballots mailed to eligible voters.
December 4, 2023 - Post marked COC ballots deadline
January 30, 2024 - LFP application deadline.
January 30, 2024 - ELAP application for payment deadline
March 1, 2024 - LIP Application for payment deadline
https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDAFARMERS/bulletins/371fd1d
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