Producers Must Report Prevented Planting Acreage

(Butler, Mo) May 28, 2013 Mike Finley, Executive Director of Bates County USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA), reminds producers of the requirement to report prevented planting acreage for FSA program eligibility. Prevented planted corn must be submitted to the Butler office by close of business June 10^th. Producers are encouraged to contact their insurance agents for crop insurance requirements.

Producers must report crop acreage they intended to plant, but due to natural disaster, they were prevented from planting. Prevented planting acreage must be reported on an FSA-576, Notice of Loss, no later than 15 calendar days after the final planting date. For Bates County, the final planting date for corn is May 25, 2013. Producers maybe asked for fertilizer, seed and chemical receipts on acreage applied for.

If a producer is unable to report the prevented planting acreage within the 15 calendar days following the final planting date, a late-filed report can be submitted for a fee. Late-filed reports can only be accepted if a farm visit can be made to verify the eligible disaster condition that prevented the crop from being planted.

Filing an accurate and timely report for all crops and land uses can prevent loss of benefits for a variety of FSA programs, including the Direct and Counter-cyclical Payment (DCP) Program and Marketing Assistance Loans. Producer is encouraged to ask questions especially if the producer is planning to plant a different crop on the same acreage.

For more information on FSA crop reporting requirements, visit the Bates County FSA office at 625 west Nursery (660-679-6112) or visit online at www.fsa.usda.gov.