Yalobusha Included In Mississippi Counties Eligible For Crop Assistance
Excessive rain last year meant many farmers left their crop in the field. In this 2009 photo, rains had turned parts of this field on Hwy. 32 west into a muddy mess. Federal disaster aid is available for some producers. – File Photo
On September 15, 2010, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced disaster aid would be made available to producers in specified counties whose rice, upland cotton, soybean, and sweet potato production was affected by excessive moisture and related conditions that occurred in 2009.
USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) identified 953 counties (disaster counties) in 34 states that received secretarial disaster designations due to excessive moisture and related conditions in 2009. Yalobusha County is included.
To be eligible for CAP assistance, producers, including legal entities, must have an ownership share and risk in one or more eligible crops on a farm in disaster county where the producer suffered a five percent, or greater, loss for one or more eligible crops due to an excessive moisture or related condition disaster.
Producers self-certify that they have met the loss threshold for an eligible crop; however, as condition of their application, produces agree that they have verifiable or reliable production evidence to support the five percent, or greater, loss claimed on the application. Producer certifications of loss are subject to spot check by FSA. Additionally, producers agree to retain evidence supporting their certifications and applications for three years after the date of application.
FSA will not consider acres in late-filed acreage reports filed on or after Monday, October 25, 2010, to be eligible acres for CAP.
Payment rates for crops have been established based on available funds. Per acre payment rates will be prorated by FSA in order to keep payments within available funds for the program. Producers will initially receive 75 percent of their CAP payment and once sign-up is complete they will receive up to an additional 25 percent.
Applications will be accepted from Monday, October 25, through Thursday, December 9, 2010. Producers must apply in person at FSA county offices during regular business hours.
For more information on CAP, contact your local FSA office, or visit FSA’s website at http://www.disaster.fsa.usda.gov
