Annual review of payment eligibility for new crop year

All participants of FSA programs who request program benefits are required to submit a completed CCC-902 (Farming Operation Plan) and CCC-941 Average Gross Income (AGI) Certification and Consent to Disclosure of Tax Information to be considered for payment eligibility and payment limitation applicable for the program benefits. Participants are not required to annually submit new CCC-902s for payment eligibility and payment limitation purposes unless a change in the farming operation occurs that may affect the determination of record. A valid CCC-902 filed by the participant is considered to be a continuous certification used for all payment eligibility and payment limitation determinations applicable for the program benefits requested. Participants are responsible for ensuring that all CCC-902 and CCC-941 and related forms on file in the county Office are correct at all times. Participants are required to timely notify the county office of any changes in the farming operation that may affect the determination of record by filing a new or updated CCC-902 as applicable. Changes that may require a NEW determination include, but are not limited to, a change of: Shares of a contract, which may reflect: • A land lease from cash rent to share rent, • A land lease from share rent to cash rent (subject to the cash rent tenant rule), • A modification of a variable/fixed bushel-rent arrangement, • The size of the producer's farming operation by the addition or reduction of cropland that may affect the application of a cropland factor, • The structure of the farming operation, including any change to a member's share, • The contribution of farm inputs of capital, land, equipment, active personal labor, and/or active personal management, • Farming interests not previously disclosed on CCC-902 including the farming interests of a spouse or minor child, • Financial status that may affect the 3-year average for the determination of average AGI or other changes that affects eligibility under the average adjusted gross income limitations. Participants are encouraged to file or review these forms within the deadlines established for each applicable program for which program benefits are being requested. Policy Updates for Acreage Reporting The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) recently made several policy updates for acreage reporting for cover crops, revising intended use, late-filed provisions, grazing allotments as well as updated the definitions of "idle" and "fallow." Reporting Cover Crops: Cover crop types can be chosen from the following four categories: Cereals and other grasses, Legumes, Brassicas and other broadleaves, Mixtures. If the cover crop is harvested for any use other than forage or grazing and is not terminated according to policy guidelines, then that crop will no longer be considered a cover crop and the acreage report must be revised to reflect the actual crop. Permitted Revision of Intended use After Acreage Reporting Date: New operators or owners who pick up a farm after the acreage reporting deadline has passed and the crop has already been reported on the farm, have 30 calendar days from the date when the new operator or owner acquired the lease on land, control of the land or ownership and new producer crop share interest in the previously reported crop acreage. Under this policy, appropriate documentation must be provided to the County Committee's satisfaction to determine that a legitimate operator or ownership and producer crop share interest change occurred to permit the revision. Acreage Reports: In order to maintain program eligibility and benefits, producers must timely file acreage reports. Failure to file an acreage report by the crop acreage reporting deadline may result in ineligibility for future program benefits. FSA will not accept acreage reports provided more than a year after the acreage reporting deadline. Reporting Grazing Allotments: FSA offices can now accept acreage reports for grazing allotments. Producers will use form "FSA-578" to report grazing allotments as animal unit months (AUMs) using the "Reporting Unit" field. The local FSA office will need the grazing period start and end date and the percent of public land. Definitions of Terms: FSA defines "idle" as cropland or a balance of cropland within a Common Land Unit (CLU) (field/subfield) which is not planted or considered not planted and does not meet the definition of fallow or skip row. Fallow is considered unplanted cropland acres which are part of a crop/fallow rotation where cultivated land that is normally planted is purposely kept out of production during a regular growing season. Update Your Records FSA is cleaning up our producer record database and needs your help. Please report any changes of address, Zip Code, phone number, email address or an incorrect name or business name on file to our office. You should also report changes in your farm operation, like the addition of a farm by lease or purchase. FSA and NRCS program participants are required to promptly report changes in their farming operation to the County Committee in writing and to update their Farm Operating Plan on form CCC-902. If you have any updates or corrections, please call your FSA County office to update your records. FROM THE HURON/ERIE COUNTY FARM SERVICE AGENCY AGRI-BUSINESS NOTES FOR THE HURON AND ERIE COUNTY PRODUCERS.