Acreage Reports due July 15

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Once again, it is time to make a visit to the Champaign County Farm Service Agency (FSA) Office. The annual report of acreage is due by July 15 for any spring-seeded crops (corn & soybeans). Dec. 15 was the final date to report wheat acreage and other fall seeded crops. A report of acreage will make farmers eligible for any possible payments due in both ARC/PLC and CRP programs.

Failed acreage must be reported to FSA before destroying and replanting to allow time for a field check. Failure to timely report may result in loss of potential disaster assistance, as well as maintaining cropping history.

The local FSA office, located in the county Community Center, has a set of maps to record crops, planting dates, shares and acreages on. Leave the maps at the office and staff will load the information and get a signature at a later date. Appointments are available as well, by calling the office at 937-484-1508.

Committee nominations

The nomination period for local Farm Service Agency (FSA) County Committees began June 15. The agency encourages all eligible farmers and producers, including beginning farmers, to get involved in this year’s elections. FSA county committees make decisions on disaster and conservation programs, emergency programs, commodity price support loan programs and other agricultural issues. Members serve three-year terms.

To be eligible to serve on a FSA County Committee, a person must participate or cooperate in an agency-administered program, be eligible to vote in a county committee election and live in the local administrative area where nominated.

An election will be held this year for the Champaign County Committee position for LAA 3 that includes the townships of Goshen, Rush, Union and Wayne. If interested in nominating yourself or others, visit the Champaign County FSA Office for more information. Organizations representing minorities and women also may nominate candidates. To become a candidate, an eligible individual must sign an FSA-669A nomination form, which is available at the Champaign County FSA Office or online at www.fsa.usda.gov/elections. Nomination forms for the 2015 election must be postmarked or received in the local USDA Service Center by close of business on Aug. 3, 2015.

FSA will mail election ballots to eligible voters beginning Nov. 9. Ballots will be due back to the Champaign County office either via mail or in person by Dec. 7. Newly elected committee members and alternates will take office on Jan. 1, 2016.

For more information, contact the Champaign County FSA office, or visit the County Committee Elections website to learn more about the County Committee Election process at http://www.fsa.usda.gov/elections.

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