Reminder given for upcoming Farm Service Agency deadlines

VALLEY — USDA’s Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) wants to remind agricultural producers that the acreage reporting deadline for crop year 2018 spring seeded crops is Monday, July 16. FSA strongly encourages producers to contact their respective county office to make appointments so that these acreage reports maybe considered timely filed. 

Those who fail to make an appointment or file a crop year 2018 acreage report by July 16th will be subject to a $46 late file fee and required spot check. If you have not filed your 2018 acreage report please contact the county office as soon as possible.  If you receive an appointment postcard, we ask that every effort be made to keep the appointment or contact the county office as soon as possible to set another time or date.

Wednesday, August 1, is the deadline for agricultural producers to enroll their farms having crop base acres into the 2018 Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) program. All signatures must be obtained and submitted to your respective county office by this date to be considered timely. If you have any questions regarding your farms enrollment, please contact your respective county office.

Wednesday, August 1, is also the deadline for eligible voters to nominate themselves or local producers to serve on the FSA County Committee. The local County Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices of the San Luis Valley again reminds America’s farmers, ranchers and other agricultural producers that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) FSA County Committee nomination process is underway.

According to CED Kevin Reeves of Saguache, Rio Grande, Mineral & Hinsdale & County, the County Committees play a very important role in the local implementation and oversight of FSA programs, but the committee system is only as successful as the election process.

“A successful election requires maximum participation from all eligible individuals,” said CED Reeves.

CED Reeves clarifies that in each County, a seat on the county committee is currently open for a Local Administrative Area (LAA). Descriptions of the LAA(s) open for nominations are as follows:

Alamosa County - LAA-1, described as the north portion of Alamosa County, currently being served by Elfirio Romero.

Conejos County – LAA-2, described as the northeast portion of Conejos County, currently served by Otto Espinoza.

Costilla County – LAA-1, described as the southeast portion of Costilla County, currently served by Billy Maestas who is term-limited and is ineligible to run again.

Saguache, Rio Grande, Mineral & Hinsdale Counties – LAA-2, described as the southwest portion of Saguache County currently being served by Sharon Haugen who is term-limited and is ineligible to run again. Also open is the seat for LAA-4, which is described as the northeast portion of Rio Grande County currently being served by David Medina.   

Nomination forms (FSA-669A) and additional information can be obtained from local FSA offices or USDA Service Centers or online at http://www.fsa.usda.gov/elections