Garden County Nebraska

GardenCoNe.com

Oshkosh, Lewellen, Lisco

Garden County Farm Service Agency is Land Use Pilot County

According to Kim Borer, County Executive Director for the Garden County Farm Service Agency (FSA), Garden County is a land use pilot county for the 2005 crop reporting year. 52 counties in Nebraska were selected or volunteered to test new software for acreage reporting. The new software helps gather crop reports digitally with Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The land use software will accomplish many functions, such as determining compliance with farm programs, verifying compliance with highly erodible and wetland provisions, collecting data for FSA and other Federal agencies, determining eligible producers for loans and LDPs, and determining crop and producer eligibility for NAP.

This new software, in time, is anticipated to reduce the time the county office employee and producer will spend making acreage reports, however, at this time, the average process for taking an acreage report with the new software will take longer than in the past. "We are now in the process of scheduling appointments for acreage reporting, and would like producers to be aware that this process will take considerably more time this year, mainly on our side of things. If producers want to come in and mark their maps and then return later to sign the certification, we would be more than happy to accommodate them," stated Borer.

Borer also said she would like to remind producers of the quickly approaching deadlines to report all acreages for the 2005 crop year. Certification is required in 2005 by all producers who wish to be eligible for direct and counter cyclical payments, a 2005 commodity loan or LDP, those that have a CRP contract or plant Fruits or Vegetables (FAV), or those with insured NAP (Non-Insured Assistance Program) crops.

• Pasture .........15 days prior to grazing
• June 30 .........wheat, barley, and oat crops
• July 15 .........CRP and all other crops and land uses.
  
  
• Late filing fees are assessed after these deadlines.

Borer said that the FSA office is currently sending out appointment postcards with assigned appointments, but if producers wish to reschedule or have not received their card yet, to call the FSA office at (308)772-3953, extension 2, as soon as possible to make an appointment to certify.