USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Juan M. Garcia today encouraged farmers and ranchers to enroll for the 2013 Direct and Counter-Cyclical Payment Program (DCP) or the Average Crop Revenue Election Program (ACRE) before the deadline. Producers who wait until the last minute to sign up could face increased waiting time in FSA county offices.
“We understand that producers have gotten busy, but they can’t forget to visit their county office and sign up for DCP or ACRE,” said Garcia. “Just as farmers and ranchers plan their spring plantings, producers should plan to schedule an appointment to visit their USDA Service Center at the earliest possible time. It’s best to complete the paperwork now rather than to stand in line the day before the deadline,” advised Garcia.
The sign-up for both programs began Feb. 19, 2013. The deadline to sign up for ACRE is June 3, 2013. The DCP sign up period ends Aug. 2, 2013.
The 2013 DCP and ACRE program provisions are unchanged from 2012, except that all eligible participants in 2013 may choose to enroll in either DCP or ACRE for the 2013 crop year. This means that eligible producers who were enrolled in ACRE in 2012 may elect to enroll in DCP in 2013 or may re-enroll in ACRE in 2013 (and vice versa).
For more information about the programs and loans administered by FSA, visit any FSA county office or http://www.fsa.usda.gov.
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