Crop acreage reporting deadline approaching

Farm Service Agency (FSA) Director Dan Steinkruger reminds producers of the upcoming acreage reporting deadline for 2013 spring seeded crops and Conservation Reserve Program acres.   “Producers are required to submit their acreage certification to their local county FSA office by July 15, 2013, to meet FSA program eligibility requirements,” said Steinkruger. 

Accurate acreage reports are necessary to determine and maintain eligibility for current and future FSA programs, including the Direct and Counter-cyclical Program (DCP), Average Crop Revenue Election Program (ACRE), Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and Non-insured Assistance Program (NAP).

Acreage reports are considered timely filed when certified by crop reporting deadlines. In addition to the final reporting deadline, producers should also report any acreage that was prevented from being planted or that has failed.  For 2013, the deadline to report prevented planted acreage has been extended to July 15, 2013. Failed acreage must be reported before the disposition of the crop. NAP crops that are harvested prior to July 15 must be reported 15 calendar days before harvest or grazing of the crop. “Producers should contact their county FSA office if they are uncertain about reporting deadlines,” said Steinkruger.

Producers should contact their local FSA office to schedule an appointment to certify all acreage. In 2013, FSA implemented new reporting deadlines for fall seeded and perennial forage crops.  The deadline to report these crops is November 15, 2013.  Producers are encouraged to report any previously unreported crop.  Fees for late-filing any crop for 2013 have been waived until September 15, 2013. For questions concerning specific crop reporting dates or any FSA program, producers should contact their local FSA office.

For further information on any FSA programs, visit us at:  www.fsa.usda.gov/ne.