Note 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 2017 spring seeded crops is Monday, July 17. 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 2017 acreage report by July 17th will be subject to a $46 late file fee and required spot check.  Those who have not filed their 2017 acreage report please contact the county office as soon as possible.

Tuesday August 1, is the deadline for agricultural producers to enroll their farms having crop base acres into the 2017 Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) program.  All signatures must be obtained and submitted to respective county offices by this date to be considered timely.  Those with any questions regarding their farm’s enrollment, please contact the respective county office.

uesday, 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 an 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-3, described as the Southeast portion of Alamosa County, currently being served by Lisa Sykes.

Conejos County – LAA-3, described as the south portion of Conejos County, currently served by Virgil Ruybal who is term-limited and is ineligible to run again.

Costilla County – LAA-3, described as the north portion of Costilla County, currently served by Stephen Lucero.

Saguache, Rio Grande, Mineral & Hinsdale Counties – LAA-1, described as the north portion of Saguache County currently being served by Anthony Lobato and LAA-6, which is described as the northwest portion of Rio Grande County currently being served by Carol Dove.   

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