Disaster assistance sign-up anounced

It has been really great to get some September-October rainfall after enduring what turned out to be a long, hot summer. I even noted a full pond or two in the Devon area following the 4.5 inches of rain received at the end of September, as well as many fescue pastures showing a surprising measure of fall growth.

Last Saturday's rainfall helped, too, but there is still a way to go in filling up many of the county's ponds.

Referencing our recent summer: I expected the crops to yield somewhat below last year's (also a trying year to grow anything) poor to mediocre levels. This year's harvest has not been completed, of course, but I noticed in the Kansas Agricultural Statistics "Crops" publication, released Oct. 11, that they are projecting the 2012 corn and soybean harvest in Southeast Kansas to be higher than in 2011.

The corn average for last year was 30.0 bushels per acre in Southeast Kansas; this year is projected at 51.0 bushels. The 2011 soybean average was 12.5 bushels per acre; the 2012 projection for Southeast Kansas is 15.0 bushels. We already know that 2012 wheat production in this area was higher (at 53.5 bushels per acre) than the prior year (36.0 bushels) and probably the best on record.

If those stats and projections bear out, then the shortest production year of the last two is 2011. That means the following announcement is certainly good news. Read on: Note the year covered through this program is last year -- 2011.

Adrian J. Polansky, USDA Farm Service Agency state executive director, announced recently that producers can enroll in the Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments (SURE) program for 2011 crop year losses beginning Oct. 22. Under the 2008 Farm Bill, SURE authorizes assistance to farmers and ranchers who suffered crop losses caused by natural disasters occurring through Sept. 30, 2011. All mechanically harvested crops are included in this coverage; grazed crops are not.

"Eligible producers who experienced a 2011 crop loss can contact their local FSA County FSA office to learn more about the SURE program," said Polansky. "All eligible farmers and ranchers must sign up for 2011 SURE benefits before the June 7, 2013, deadline," he said. SURE coverage ended in 2011. There is no SURE coverage in place for 2012.

To qualify for a SURE payment, the producer's operation must be located in a county that was declared a disaster for 2011 and have at least a 10 percent production loss that affects one crop of economic significance. Producers with agricultural operations located outside a disaster county are eligible for SURE benefits if they had a production loss greater or equal to 50 percent of the normal production on the farm.

In Kansas, 85 counties received a primary Secretarial Disaster Designation and 19 counties received a contiguous Secretarial Disaster Designation during 2011. Bourbon County and all surrounding counties (including Vernon County, Mo.) received the aforementioned Secretarial Designation, meaning producers need only meet the insurance requirement (mentioned below) and the 10 percent loss on one crop criteria.

To meet program eligibility requirements, producers must have obtained a policy or plan of insurance for all insurable crops through the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation and obtained Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) coverage on non-insurable crops, if available, from FSA. Eligible farmers and ranchers who meet the definition of a socially disadvantaged, limited resource or beginning farmer or rancher do not have to meet this requirement. Forage crops intended for grazing are not eligible for SURE benefits.

For more information on SURE program eligibility requirements, contact your local FSA County office or visit the website at http://www.fsa.usda.gov/sure.