New disaster program beginning

This has been a different (i.e. unique, atypical) kind of year on the farms and ranches in this area. Following two years when we received perhaps the highest two-year total precipitation on record (my estimate; not researched) with a two-year total of 116 inches of rain, the odds were greatly against us of posting another season with such a favorable rainfall total.

We have had a somewhat drier and hotter year -- we only received .5 inches of rain in August with some 100-degree days thrown in -- but most crops it appears countywide will show a yield at least at the average to high average levels. Conditions recently have also favored progress of the fall harvest, a pleasant respite from last year's mud. By the way, the total rainfall for this year through last week adds to approximately 41.0 inches --the long-term average for the full year in Bourbon County is 44.14 inches.

The current year's conditions aside, a new ad hoc (unplanned) disaster program has recently been announced by Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. It is called the Crop Assistance Program (CAP) and will be available to eligible producers during the sign up period of Oct. 25 through Dec. 9, 2010. CAP is a one-time program to help restore producer purchasing power that was diminished by 2009 crop year losses.

Unlike most crop disaster programs, participation is limited to four designated crops and is for 2009 only. Those crops are soybeans, cotton, rice, and sweet potatoes. Eligibility will include the ability to document a 5 percent loss on total production of the applicable crop for the year in a designated county. Another limitation on the program is that only producers in counties receiving a Secretarial Disaster Designation for an excessive moisture weather event will qualify. Surrounding counties, commonly included, will not be a part of this program.

So, where does that leave us?

Bourbon County is the only county in our immediate area that has the Secretarial designation for 2009. Cherokee and Montgomery Counties in southeast Kansas are also included. The nearest Missouri county to qualify is Cedar County. A total of 13 counties in Kansas qualified; 28 Missouri counties are included in addition to 912 counties in 32 other states.

So what benefits might this program pay?

For qualifying producers, the preliminary payment rate for soybeans (we did not have any cotton, rice, or sweet potatoes reported for 2009) is $15.62 per acre. Since there is a total funding limitation, however, this amount could be factored down based on total eventual participation in the program. This program does not directly reimburse producers for crop losses, but offers the announced level of support per acre no matter what the loss level above 5 percent.

The "usual" USDA eligibility requirements of Adjusted Gross Income and Highly Erodible Land and Wetlands compliance will also apply to this program. A significant difference between this disaster program and the current permanent disaster program (Supplemental Revenue Assistance Program/SURE) is that producers will not be required to have crop insurance on their 2009 soybean crop in order to qualify.

As mentioned above, the sign up period has already started and will end Dec. 9. Soybean acreages reported for 2009 could be eligible-revised or late-filed acreage reports will not be accepted. Eligible county land carried administratively in a neighboring county will be eligible; the farm owners and operators may file in the county office where the farm records are kept.

Those interested in investigating the possibilities of this program should contact our office before the announced deadline. Calling ahead for an appointment will permit our staff to locate your information and have needed records gathered when you arrive. Contact our office at 1515 S. Judson in Fort Scott, or call (620) 223-1880.

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Editor's Note: Doug Niemeir is the County Executive Director for the USDA/Farm Service Agency. He can be reached by emailing him at Douglas.Niemeir@ks.usda.gov.