Popular Rodeo Will Go On & New Loss Protection Programs

I'm Lacy Gray with Washington Ag Today.

Thanks to an additional $25 thousand in recovery aid the Darrington Timberbowl Rodeo scheduled for June 21 will be able to go on as planned. Governor Inslee approved the additional state aid to make necessary repairs at the Darrington Timberbowl Rodeo Grounds. Work to be done will include updating electrical hookups and repairing old fencing around the main arena and the security perimeter of the rodeo fairgrounds. The rodeo will be one of the first large public events in Darrington since the March landslide that devastated the town of Oso and a one-mile stretch of State Route 530.

With both the Price Loss Coverage and the Agriculture Risk Coverage programs being newly authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill the FSA is still in the process of writing policy and procedure for the programs. Ag Information Network's Greg Martin is here with a timeline supplied by the FSA.

MARTIN: This summer farmers and ranchers with base acres will receive a letter from FSA listing certain provisions affecting base acres and yield. In the fall, farmers will receive a one time opportunity to reallocate their base acres for the life of this Farm Bill. The reallocation would be based on 2009 through 2012 plantings. Owners will also be able to update yields for PLC, based on 90 percent of the farm's 2008 through 2012 average yield per planted acre.

A late 2014 or early 2015 signup for ARC and PLC is planned, and will be a one time choice for the life of the Farm Bill. Failure to make a decision at this time will result in a default designation of PLC and will eliminate any 2014 payment.

This timeline is subject to change. For more information contact your local FSA office.

That's Washington Ag Today.

 I'm Lacy Gray on the Ag Information Network.