11/12/08 DCP sign up for ten acre or less bases

Washington Ag November 12, 2008 Owners and operators of farms with 10 or fewer base acres now have the opportunity to sign up to receive payments for the 2008 Direct and Countercyclical Payment Program. Farm Service Agency Deputy Administrator Glen Keppy recaps the history of this issue. Keppy: "When the original farm bill was written the USDA interpreted the language from Congress that the ten acre rule was not included. Congress made changes to their law and the President signed it in the middle of October and so USDA is now allowing our local FSA offices to work with producers and recognize that ten acres are eligible for DCP payments, direct and countercyclical payments. There was land that was enrolled in DCP but none of the ten acre land has enrolled and distribution of funds will begin shortly. Ask any questions of you local FSA office or go online to get the information you need. But the deadline again, is November 26 of 2008 to get signed up for the DCP." USDA's Farm Service Agency will now resume allowing reconstitutions for farms with 10 acres of base or less according to normal reconstitution rules and policy. The Washington State FSA office says about 17 percent of the DCP farms in the state have some ten acre or less bases. I'm Bob Hoff.