USDA streamlining crop reporting
Farm and Ranch November 28, 2011 The USDA announced this month the establishment of 15 common Acreage Reporting Dates, or ARDs, for farmers and ranchers participating in its programs. Previously the Risk Management Agency had 54 ARDs nationally for 122 crops and the Farm Service Agency had 17 ARDs for 273 crops. Dave Paul with the regional office of the Risk Management Agency says they are starting to file those new dates for the 2012 spring crops. Paul: “To where all of our dates in the Pacific Northwest for federal and FSA will be the same. We have a 1-15. A 7-15 and for a couple of minor crops a 8-15 reporting date instead of us having a 6-30 for example in the spring and FSA having a 7-15. So that is kind of the second step is that now we have three different Acreage Reporting Dates in the Pacific Northwest for the major group of crops. They are all the same FSA, RMA.” The common reporting dates reduce the reporting burden on farmers and also helps to reduce USDA operating costs. RMA Administrator William Murphy says this change does not reduce or modify the programs or services that RMA or FSA provide. Paul says the next step is electronic reporting for producers. That story tomorrow. I’m Bob Hoff and that’s the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report on Northwest Aginfo Net. ?
