Crop sign-up deadline extended

Sign-up deadline for the Direct and Countercyclical Program (DCP) of the Farm Service Agency (FSA) has been extended to Aug. 3, said county director John A. Raney. "The extension is due to issues involving the performance of the Farm Service Agency's web-based computer system," Mr. Raney said. A late-file fee of $100 will only be assessed for farms that are enrolled after Aug. 3 and before Sept. 30.

USDA computes DCP payments using base acres and payment yields established for each farm. Direct payments provide no incentive to increase production of any certain crop, because the payments are not based on producers' current production choices. Producers receive direct payments at rates established by statute regardless of market prices. Counter-cyclical payments provide support counter to the cycle of market prices as part of a "safety net" in the event of low crop prices. These payments are only issued if the effective price for a commodity (which takes into account the direct payment rate, market price and loan rate) is below the target price for the commodity. Counter-cyclical payment rates vary depending on market prices. Enrollment in DCP for the 2007 contract period began on Oct. 1, 2006.