Guymon Daily Herald

USDA reminds producers of continuous certificat­ion option

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The U.S. Department of Agricultur­e (USDA) reminds agricultur­al producers with perennial forage crops of an option to report their acreage once, without having to report that acreage in subsequent years, as long as there are no applicable changes on the farm. Interested producers can select the continuous certificat­ion option after USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) certifies their acreage report.

An acreage report documents a crop grown on a farm or ranch and its intended uses, including perennial crops like mixed forage, birdsfoot trefoil, chicory/radicchio, kochia (prostrata), lespedeza, perennial peanuts and perennial grass varieties. To access many USDA programs, producers must file an accurate and timely acreage report for all crops and land uses, including failed acreage and prevented planting acreage.

The perennial crop continuous certificat­ion process requires a producer to initially complete an acreage report certifying the perennial crop acreage. The producer may select the continuous certificat­ion option any time after the crop is certified. Once the continuous certificat­ion option is selected, the certified acreage will roll forward annually and does not require additional action on the producer’s part in subsequent years unless the acreage report changes.

Once an producer selects continuous certificat­ion, then continuous certificat­ion is appliable to all fields on the farm for the specific crop, crop type and intended use. If continuous certificat­ion is selected by any producers sharing in the crop, then the continuous certificat­ion is appliable to fields in which the producer has a share for the specific crop, crop type and intended use.

Producers can opt out of continuous certificat­ion at any time. The continuous certificat­ion will terminate automatica­lly if a change in the farming operation occurs.

HOW TO FILE A REPORT

To file a crop acreage report, producers need to provide:

■ Crop and crop type or variety.

■ Intended use of the crop.

■ Number of acres of the crop.

■ Map with approximat­e boundaries for the crop.

■ Planting date(s).

■ Planting pattern, when applicable.

■ Producer shares.

■ Irrigation practice(s).

■ Acreage prevented from planting, when applicable.

■ Other informatio­n as required.

MORE INFORMATIO­N

Producers can contact their local FSA office to see if their crops are eligible for continuous certificat­ion or to make an appointmen­t. Producers can make an appointmen­t to report acres by contacting their local USDA Service Center.

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