Crop acreage reporting deadlines set

Commencing with the 2012 crop year, USDA agencies began to implement changes to crop acreage reporting requirements, in an attempt to create uniform reporting dates for program participation. For the 2014 crop year, agencies including Farm Service Agency (FSA) and Risk Management Agency (RMA) have fully integrated reporting dates.

The 2014 reporting dates for crops grown in Washington are as follows:

Dec. 15 – all fall planted small grains, fall planted canola, fall planted onions, mint, alfalfa seed, and fall planted peas and lentils.

Jan. 15, 2014 – perennial tree fruit crops and grapes.

July 15, 2014 – spring planted crops not specified under another reporting date, Conservation Reserve Program acreage, and perennial forage crops including grazing lands, unless covered under a Noninsured Assistance Program (NAP) policy.

Aug. 15, 2014 – buckwheat.

NAP provisions further specify that reporting must be completed no later than 15 days prior to harvest; therefore, NAP policy holders with forage grazing policies are required to report no later than March 15, 2014; NAP policy holders with forage for mechanical harvest (eg. Alfalfa, or other hay crops) are required to report no later than May 15.

Acreage reports accepted after established reporting deadlines are subject to a late filing fee; due to delays in associated with government lapse of operations, producers of 2014 crops who timely “request” to file required acreage reports, where FSA schedules an appointment beyond the reporting date due to lack of available staff and/or appointments will be considered to meet filing deadline requirements.

Initial reporting date deadlines for the 2014 crop year are fast approaching. Producers who have recently completed the planting of fall-seeded crops are encouraged to request an appointment to file report of acreage with FSA as soon as possible.

To schedule an appointment, call 659-1761.