Agriculture : News
DATE: June 02, 2010
HARDIN COUNTY COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE
201 Peterson Drive
Elizabethtown, Kentucky 42701-9370
BY: Doug Shepherd
County Extension Agent for Agriculture and Natural Resources
Spring Weather Disaster Program Available:
Hardin County farmers may be able to utilize federal relief programs to recover from farm-related losses incurred since April 30 as a result of severe storms, flooding, mudslides, straight line winds and tornadoes. The President signed an amended disaster declaration that includes Hardin County on May 17th. There are several programs that have been available through the Farm Service Agency (FSA) to assist them in their recovery.
Producers who suffered at least a 30 percent loss in crop production or livestock products may apply for aid from the Emergency Loan Program (ELP). Owner-operators or tenant operators of family farms can take advantage of a low 3.75 percent interest rate to borrow up to 100 percent of actual production or physical losses up to $500,000.
The Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) provides cost-share assistance up to $200,000 when flood damage is so severe that rehabilitating the farmland is unlikely without federal help. ECP assists in debris removal, fence restoration, grading, shaping and re-leveling as well as restoration of conservation structures. Conservation problems existing prior to the recent flooding are ineligible.
The Supplemental Revenue Assistance Program (SURE) provides benefits for crop losses, including nursery and aquaculture, of at least 10 percent. To be eligible for SURE payments, a producer is required to obtain crop insurance on all crops of economic significance in all counties or, if crop insurance is not available, to participate in the Non-Insured Assistance Program except for grazed acreage.
The Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) compensates livestock owners and contract growers for livestock death losses in excess of normal mortality. Participants who apply for livestock deaths that are caused by disease are required to provide documentation to support how the disease was accelerated or exacerbated by adverse weather.
The Emergency Livestock Assistance Program (ELAP) provides compensation to eligible producers of livestock, honey bees and farm-raised fish. ELAP is for losses not covered by LIP or SURE, such as: feed losses, physical losses and additional cost incurred in providing feed to eligible livestock.
The Tree Assistance Program (TAP) provides assistance to commercial orchardists and nursery tree growers who suffer deaths of trees (including nursery, ornamental, fruit, nut or Christmas trees), bushes and vines in excess of 15 percent of normal mortality.
For more information about these programs, contact the Hardin County FSA office.
CWT announces another diary herd retirement program:
After reviewing a number of economic benchmarks including cull rates and cull cow prices, Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) announced Thursday that it will conduct a herd retirement. Bids will be accepted starting Friday, May 28th with a cutoff date of Friday, June 25th. The bid cap is set at $3.75 per cwt. of milk. Most of the culls under the Program should be harvested in mid-July through August (typically a relatively slow cull cow harvest period).
Dairies and the Environment:
The UK Extension Service and KY Dairy Development Council are offering two workshops on environmental management that should help producers better understand this critical issue. One session will be held July 21 at the Woodford County Extension Office in Versailles, and another session the next day at the Metcalfe County Extension Office in Edmonton. Both sessions will begin at 10:00 AM and conclude at 2:00 PM local time.
Topics to be discussed: Ag Water Quality Act, Permitting and Corrective Measures, Nutrient Management, Feeding to reduce Nitrogen and Phosphorous Output, Waste Water Management, Streamside/Riparian Grazing and On-Farm Composting of Dead Animals.
There is a $10 registration fee that is due July 15 to Dr. Jeffrey Bewley, UK Diary Extension Specialist, 859-257-7543, jbewley@uky.edu.
Educational programs of the Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of race, color, sex, age, religion, national origin, or disability.
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