USDA’s Farm Service Agency reminds Iowa producers to complete their crop acreage reports by the July 15 deadline. Contact your FSA county office for a list of acreage reporting deadlines by crop. You must file timely acreage reports to be eligible for many USDA programs. 

“To make sure you’re eligible to participate in USDA programs, you need to file an accurate crop acreage report by the applicable deadline,” says Amanda DeJong, state executive director in Iowa. “Our FSA staff is standing by to help you with your acreage reports, including providing maps.”

These acreage reporting dates are applicable in Iowa: 

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, FSA has implemented acreage reporting flexibilities. FSA can work with producers to file timely acreage reports by phone, email, online tools and virtual meetings, DeJong says. Some FSA offices are open for in-person appointments, but you must call first to make an appointment.  

Return signed form to FSA 

FSA county offices in Iowa have provided maps to producers along with instructions for completing and returning the maps through either mail, email or through commercially available free and secure online tools such as Box for file sharing and OneSpan for eSignature solutions.

After completed maps and all acreage reporting information is received, FSA will make software updates and send producers the completed Report of Acreage form (FSA-578) to sign. Producers must return the signed form certifying their acreage report to the FSA office through mail, email, electronic drop box or a secure physical drop box located at the county office by July 15.  

Some exceptions  

The following exceptions apply to acreage reporting dates: 

FSA is also providing additional flexibilities for producers to file on acres with failed crops or crops that were prevented from planting because of extreme weather events. For insured crops, producers who timely filed a prevented planted claim with the reinsurance company but filed a Notice of Loss (CCC-576) form after the deadline will be considered timely filed for FSA purposes. For uninsured crops, producers may start a Notice of Loss by calling their FSA county office.  

Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program policyholders should note that the acreage reporting date for NAP-covered crops is the earlier of the dates listed above or 15 calendar days before grazing or harvesting of the crop begins. 

Other FSA programs 

When producers are working with FSA staff, either in-person or virtually, they can also take care of applications for other FSA programs, including the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program. A CFAP Call Center is available for producers who would like additional one-on-one support with the CFAP application process. Call 877-508-8364 to speak directly with a USDA employee ready to help.

The CFAP Call Center can provide service to non-English speaking customers. Customers will select 1 for English and 2 to speak with a Spanish speaking employee. For other languages, customers select 1 and indicate their language to the Call Center staff.  

Applications can also be submitted for the Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program Plus for 2018 and 2019, as well as other disaster assistance programs that may be able to assist producers at this time.  

For answers to questions, call your FSA county office. To locate your local FSA office, visit farmers.gov/service-center-locator. 

USDA Service Centers open 

All USDA service centers are open for business, including some that are open to visitors to conduct business in person by appointment only. All service center visitors wishing to conduct business with FSA, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service or any other USDA agency should call ahead and schedule an appointment. Service centers that are open for appointments will prescreen visitors based on health concerns or recent travel, and visitors must adhere to social distancing guidelines. 

Visitors may also be required to wear a face covering during their appointment. Fieldwork will continue with appropriate social distancing.

“Our program delivery staff will be in the office, and they will be working with our producers in office, by phone and using online tools,” DeJong says.

More information is at farmers.gov/coronavirus. 

Source: FSA, which is solely responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and all its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.