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Farm Service Agency’s State Executive Director Larry J. Adams reminds farmers and ranchers that Oct. 1 began sign-up for several programs authorized under the 2002 Farm Bill and a disaster assistance program established to help livestock producers suffering from drought.

Implementation of the 2002 Farm Bill incorporates a new system of counter-cyclical payments; new loan rates; new payment programs for dairy, honey, wool, mohair and pulses; and a record level of support for conservation. Helping eligible producers understand and take part in the farm bill programs will be a key focus in USDA county offices during the next several weeks.

The 2002 Farm Bill provides for payments to eligible producers of covered commodities (feed grains, wheat, upland cotton, rice, soybeans, other oilseeds) and peanuts for the 2002 through 2007 crop years. A major feature of the new law allows producers to update their historical average bases and crop yields. These bases and yields will be used to determine program benefits for 2002 to 2007 crop years. Sign-up started Oct. 1, for the direct and counter-cyclical program provisions, covering crop years 2002 and 2003. Direct and counter cyclical payments will be made to producers, once they establish their crop bases and payment yields. Payment rates for direct payments are specified in the 2002 Farm Bill and are issued regardless of market prices. Producers also are eligible for counter-cyclical payments, if effective prices are less than the target prices set in the 2002 Farm Bill. The effective price is equal to the higher of the average loan rate or national average market price received by producers, plus the direct payment rate.

Sign-up also began Oct. 1 for the Livestock Compensation Program, which applies to cattle, sheep, goats and beefalo producers in counties that had received primary disaster designation due to drought in 2001 and/or 2002. Approximately $752 million is being made available for this program. Producers in counties that have drought disaster designation requests pending as of Sept. 19, and which are subsequently approved, also will be eligible to participate in the program. This program is intended to assist designated livestock producers because they have very few risk management tools available to cover losses caused by the severe weather that affected many states these past two years.

Sign-up for the 2000 Apple Market Loss Assistance Program (AMLAP-III) also began Oct. 1 and continues until Nov. 8. AMLAP-III will provide about $94 million to eligible apple growers to cover losses to their 2000 crop. These losses were caused by low prices in the U.S. apple market. Growers can receive a payment per pound for their 2000 apple production, and they will be paid on a maximum of five million pounds per separate apple operation.

For more information on these and other programs, please contact you local USDA Service Center.