Business : DCP/ACRE and SURE Enrollment Deadline Approaching

John R. Whitaker, State Executive Director of USDA’s Iowa Farm Service Agency (FSA) reminds producers that June 1, 2012, is the deadline for enrolling in the 2012 the Direct and Counter-cyclical Program (DCP), Average Crop Revenue Election (ACRE) Program and the Supplemental Revenue Assistance Program (SURE). This is a statutory deadline for all participants in these programs.

"It is critical for producers to begin and/or complete the enrollment process if they have not already done so," said Whitaker. “A significant number of farms eligible for the 2012 DCP/ACRE programs have not enrolled and these producers need to be aware of this deadline."

All signatures of producers receiving a share in DCP/ACRE payments are required by the June 1, 2012, deadline. The election for ACRE for 2012 can be made any time before June 1, 2012. If a farm has an ACRE election from a prior year, the farm remains in the ACRE, however producers must still complete the annual enrollment process by the June 1 deadline.

Whitaker stated, “It is important producers contact their local office to set up appointments well before this deadline to ensure all required signatures and documents have been obtained for DCP/ACRE, as well as for the SURE program.”

The Supplemental Revenue Assistance Program (SURE) which provides benefits for farm revenue losses also has a June 1, 2012 deadline. Losses due to natural disasters that occurred during the 2010 crop year may be eligible for this sign up. SURE is available to eligible producers on:

* Farms in counties with Secretarial disaster declarations, including contiguous counties, that have incurred crop production or quality losses of at least 10%, or both, and includes all crops grown by a producer nationwide, except grazed crops.

John R. Whitaker

State Executive Director

515-254-1540 ext 1000

USDA

Iowa Farm Service Agency

* Any farm in which, for the crop year, the actual production on the farm because of disaster-related conditions is 50 percent or less than normal production of the farm.

For more information about the DCP/ACRE programs please visit your local FSA county office or visit http://www.fsa.usda.gov.