tamatoledonews.com (DES MOINES-SPECIAL) – John R Whitaker, State Executive Director of USDA’s Iowa Farm Service Agency announced that disaster assistance will be issued to Iowa producers of soybeans who suffered losses due to excessive moisture or related conditions in 2009. “Sign up for this program is currently underway and continues until December 9, 2010,” said Whitaker.

Producers of eligible crops on farms in disaster counties who certify to a 5 percent or greater crop loss will receive a predetermined soybean payment rate of $15.62 times the planted acres of the crop. Because of funding limitations, producers will initially receive 75 percent of this payment and once sign up is complete they may receive up to an additional 25 percent.

To be eligible, land must be physically located in a Secretarial disaster designated county. “If a farm or a portion of a farm is physically located in one of these designated counties, producers need to apply at their local FSA offices,” added Whitaker. “In some cases, we have portions of farms administered in non-declared counties, but a portion of the farm is physically located in a declared county. So producers in this situation, need to apply in the county were their farm is administered.”

Iowa counties that received a Secretarial Disaster Declaration in 2009 include: Allamakee, Benton, Bremer, Butler, Calhoun, Clarke, Clay, Chickasaw, Clayton, Decatur, Delaware, Fayette, Grundy, Hamilton, Hardin, Howard, Ida, Iowa, Jackson, Jefferson, Keokuk, Lucas, Mahaska, Wayne, Winneshiek, Sac, Van Buren, Wapello, Webster, and Woodbury.

The general eligibility provisions, payment limits, and adjusted gross income limits that apply to FSA programs apply to CAP. No person or legal entity (excluding a joint venture or general partnership), may receive directly or indirectly, more than $100,000 in CAP benefits. Additionally, CAP payments will be treated as 2009 revenue under the Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments (SURE) Program.

For more information on the Crop Assistance Program or other disaster assistance programs, please contact your county FSA office or the website at www.fsa.usda.gov.