USDA announces new online payment service
Louis Buck, Executive Director for USDA’s Farm Service Agency in Tennessee announced a new service that allows producers to request and receive Electronic-Loan Deficiency Payment (eLDP) online.
“This service saves Tennessee farmers and rancher’s time, energy and money, and it is an example of how USDA is harnessing the power of the Internet to better serve producers,” said Buck.
To participate in this new service, producers must meet all eligibility requirements for marketing assistance loans and LDPs. Eligible crops include: barley, canola, corn, corn silage, dry peas, flaxseed, grain sorghum, honey, mustard, oats, peanuts, rapeseed, rice, safflower, soybeans, sunflower oil, sunflower seeds, wheat, wool, mohair and unshorn pelts. Eligible producers can choose to receive LDPs for their crops in lieu of marketing assistance loans. An LDP is the difference between the loan rate at a given location and the market price for the applicable commodity.
The voluntary eLDP service has stringent security measures to protect participants’ private information. Just like traditional LDPs, only authorized federal employees are given access to information that is submitted electronically. All participating producers must have an e-mail address and set up a producer profile that validates their farming and crop information.
To register, producers can go to www.sc.egov.usda.gov, and complete form CCC-634-E, “Request for Electronic Loan Deficiency Payment Services” or obtain the form at USDA Service Centers. Eligible producers must also have an active USDA eAuthentication Level 2 account, which requires filling out an online registration form at www.sc.egov.usda.gov, followed by a visit to the local USDA Service Center for identity verification.
The program allows producers to apply for and receive LDPs online from remote locations such as their homes or offices. Participating farmers no longer have to travel to USDA Service Centers to receive their benefits. As a result, the program reduces paperwork load and speeds up payment processing.
Additional information is available on this and other Farm Service Agency (FSA) programs at USDA Service Centers or local FSA offices or online at www.fsa.usda.gov.