2007 Direct, Counter-Cyclical Program under way

Sign-up for the 2007 Direct and Counter-Cyclical Program (DCP) began October 1, 2006. The program, which originally began in 2002, enters the final year of program activity, unless an extension of the program is approved by the Congress.

?The CCC-509, Direct and Counter-cyclical program contracts includes base acres, payment acres, payment yields, producer payment shares, advance direct and counter-cyclical payment selections and signatures of the producer and county office representative,? according to Dianne Sneed, Program technician with the Warren County Farm Service Center.

The CCC-509 must be submitted by June 1, 2007, to be considered timely filed.

?All owners and operators who will share in the DCP payments on the farm must sign the CCC-509,? said Sneed. Forms with signatures that are obtained after June 1, 2007, but before September 30, 2007, will be accepted, but the farm will be assessed a lat-file fee of $100.

?Almost every year, someone fails to come in by the June 1st date and has to pay the late fee to enroll. I would encourage producers and landowners not to wait, but begin completing their 2007 DCP applications as soon as possible,? said Sneed.

Farm owners should take into consideration any changes in farm operators, producers or growers before completing the contracts. Any changes made after program payments are advanced would require a refund of the proceeds before new owners, operators, or producers could receive the program payments.

Farm producers must apply for the DCP on an annual basis and can opt out of the program for any year if they so choose.

Producers must file the following to be eligible for DCP payments: annual DCP contract (CCC-509), a farm-operating plan (CCC-502) and related forms, an average adjusted gross income certification (CCC-526), and certification of compliance with highly erodible land and wetland conservation provisions (AD-1026).

Sneed says a certification of the acreage of all cropland on the farm (FSA-578) is also needed before final payments can be issued.

Farm owners and producers are encouraged to visit the Warren County FSA Service Center located at 811 Faulkner Springs Road during regular office hours to update their DCP contracts beginning October 1, 2006.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its program and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual?s income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA?s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of Discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.