Producers Told to Verify Acreage

July 25, 2002

Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman told commodity producers to verify and update records on planted and prevented planted acres filed with USDA's Farm Service Agency. This information, required by the farm law, must be correct in order to receive accurate direct and counter-cyclical payments in the near future.

Veneman said the farm law "gives farmers several options for establishing or updating bases. We are asking producers to review and update their information now so payments can be issued promptly this fall."

The 2002 farm law provides for direct and counter-cyclical payments to be made to eligible producers of covered commodity crops for the 2002 through 2007 crops. Covered commodities include wheat, corn, sorghum, barley, oats, upland cotton, rice, soybeans, sunflower seeds, canola, flaxseed, mustard, safflower, and rapeseed.

Letters from FSA are being mailed to producers across the country asking for their updates. The letter will include a "summary acreage history report" showing the acreage of covered commodities reported to FSA. Included will be planted acres and/or acres prevented from being planted for 1998 through 2001.

If the information is correct, producers do not need to take any action. If the information is wrong, producers will need to provide verifiable documentation of acreage and yields to their local FSA office by Aug. 31. Verifiable documentation may include seed receipts, production records and crop insurance records.

Information about 2002 farm law issues is available at http://www.usda.gov/farmbill.