County Committee Nomination Period Underway The nomination period for local Farm Service Agency (FSA) county committees began Sunday, June 15, 2014. In Somerset County, this year's LAA (local administrative area) up for election is LAA #2. It is currently held by Jamie Nelson. Jamie is currently serving in his last eligible year (3rd year of his 3rd term). To be eligible to serve on an FSA county committee, a person must participate or cooperate in a program administered by FSA, be eligible to vote in a county committee election and reside in the local administrative area where the person is nominated. Somerset County LAA #2 is located in the southern portion of the county, bordered on the north by Kings Creek and U.S. Route 13, on the south by the Pocomoke River, on the east by U.S. Route 13 and the Pocomoke River, and on the west by the Tangier Sound. Farmers may nominate themselves or others. Organizations representing minorities and women also may nominate candidates. To become a candidate, an eligible individual must sign the nomination form, FSA-669A. The form and other information about FSA county committee elections are available at www.fsa.usda.gov/elections. Nomination forms for the 2014 election must be postmarked or received in the local USDA Service Center by close of business on Aug. 1, 2014. Elections will take place this fall. While FSA county committees do not approve or deny farm ownership or operating loans, they make decisions on disaster and conservation programs, emergency programs, commodity price support loan programs and other agricultural issues. Members serve three-year terms. Nationwide, there are about 7,800 farmers and ranchers serving on FSA county committees. Committees consist of three to 11 members that are elected by eligible producers. FSA will mail ballots to eligible voters beginning Nov. 3, 2014. Ballots are due back to the local county office either via mail or in person by Dec. 1, 2014. Newly elected committee members and alternates take office on Jan. 1, 2015. USDA Announces Changes to Fruit, Vegetable and Wild Rice Planting Rules Farm Service Agency (FSA) has announced fruit, vegetable and wild rice provisions that affect producers who intend to participate in certain programs authorized by the Agricultural Act of 2014. Producers who intend to participate in the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) or Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs are subject to an acre-for-acre payment reduction when fruits and nuts, vegetables or wild rice are planted on the payment acres of a farm. Payment reductions do not apply to mung beans, dry peas, lentils or chickpeas. Planting fruits, vegetables or wild rice on acres that are not considered payment acres will not result in a payment reduction. Farms that are eligible to participate in ARC/PLC but are not enrolled for a particular year may plant unlimited fruits, vegetables and wild rice for that year but will not receive ARC/PLC payments for that year. Eligibility for succeeding years is not affected. Planting and harvesting fruits, vegetables and wild rice on ARC/PLC acreage is subject to the acre-for-acre payment reduction when those crops are planted on either more than 15 percent of the base acres of a farm enrolled in ARC using the county coverage or PLC, or more than 35 percent of the base acres of a farm enrolled in ARC using the individual coverage. Fruits, vegetables and wild rice that are planted in a double-cropping practice will not cause a payment reduction if the farm is in a double-cropping region as designated by the USDA's Commodity Credit Corporation. June 2014 Interest Rates Farm Operating Loans - Direct: 2.25%
Farm Ownership Loans - Direct: 4.00%
Farm Ownership Loans - Direct Down Payment, Beginning Farmer or Rancher: 1.50%
Emergency Loans: 3.25%
Farm Storage Facility Loans, 7 year term: 2.250%
Farm Storage Facility Loans, 10 year term: 2.625%
Farm Storage Facility Loans, 12 year term: 2.750%
Marketing Assistance Loans (Commodity Loans): 1.125% Dates to Remember July 4, 2014: Independence Day, Office Closed July 15, 2014: Crop Reporting deadline (for most spring seeded crops) USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (866) 632-9992 (Toll-free Customer Service), (800) 877-8339 (Local or Federal relay),
(866) 377-8642 (Relay voice users). | 
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