Not much help now says an FSA director

Missouri is just one of a number of states where farmers are dealing with increasing drought conditions.

The director of the Stoddard County Farm Service Agency office says there isn’t much help the FSA can offer producers whose crops, livestock and pastures are having a difficult time with the dryness and heat.

Morrison tells Brownfield the Supplemental Revenue Assistance Program, SURE, is NOT a sure thing. His office will start on 2011 SURE disaster claims this fall.

“We’re in 2012 and, really, there wasn’t a program in place due to the Farm Bill expiring last September that would cover 2012 at this point.”

And, Morrison says, there are restrictions on emergency haying and grazing on Conservation Reserve Program, CRP, lands…

“But we haven’t really gotten to the point when we can kick that in because we have to wait until mid-July when the primary nesting season is over with.”

With another consecutive year of weather extremes, Morrison says, farmers will need to stay in close contact with their FSA offices.