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Have you made an appointment with FSA?

Only 20 percent of farms nationwide have enrolled in 2019 crop safety net programs at their local Farm Service Agency.

Michigan State University ag economist Jim Hilker says farmers are delaying selecting Ag Risk Coverage (ARC) or Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs.

“Right now if every farmer took an appointment, they would use up all the appointments in March.”  

NASS will be releasing county level production data on February 20^th which Hilker says some farmers are waiting to digest, but they can get most of the paperwork done before then.

“It would be very simple to go in and change your election, they really would like people to come in as soon as they can.”

He says there will most likely be payments to farmers if they had 100 percent prevent plant.

“On average for 100 prevented plant corn acres, we’re talking about $30 an acre or better and that’s real money.”

Hilker says unlike enrollment in 2014 Farm Bill programs, farmers are not coming out of a high price environment and program elections are likely to be different depending on individual crops.

Some county FSA offices have started directly calling farmers previously enrolled to make sure appointments are made.