60 Counties Eligible (Continued from Pago A 1) Stabilization and Conservation Service (ASCS) offices applied for emergency assistance, and which were forwarded to the federal gov ernment for consideration, the 60 counties were approved because of shared borders. In order to receive aid, the crops must first be estimated by ASCS personnel, and the crop plan must be on file at that office. Those 41 counties which received disaster designation base don in-county conditions included Adams, Armstrong, Bedford, Blair, Bradford, Butler, Cambria, Centre, Clarion, Clearfield, Clin ton, Columbia, Crawford, Cum berland, Dauphin, Fayette, Forest, Franklin, Fulton, Greene, Hun tingdon, Juniata, Lancaster, Leba non, Lycoming, McKean, Mifflin, Montour, Perry, Potter, Schuylkill, Snyder, Somerset, Sullivan, Sus quehanna, Tioga, Union, Venan go, Washington, Wyoming and York counties. The 19 continguous counties also will receive eligibility. They are Allegheny, Beaver, Berks, Cameron, Carbon, Chester, Elk, Erie, Indiana, Jefferson, Lacka wanna, Lehigh, Luzerne, Mercer, Northumberland, Warren, Wayne, and Westmoreland counties. According to a news release from Donald Unangst, head of the state office of USDA’s ASCS, “This action follows detailed analysis by USDA staffs at the county level which led to the recommendation by the federal agricultural state emergency board for disaster status for the affected counties.” According to the analysis by USDA, the hardest hit crops are Turnkey Systems & Everything You Need To Succeed! 2000 Head Swine Finishing Unit * Stainless Steel Feeders, Gang Slats & Proctor Hydraulic Crates * aerotech* Engineered Ventilation Systems With Certified System Design * (GSj) Galvanized Feed Bins, Flex-Flow Augers And Automatic Sow Feeding Swine Operations Offer An Opportunity For Full Or Part-Time Income And Solid Return On Investment. Contracts And Financing Available. CALL FOR DETAILS! # QUALITY INSTALLATION com, hay and pasture, soybeans, vegetables and nursery crops. According to Unangst, the esti mated losses exceed $493 million and are expected to increase as crops mature and the damage can be measured. Farmers in the 60 counties who can show 30 percent of more loss on at least one crop will have eight months to apply for 4.5 percent interest loans through the Farmers Home Administration. However, in addition to normal eligibility requirements, including crop insurance for production or physi cal loss. . Farmers in those counties are also eligible for technical assis tance by the Soil Conservation Service (SCS) in revising conser vation plans, getting advice on increasing water conservation, developing seeding practices for drought tolerant species, develop ing alternative or supplemental water sources, and in prevent the loss of land due to erosion caused by a drought-induced lack of adequate crop cover. The desingation also allows far mers to withdraw from 1991 Acreage Reduction Program for the crop which was prevented from being planted or which failed. In addition; • Haying and grazing on set aside land has been authorized in 49 counties. Contact the local ASCS office for more information. • Emergency livestock feed programs are being activated. Counties have until Oct. 31 to file for a program to assist livestock producers in making cash assis tance available for feed purchases, or to provide for low cost purch ases of Commodity Credit Corpo- TRI-COUNTY S WM Ph: 717 - 274 - 3488 % CONFINEMENT SYSTEMS INC. 608 E. Evergreen Rd., Lebanon, PA 17042 ration (CCC) owned stocks of feed. There were 35 counties approved last week. • Federal crop insurance people began preparing claims on many of the 7,139 farms with active poli cies in the state. However, accord ing to Unangst, farmers, program participants or not, should visit local USDA offices to determine what options they have and to get advice on the disposal of failed crops, late crop options, etc. • All other federal and non federal agriculture services are gearing, or are geared up to tackle the drought problem and to pro vide informational assistance. As of yet, no direct cash assis tance program has been estab lished. However, federal politi cians have said they are working to introduce legislation which would do so in light of the number of out standing drought loans made in 1988. In Lancaster County, Ray Bru baker, county executive ASCS director, and chair of the USDA county emergency board said in a statement, ‘The action (by the fed eral government) represents recog nition that the severe weather con ditions had a serious affect on Pen nsylvania’s agriculture despite recent rains.” Brubaker said the worst damage was done early in the growing sea son in Lancaster and that he expects improvements in haying and on grazing land. From the federal level, on Tues day. Secretary Madigan announced his intention to allow haying and grazing on Conserva tion Reserve Program acreage in those 60 counties because of the drought “We would prefer not to hay or graze CRP lands,” Madigan said. INE UNITS FEATURE: “We are responding to isolated situations with a cautious, prudent program that sustains the environ mental protections that are the heart of the CRP.” Before haying and grazing can be allowed, however, there are requirements which must be met. Requirements which are more restrictive than in past drought years in which haying and grazing on CRP was permitted. According to Madigan, qualify ing fanners in counties where rain fall and forage are at least 40 per cent below normal are eligible to apply for haying and grazing on CRP on the condition that • All determinations are made on a county-by-county basis. All applications are to be reviewed in Washington for accuracy. • There will be a SO percent offset in CRP payments for the current contract year. • Individual producers must show a 40 percent loss in forage production. • Hay harvested may not be sold, but must be used on to main tain the producers own livestock. Leasing of grazing privileges will not be permitted. • Hay harvest and livestock PMMB Visits Farms VERNON ACHENBACH JR. Lancaster Fanning Staff HARRISBURG (Dauphin Co.) Prior to its August 15 informal drought hearing, two members of the Pennsylvania Milk Marketing Board made a meander ing, cross-state trip to assess the effect of the drought for themselves. 300 Sow Feeder Pig Unit Lancaster Farming, Saturday, August 31, 1991-A23 information will have to be sub mitted to the county ASCS office. • At least 23 percent of the field must be left undisturbed for wild life cover. And if the ground is to be hayed, at least 25 percent of the total acres in contiguous fields must be left undisturbed. • Any permanent destruction of CRP cover must be re-established at owner expense. Also vegetative cover specifications will not be waived to the drought. • No haying or grazing will be allowed on cover planted after Dec. 1, 1989. Covers planted between July 13,1989 and Dec. 1, 1989 must be inspected and approved by an SCS official before any grazing is allowed. • Only one cutting of hay will be allowed, and no haying after Sept 15. • Hayed acres must have at least 3 inches of stubble remaining. • Each county grazing period and the stocking rate is to be deter mined by the ASC county commit tee. There will be no grazing after Oct. 1. • No assistance will be provided for livestock facilities, such as fences or watering equipment on CRP land. Donald Lanius, chairman of the board, and Leon Wilkinson, a member, offered a report on their findings to the board for its infor mation, prior to the hearing. The hearing is still on-going, in that the PMMB is still accepting written testimony. The report the two men submit- Hours: Mon.-Fri. 7:00 to 4:30; Sat. 8:00 to 12:00 (Turn to Page A 34)
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