A26-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, January 8, 2000 Drought Relief Programs Are Finally Here Due to the seventy of the drought this summer, the Pennsylvania Legislature acted to provide the nation's largest state aid for drought-stricken farmers by approving Act 57. Governor Ridge signed the legislation on December 13, 1999. Act 57 will provide $6O million for ciop loss assistance grants to help offset the financial losses farmers experienced in Pennsylvania. This is in addition to the expected $75 million in federal funds available for the state's crop disaster relief. There is a separate $5.6 million available in state funds to help reduce the cost of crop insurance that the federal government is requiring as a condition of receiving federal crop loss assistance. Federal funds will also be used to subsidize insurance premiums. The first step in receiving drought relief is to apply for the federal Crop Disaster Program (CDP) at your county USDA-FSA office. In order to qualify you must have incurred losses greater than 35% of historic yields. The following payment formulas provide greater benefits to farmers who bought insurance on their eligible crops; 1.) Insured Crops - crops insured by either catastrophic (CAT) or buy-up (coverage of 50/100 or greater) crop insurance; will be compensated at 65% of the crop insurance market price elections. 2.) Uninsured Crops - crops for which crop insurance was available, but not taken; will be Winning Numbers from NC+ NC+ 3448 -107 days NC+ 4646 -111 days * Also available in Clearfield, Roundup Ready and Yield Gard Bt versions NC+ 5778-115 days NC+ 58788-114 days NC+ 7237- 119 days 5% Cash Discount Through March 4, 2000 Call District Sales Manager Harvey Doyle at 724-459-8580 or see one of these NC+ Dealers. ALEXANDRIA J CLETUS RHODES • 814-669-4705 CANTON ED PEPPER *717-364-5242 EAST EARL IVAN ZIMMERMAN • 717-354-5826 ELLIOTSBURG WAYNE FREEMAN • 717-582-2397 HALIFAX BECHTEL FARMS, KENNETH BECHTEL •717-896-8314 KINTNERSVILLE WAYNE LiTZENBERGER • 610-847-5563 compensated at 60% of the crop insurance market price elections. 3.) Non-insurable Crops - crops for which crop insurance was not available; will be compensated at 65% of the 5-year average National Agricultural Statistics Service price. The payments to farmers will be prorated after all the applications are reviewed, in order to stay witnm the program's requirements and budget. There will be no payments greater than $BO,OOO per farmer and not more than $BO,OOO in crop insurance incentives per farmer. A condition of receiving benefits under this program is farmers who did not insure their 1999 crops are required to purchase crop insurance in 2000 and 2001 for all insurable crops that provides significant income. Upon approval of federal relief, producers that experienced crop losses may apply for state assistance. Farmers must sign a PA Department of Agriculture Drought Relief Program Application and Waiver of Confidentiality form. This allows your county FSA office to share your crop loss information with PDA and calculate your state drought assistance payment. The amount of your state grant, if any, will not exceed 75% of the amount you receive under the federal program. The crop insurance assistance is currently being developed by the PDA, which will govern the program. The assistance will not exceed 10% of the gross premium. Sign-ups have already began KUNKLETOWN JEFFREY BORGER • 610-381-3785 LEBANON CLARENCE MULL • 717-865-2037 LEWISBURG AARON MARTIN • 717-524-2952 LEWISBURG URIE YODER* 717-524-7739 LITITZ ELVINHURSH* 717-733-3538 MANCHESTER ANIMAL MEDIC *717-266-5611 MANHEIM ARTHUR AUKER • 717-665-6627 and will continue until February 25, 2000. For more information or to apply for a drought relief program, contact your local FSA office and USDA Service Center. Additional information is available from FSA's homepage at www.fsa.usda.gov or at PDA's homepage at www.pda.state.pa.us. Reminder: The Lancaster Chamber's Agriculture Committee is hosting the seventh annual Farm Business Foot Clinic Slated For February 4 BARABOO, Wise. Pennsylvania hoof trimmer and member of the Hoof Trimmers Association, Inc., Paul Neer from Belleville, is hosting a Foot Clinic Feb. 4, 2000, in State College, Pa., at the Penn State Ag. Arena Building, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will be coffee and donuts at 9:30 a.m. Dairy pro ducers, hoof trimmers, veteri narians, nutritionists and any one interested in hoof care is invited to attend. The clinic will include numerous guest speak ers, live hoof trimming demon strations and a complimentary chicken and ribs lunch at 12 p.m. Extension veterinarian and hoof care specialist Dr. Jan Shearer of the University of Florida is the keynote speaker. Other guest speakers include; nutritionist Dr. Chris Canale of Agway Inc., Dan McFarlan from Penn State, Dr. William NC+ 3A66RR NC+ 4AI6RR NC+ 3A87 JADE II Roughrider SIERRA MOUNT JOY VINCENT MUMMAU • 717-653-5991 RICHFIELD SAMUEL KNOUSE • 717-463-2885 SALEM DONALD EMEL • 609-769-1577 THOMPSONTOWN ROGER SANER • 717-535-5307 WOODBURY GREGG CARBAUGH • 814-766-3696 WYALUSING ANDY CAMPBELL • 717-363-2133 Brent Landis Agriculture Services Coordinator Vy£d\The fEYk Lancaster hh Chamber 3 C (ffiimi ki 6 Phone: (717) 397-3531 ext. 62 E-mail:blandis@lcci.com Management School on January dynamic seminar, please call 19, 2000 at Wizard Catering in Brent Landis at (717) 397-3531, Mt. Joy from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. To ext. 62 or e-mail him at register for this rewarding and blandis@lcci.com. Seymour of Roche Vitamins Inc. and John Burket from Burket Falls Holsteins. Topics will include bam design, B vitamin, biotin, and genetics. Paul Neer will briefly discuss hoofing trim ming, and Hoof Trimmers Association, Inc. Executive Director Nichelle Martin will introduce the Association. After the clinic, there will be a meeting for veterinarians and hoof trimmers to discuss issues of mutual interest. Drs. Shearer and Canale, along with Dr. Jeff Brose from Monsanto and sever al local veterinarians will partic ipate; Paul Neer first hosted this event two years ago as an appre ciation day for his hoof trimming customers and others in the area interested in hoof care. Over 250 people attended. The following businesses are helping Neer host the 2000 Foot Clinic, which does not have a registra- Attention Organic Farmers: NC+ Organics offers certified Organic seed and conventional, non-GMO, untreated seed - corn, soybeans and alfalfa. See your NC+ dealer or call 1 -800-279-7999. Visit our website at www.ncorganics.com. 1 —~ j tion fee: Ag. Choice Farm Credit, Agri Basics, Agway Inc., Ann Lick Farm Supply, Big Valley Repair Service, Cargill Animal Nutrition Division, Center Hall Farm Store, Dairy Farmers of America donating milk for a morning break and lunch, East Gate Feed and Grain, Finger Lakes Specialized Equipment and Econo*Chute, Fisher and Thompson, Kauffman Farm Supply, Lancaster Dairy Farm Automation, Lira Gold Direct Fed Microbials, Mifflinburg Farmers Exchange, Monsanto Dairy Business, Nuteam Inc., Peachey Harness Shop, Roche Vitamins Inc., R-PDQ™ Cow Shoe Company, Tidenberg's Welding and Repair Inc., and Zinpro Corporation. Anyone interested is welcome to attend. For iflore information contact Paul Neer at 717-935- 5608 or Nichelle Martin at 608- 355-7671 or e-mail at nichelle® midplains.net. <s> America's down to earth seed company '* *
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