A4O-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, January 8, 2000
Lancaster County Approved
For Grazing Loss Payments
LANCASTER (Lancaster Co.) Eligibility for benefits for an
Sign-up for the Livestock As- individual producer is based on
sistance Program (LAP) ends whether drought caused the pro-
January 21. ducer in Lancaster County to suf-
The Livestock Assistance Pro- fer a4O percent or greater loss of
gram provides direct payments to grazing for three consecutive
eligible livestock producers who mont h s during 1999.
suffered grazing losses because of Eligible livestock are beef and
drought during 1999. Nationwide, dairy cattle, buffalo or beefalo,
$2OO million is allocated to the sheep, goats, swine, and equine
program.
Farm Service Agency
Announces CRP Sign-Up
LANCASTER (Lancaster Co.) Interested producers and land
—Kathryn Heil, county executive owners should contact die Lancas
director, announced that a Con- ter County Farm Service Agency
servation Reserve Program (CRP) office, 1383 Arcadia Rd., Room 2,
general sign-up will be conducted Lancaster, PA 17601. Phone (717)
Jan. 18 - Feb. 11. 397-6235 for more information.
“This is another op
portunity for landown
ers to sign up for a
voluntary program to
get financial and techni
cal assistance for im
proving their land, wa
ter, and wildlife re
sources,” Heil said. “If
you haven’t tried to get
into the program, if
your CRP contract of
fers were not accepted
in the sign-up last year,
or if you have contracts
expiring next fall, this is
the time to make new
contract offers.”
The CRP is designed
to improve America’s
natural resource base.
Landowners enter into
contracts with the Com
modity Credit Corpora
tion (CCQ to enroll
credible and other en
vironmentally sensitive
land in contracts for 10
- IS years. In exchange,
they receive annual
rental payments and a
payment for up to SO
percent of the cost of
establishing approved
practices.
The CCC will contin
ue to evaluate and rank
all eligible CRP offers
using an Environmental
Benefits Index (EBI),
which is based on the
potential environmental
benefits from enrolling
the land in the CRP.
The EBI is composed of
six environmental fac
tors (wildlife habitat
cover benefits, water
quality benefits, on
fann benefits, of reduc
ed erosion, benefits en
during beyond the con
tract period, air quality
benefits, and conserva
tion priority areas) plus
a cost factor.
Maximum CRP pay
ments will be dr.tp.mnin
ed based on county
average dryland cash or
cash rent equivalent
rental rates adjusted for
site-specific, soil-based
productivity factors.
CRP payments can in
clude an additional
amount, not to exceed
$5 per acre per year, as
an incentive to perform
certain maintenance ob
ligations. Cost-share as
sistance will be provid
ed to establish approved
cover cm land enrolled
OPEN TUE-FRI. 9-6, SAT., NOV-MARCH OR BY APPT
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mailing address phone #s
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ELIZABETHTOWN:
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animals used commercially for
human food or kept for the pro
duction of food or fiber on the
owner’s farm. Livestock must be
owned for at least three months
before they become eligible for
LAP benefits.
Specifically, producers must
possess beneficial interest in eligi
ble livestock or have financial risk
in eligible livestock, report eligi
ble livestock and supporting graz
ing acreage and report the percent
of grazing loss. The development
of a conservation plan, if not al
ready done, must be completed
along with a certification of im
plementation.
Producers with qualifying gross
income in excess of $2.5 million
are not eligible.
LAP assistance is based upon
the value of feed calculated on a
com equivalency basis required
for eligible livestock during the
three-month period where a mini
mum 40 percent feed loss occur
red. A producer must have suffi
cient grazing available for eligible
livestock to be eligible for the
maximum payment; otherwise.
payment will be based on grazing
losses instead of needs.
Applications for benefits must
be filed with the Farm Service
Agency by Jan. 21. When you ap
ply, you will be required to pro-
vide the following information:
number, kind of livestock, and
weight range of livestock you
owned during 1999, and your
share in those livestock; acres, lo
cation, and type of grass or forage
on which you experienced a loss;
an estimated percent of loss in
grazing; and information about
significant changes in livestock
number including dates when
changes occurred. A producer can
receive LAP benefits and also re
ceive benefits under any other
program administered by USDA.
More information is available at
the Lancaster County FSA office
located at the Farm and Home
Center.
Penn State’s College Of Ag
(Continued from Pagf A 34)
collaboration with the Pennsylva
nia Department of Agriculture that
promotes ways to manage pests in
environmentally compatible
ways. “We purchased an old
Volkswagen beetle, repainted it as
a ladybug and are developing dis
plays to go with it,” said education
specialist Lyn Carling. “Our goal
is to educate people about ‘good’
versus ‘bad’ insects, the benefits
of using IPM if you have a pest
problem, and how to choose and
use pesticides correctly.”
Parents and prospective stu
dents can gain information about
educational programs, including
the interdepartmental program in
agroecosystems science and the
graduate degree in entomology.
Visitors also can ask questions
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515 North Reading Road, Rt. 272, Ephrata, PA 17522
717-733-4151 1-800-522-3714 (PA Only)
The Polaris RANGER general purpose off-road utility vehicle, is not intended and
may not be registered for on-road use.© 1998 Polaris Industries Inc.
Master
Gardeners
(ContiniMd from Pago A 39)
of training from extension agents,
faculty, and other Master Garden
ers in botany, entomology, plant
pathology, soils, plant propaga
tion, communication skills and
other topics. Master Gardeners
then are expected to volunteer SO
hours of their time in their first
year in the program. In each sub
sequent year, they must take eight
hours of training and volunteer a
minimum of 20 hours to remain in
the program.
Costs differ from county to
county, but every candidate must
pay $35 to cover the cost of the
program’s training manual and an
official Master Gardener name
tag.
about bug problems.
The Ag Advocates, a student
organization that explains agricul
ture to the public, will staff the
main recruitment area. They will
answer questions about under
graduate programs, as well as re
fer parents and prospective stu
dents to faculty at the various sub
ject exhibits.
Other highlights include an Ag
Progress Day video. “We’ll also
provide free publications at the
Penn State Cooperative Extension
exhibit area and help people order
for-salc publications,” said Mac-
Isaac.
The Farm Show opens to the
public on Jan. 8 and closes on Jan.
13. Hours are 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Saturday through Wednesday and
8 ajn. to 4 p.m. Thursday. Parking
is $5 and admission is free.
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