Online farm program calculation tools ready

The Farm Service Agency in Pottawatomie County recently announced that new online research and planning tools are now available for farmers and ranchers to assist them in examining how the new 2008 Farm Bill programs apply to their crops and operations.
Average Crop Revenue Election Program is a new revenue-based guarantee program administered by FSA that assists farmers and ranchers in managing the risks inherent in agricultural operations. ACRE is an alternative to the traditional price-stabilizing Direct and Counter-cyclical Program.
By visiting the FSA Web site at www.fsa.usda.gov, growers can enter their crops, acreages and price/yield projections into an “ACRE Calculator” to evaluate potential results. The calculator tool and other information including eligibility resources can be found by navigating to the Direct and Counter-cyclical Program and ACRE pages shown in the menu bar on the left side of the FSA homepage.
The ACRE alternative provides eligible producers a state-level revenue guarantee, based on the five-year state Olympic average yield and the two-year national average price.
The deadline to elect and enroll in ACRE for the 2009 crop year is Aug. 14. Also, once a producer elects to participate in ACRE, the farm is no longer eligible for the regular Direct and Counter-cyclical Program through the 2012 crop year, the last year covered by the 2008 Farm Bill.        
For more information about your options under ACRE and other new Farm Bill programs, contact your nearest Farm Service Agency office to schedule an appointment. You can also visit the FSA Web site at www.fsa.usda.gov to obtain the location of your nearest office.