Farm program deadline pushed back

COLUMBUS — Farmers who won’t be able to sign up for the 2007 Direct and Countercyclical Program before June 1 are in luck. The deadline has been pushed back to Aug. 3.

John Stevenson, state executive director for the Farm Service Agency, announced that issues with the agency’s Web-based computer system caused the extension.

DCP is a program that provides payments to eligible producers on farms enrolled for 2002-2007 crop years, says the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Producers that opt for direct payments have the ability to get funding up front. But if a crop, such as corn or soybeans in Ohio, does better than expected, the producers might have to pay back the money allotted to them.

The countercyclical program allows farmers to opt out for funding until the next fiscal year, allowing them a safety net to fall back on if their crop doesn’t do well, said Farm Service Agency officials. If the crop does well, the USDA may cut off their funding.

Stevenson said the extension applies only to the enrollment time frame and does not extend the DCP contract period. A late-file fee of $100 will only be assessed for farms enrolled after Aug. 3 and before Sept. 30, he added.