Direct & counter-cyclical payment program deadline June 1

Producers have until June 1, 2005, to sign up for the 2005-crop Direct and Counter-cyclical Payment program (DCP). ”I encourage producers to visit any USDA Farm Service Agency office or to use our efficient online DCP service to meet the June 1 application deadline,” said USDA Secretary Mike Johanns. “USDA has issued nearly $19 billion in DCP payments to producers since the program began in October 2002.”
USDA will accept late-filed DCP applications through September 30, 2005, if accompanied by a $100 late fee. No applications will be taken for 2005 DCP payments after September 30. Signups for the 2005 program began on October 1, 2004. The 2002 Farm Bill requires that producers sign annual contracts through 2007 to participate in DCP. Producers may opt out of participating in the program in any year if they choose.
Producers may sign up online at http://www.fsa.usda.gov/egov/edcp_default.htm.

To access the service, producers must have an active USDA eAuthentication Level 2 account, which requires filling out an online registration form at http://www.eauth.egov.usda.gov,

followed by a visit to the local FSA office for identity verification. In addition to the electronic DCP service, USDA is expanding producers’ options for completing their 2005 DCP contracts at an FSA office. Producers now have the option to visit any local FSA office, in addition to their administratively-assigned center as required in previous years.