Overview – Step 1

In August, FSA sent a letter to all landowners and producers of record.  This letter is FSA’s record for each of your FSA farms.  It provides the following information that you will need for the decision and the APAS decision tool:

• FSA farm number(s)

• Commodities with base acres on the FSA farm(s)

• The amount of base acres for each commodity on the FSA farm(s) as of 2014; in the decision for each FSA farm you can reallocate these base acres across program crops (more information for this decision can be found in step 3) 

• The program yield on record for each commodity on the FSA farm(s) as of 2014, listed in the letter as the “CC yield” (or counter-cyclical yield); in the decision for each FSA farm you can update the program or payment yields for each program crop individually (more information for this decision can be found in step 4)

• FSA’s record of the planting history for the FSA farm(s) for the 2008 through 2012 crop years; this information has been generated from the form (578) filed for the farm certifying what was planted, prevented from being planted, planted as double crop or planted as a subsequent crop.  The 2009 to 2012 crop years will be used to help determine the potential reallocation of base acres if you decide to reallocate.

In addition to this letter from FSA, it is recommended that you also have your crop insurance records for each farm on hand as you go through the APAS decision tool.  In particular, you will want your yield histories for the 2008 through 2012 crop years.

If you do not have crop insurance records, it is recommended that you have on hand other yield history information.  For the payment yield update, the current owner’s self-certification of the 2008 to 2012 yields (subject to spot check or verification) will be accepted.