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Pondera County fourth in FSA farm payments |
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Wednesday, 07 March 2007 |
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Page 1 of 2 During their fiscal year 2006, running for Oct. 1, 2005 to Sept. 30, 2006, the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) made more than $318.6 million in program payments and loans to Montana farmers and ranchers.
Program payments to counties totaled $281,477, 793 which does not include farm loans.
Pondera County ranked fourth in program payments with farmers and ranchers receiving $12,672,805.
The top three counties were Choteau $22,676,636, Hill $20,535,576, Sheridan $13,609,628 and right behind us in fifth is Valley with $12,233,843.
Just as a sideline, Lincoln County received the smallest payment of $53.
The USDA’s single largest environmental improvements program as well as the most effective is the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP).
It is a voluntary program, which provides financial incentives to producers who convert highly erodible cropland to long-term vegetative cover.
The FSA made $112,473,713 in CRP payments in Montana in FY-2005-06.
For the Grassland Reserve Program (GRP), $41,327 was paid out. This is a voluntary conservation program that helps private landowners and operators restore or protect grassland.
Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) provides emergency funding for the rehabilitation of farmland damaged by natural disasters. It also includes funds for emergency water conservation measurers in periods of severe drought. Payments of $235,611 were made in the fiscal year.
Another voluntary program, Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) had payments of $757,307.
This program is administered by the FSA along with the NRCS and provides financial incentives to enhance wetlands in exchange for retiring marginal Ag-land.
Production and compliance programs saw producers receive $110,677,093.
DCP or Direct and Counter-cyclical Program payments amounted to $110,214,026.
Counter-cyclical payments are made when the effective price for eligible commodities is less than the target price.
The Hard White Wheat Incentives Program made $20 million available for incentive payments based on production and certified seed planting for 2003-05 crops.
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