NEWS

Farm Service Agency

Public Affairs Staff

1400 Independence Ave SW

Stop 0506, Room 3624-South

Washington, D.C. 20250-0506

WASHINGTON, March 23, 2007 - USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Teresa Lasseter today extended the sign-up deadline for the 2007 Direct and Counter-cyclical Program (DCP) to Aug. 3, 2007.

Problems with the FSA's web-based computer system caused agency officials to extend the deadline in order to ensure adequate opportunity for all producers to participate in the sign-up. While the sign-up deadline is extended, the cut-off for participation remains Sept. 30, 2007. Those producers failing to sign up by Aug. 3, 2007, but before Sept. 30, will pay a late-file fee of $100.

Enrollment in DCP for the 2007 contract period began Oct. 1, 2006, and was scheduled to end on June 1, 2007. The extension applies only to the enrollment period, and does not extend the DCP contract period.

DCP provides payments to eligible producers on farms enrolled for the 2002 through 2007 crop years. There are two types of DCP payments - direct payments and counter-cyclical payments. Both are computed using the base acres and payment yields established for the farm. The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 authorizes DCP, which is administered by FSA.