 NEWS
Farm Service Agency
Public Affairs Staff
1400 Independence Ave SW
Stop 0506, Room 3624-South
Washington, D.C. 20250-0506
Release No. 1405.03
Stevin Westcott (202) 720-4178
stevin_westcott@wdc.usda.gov
USDA ANNOUNCES BASE AND YIELD DESIGNATION PERIOD FOR PEANUT
PRODUCERS
WASHINGTON, Jan. 3, 2003 - As part of USDA's ongoing
implementation of the 2002 Farm Bill, USDA today announced
that peanut producers can designate their base acreage and
yield information to a farm or farms between Jan. 6, 2003,
and March 31, 2003.
"The new farm bill contained a historic overhaul of
the peanut program," said Administrator James R. Little,
USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA). "This is the only
opportunity peanut producers have to designate their peanut
bases and yields. It is vitally important that producers
visit their USDA Service Centers and complete this important
task."
The total peanut acreage and yields designated to a
farm will be used for the purpose of issuing 2003 through
2007 direct and, if applicable, counter-cyclical payments.
FSA has begun notifying peanut producers of these important
dates by means of a "Designation of Average Acreage and
Yield Notification Letter."
The 2002 Farm Bill significantly changed the peanut
program by replacing the quota system that was established
in the 1930s with direct and counter-cyclical payments for
eligible peanut producers.
The Direct and Counter-cyclical Program provides
payments to producers on farms having bases for peanuts and
other commodities for 2002 through 2007 crop years. Direct
payments are issued regardless of market prices.
Counter-cyclical payments, however, are made only when a
commodity's effective price is below its target price.
For more information on this or other USDA programs,
contact your local USDA Service Center or FSA county office.
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Note: Farm Service Agency (FSA) news releases and media
advisories are available at http://www.fsa.usda.gov.
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