Attention Mercer County Producers:

Filing an accurate acreage report for all crops and land uses, including failed acreage and prevented planting acreage, can prevent the loss of benefits for a variety of programs.

The Acreage Reporting deadline for the following 2013 (crop year) crops is DECEMBER 15, 2012.

Fall Barley, Perennial Forage, Fall Wheat and all other Fall-Seeded Small Grains.

This deadline is a change from last years reporting deadline in Illinois.

A form FSA-578, Report of Acreage, must account for all cropland on a farm, whether idle or planted. Prevented planting should be reported no later than 15 calendar days after the final planting date for that crop.  Reports of failed acreaged must be filed before disposition of the crop, and producers must be able to establish to the satisfaction of the county committee that the crop failed and was prevented from being replanted through the normal planting period because of natural disaster conditions.

July 15, 2013 will be deadline to report the following crops:  Cabbage (planted 3/15-5/31), Corn, Grain Sorghum, Green Peas, Hybrid Corn Seed, Spring Oats,Popcorn, Processing Beans, Pumpkins, Soybeans, Sweet Corn, and all other crops.

Mercer County Fall Wheat and Perennial Forage producers, remember DECEMBER 15, 2012 is the crop acreage reporting deadline for these crops.  Contact the Mercer County FSA at 308 SE 8th Ave, ALedo, IL 61231.  Telephone (309) 582-5152, ext 2 or email vickie.schwass@il.usda.gov