The state Farm Service Agency is urging Iowa farmers to take care of changesfor the new farm program now before things get busy in the fields again.Steve Phillips, a program specialist with the state F-S-A office, says thefarm program lets farmers update their farm base and yield numbers and thosenumbers will be in effect for the next six years. The numbers are importantin calculating the federal payments farmers will receive. Phillips says thecounty F-S-A offices have sent out information to land owners, and one ofthe big decisions is to keep their corn bases or add beans. He says theremay be some trade off with an increase in the total base if beans are added,but the corn base pays a little more. He says there’s also a chance toupdate the yield numbers if the base is updated. Phillips says most peoplecan make the decisions pretty easily if they take a little time to study theinformation. He says all counties in Iowa are having informational meetings,and he says things will go faster if you study the information before cominginto your county F-S-A office. Some farmers have already completed the signup, while others haven’t even started. The signup period ends in June, buthe encourages land owners to get in and get it done as soon as they can sothey’re not in a rush at the last minute.
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