Favorable weather provided for timely planting of all types of crops in May.

Many producers are visiting the FSA office to report their planted acres, and it seems no one is complaining about the weather, which is rare. Several producers are reporting they are completely finished with their first cutting of hay. Although most was harvested as baleage or haylage, some dry hay also was harvested.

Now that the majority of crops have been planted, producers need to contact FSA to complete an acreage report for their farm. The deadline to report small grains is June 15; the deadline to report corn, soybeans, hay, vegetables, fruit and CREP land is July 15. Aerial photos can be requested via mail, completed at home and returned by mail or in person to the office.

Once again this year, planting dates are a required entry. It normally takes only around 20 minutes to complete an acreage report for a farm. Some producers feel more comfortable completing their report at the office while others prefer to do theirs at home.

Either way is acceptable. The important thing is to get it done. FSA program participants are required to report planted acres. Sometimes a future program depends upon previous years' reported crop acres. That is why it is always a good idea to file an acreage report. No one can predict what might be coming down the road in the way of farm programs. We have some producers who file an acreage report each year just so documentation is on file with the IRS.

Producers who are participating in current FSA programs are required to report all crop and land uses on cropland acres on their farm. Most participating producers have a system developed that permits timely, accurate reports in very few minutes.

For those producers that are unsure of the acres in each field, FSA measurement service is available. Acres can be measured on the farm using a mobile GPS unit or from the office using 2008 satellite digital imagery. Contact the office for farm-specific rates. If measurement service has been requested before the acreage reporting deadline, the measured acreage is considered timely filed even if the actual measurement occurs after the reporting deadline.

Ag humor

I ran into some difficulties while setting up my new computer, so I called the customer support phone number.

After I explained the problem, the support guy began rattling off computer jargon that confused me even more.

"Wait," I said. "Can you explain what I should do as if I were a small child?"

"OK," the computer support guy said. "Could you please put your mommy on the phone?"

Luke Fritz is executive director of the Butler County Farm Service Agency.