A final reminder is being provided to all producers that Aug. 14 will be the final day to report planted crops for 2009 and enroll into the 2009 Direct Payment program.

The final reporting deadline was recently extended to permit producers more time to compare ACRE vs. DCP enrollment scenarios.

When reporting crops, producers will need to identify the field on an aerial photograph and provide the crop type and planting date. It generally takes 10 to 15 minutes per farm to complete the acreage report. Aerial photographs can be sent out for completion at home if that is the preference.

Small grains such as wheat, oats and barley will be assessed a late fee since the June 15 deadline was not extended.

Small grain harvest

Although many producers have completed their small grain harvest, there are still a lot of acres that are unharvested.

Recent rainfall is becoming a concern for some producers because of the grain becoming lodged (laying flat) on the ground.

For the most part, barley is complete with the exception of spring barley, which is just getting mature. Also, for the most part, oats are not harvested yet since it became ripe only recently. Wheat is 80 percent harvested, and the unharvested acres are the most at risk. Wheat will begin to sprout with the weather patterns that we have been recently experiencing. Once the wheat starts to sprout, it will only be used for feed wheat, which means a significant reduction in price.

Spelt and rye are the other small grains grown locally, and to a much lesser extent, acreage wise. Rye is similar to the wheat harvest pace of 80 percent and spelt is 50 percent complete.

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