Considering all the snow we received in February, it seems strange to think that spring is only around the corner.

At least on the calendar, March 21 is the official start to spring. Typical spring farming activities normally will not begin until April, but it is something to think about, since we just experienced a record February snowfall of around 35 inches.

For the most part, livestock and dairy producers were able to accomplish all of their routine chores, albeit with added difficulty due to cold weather and snowfall.

There were some producers who suffered from a collapsed greenhouse, barn or shed due to the heavy weight of the snow. Unofficial accounts estimate structure damage occurred on 25 farms, with no known livestock losses.

Producers who are fortunate enough to have a heated shop were able to perform equipment maintenance when not plowing snow or doing chores. For producers who were not performing equipment maintenance, the winter blast created the opportunity to establish cash flow and planting plans for the current year.

Oftentimes, "plans" are not prepared in advance and actions are done at the spur of the moment. Now would be a good time to do some book-keeping and that will eliminate a job in the spring when other jobs could be done.

Considering that expenditures for crop producers are far greater in the spring than throughout the rest of the year, planning ahead could pay off.

Items such as fuel, seed, fertilizer, pesticides, repair parts, etc. will be needed for spring planting.

Arranging for financing will be particularly difficult for some producers who lost equity on their balance sheets in 2009. This is just one more reason to plan ahead as it just might not be business as normal for some operations.

FSA offers commodity loans that are a popular source of capital for a short term. The current interest rate is 1C\, percent. Loans are normally disbursed within 3-days after the loan request. Grain that is stored on the farm is the collateral for these loans.

Contact the office at 724-482-4800, Ext. 2, for information.

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