The first of three educational meetings being conducted in Butler County to explain details of the new Farm Bill programs will be held Dec. 22.

Penn State Extension educator John Berry will provide training on two new Farm Bill programs — Agricultural Revenue Coverage and Price Loss Coverage.

The meeting will be held at the USDA Service Center on Route 68 at the Butler Farm Show grounds. The meeting will begin at 1 p.m. and conclude at 3 p.m.

There is no charge to attend and reservations are not required. If this date and time is not suitable, two meetings will be held on Feb. 3; one from 9 to 11 a.m. and one from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Both will be held at the USDA Service Center.

Hopefully by attending these meetings, interested producers can make an informed decision regarding enrollment options for ARC/PLC.

If the Butler meetings are not conducive to a producer’s schedule, then contact the office soon to find out when and where more Farm Bill educational meetings are being planned. Most neighboring counties have scheduled meetings.

Essentially producers with base acres on their farm may want to attend. ARC/PLC programs deal directly with acreage bases on eligible farms. Producers will be informed of available options.

Once a decision is made enrollment options remain the same through 2018. Producers also will learn how acreage bases can be reallocated.

Countercyclical yields also can be updated to reflect higher yields from 2008-13. Interested producers should plan on attending to gain a better understanding of the options available for ARC/PLC.

Market Assistance Loans

Time is running out, with Dec. 19 being the last day to request a loan be disbursed in the 2014 calendar year.

Producers may want to take advantage of the Marketing Assistance Loan Program for year-end purchases.

These are 9-month loans that provide capital to an operation at a very low interest rate currently at 1.125 percent.

Corn and soybeans stored on the farm is the collateral. Grain under loan can be fed or sold. High moisture corn is eligible; however, corn silage is not.

Contact the office for more information.

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