Since we are now well into the new year, there are a few yearly announcements that need to be given.

A husband and wife can sign documents on behalf of each other for FSA and CCC programs in which either has an interest, unless written notification denying a spouse this authority has been provided to the county office.The final day to request farm reconstitutions for the 2004 crop year is Aug. 1. Farm reconstitutions may involve additional or decreased cropland or new farm owners.The following programs are subject to payment limitation provisions: Direct and Counter Cyclical Program, Loan Deficiency Payments and Marketing Loan Gains, EQIP, CRP and NAP.No program benefits subject to the limitation may be provided until all required forms are provided and the necessary payment limitation and eligibility determinations are made. These may be initiated by the county committee or requested by the producer.A farm operating plan is not required to be filed annually, however producers are required to notify our office of any changes in the farming operation.There are statutory provisions that require entities earning program benefits, that are subject to limitation, to provide the names, addresses, and ID numbers of the entities' members to the county committee, and inform the entities' members of the requirements for designating "permitted entities'.In addition, all forms submitted by the producers are subject to spot check through the end-of-year review process. Spouses may be considered separate for payment limitation purposes if this determination is requested and the applicable requirements are met.A determination of the landowner not being "actively engaged in farming" results in the producer being ineligible for any payment or benefit that requires approval.

The Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act requires all foreign persons or organizations to report the purchase of, or interest in, agricultural land in the United States. Foreign persons must report purchase or sale of land to the county FSA office in which the land is physically located within 90 days of the transaction.Foreign persons shall submit Form FSA-153 for ownership purchases, leases of 10 acres or more, and sales of agricultural land. Under the individual and aggregate rule, a foreign person who meets any of the following criteria shall report:A foreign person who holds 10 percent or greater interest in the entity owning a tract of agricultural land.A group of foreign persons, acting in concert, that holds a collective interest of 10 percent or greater in the entity owning a tract of agricultural land.A group of foreign persons, not acting in concert, that holds a collective interest of 50 percent or greater in the entity owning a tract of land.A foreign individual, group of foreign persons, or foreign organization that holds a leased tract of agricultural land larger than 10 acres, and the lease is for 10 or more years, regardless of when the lease expires.The holding is 10 acres or less, but the sale of products from the tract of agricultural land is more than $1,000 in a calendar year.Any foreign person who fails to report the purchase or ownership of agricultural land or who knowingly submitted a report that was incomplete, misleading, or false, is subject to civil penalty. The penalty would not be more than 25 percent of the fair market value of the land on the date the penalty is assessed.

Special accommodations will be made upon request for individuals with disabilities, vision impairment, or hearing impairment. If accommodations are required please call the office at 724-482-4800 Ext. 2 or write to the Farm Service Agency at 625 Evans City Rd #103, Butler, PA 16001-8704.Luke Fritz is executive director of the Butler County Farm Service Agency.