ST. PAUL – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is extending the deadline to file crop acreage reports for agricultural producers in Minnesota impacted by flooding and heavy moisture. The new July 22 deadline applies to reporting spring-seeded crops to USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) county offices and federal crop insurance agents.

“Agriculture operations throughout the state have been hit hard by heavy rains and flooding that have affected their operations,” said Joe Martin, FSA State Executive Director in Minnesota. “The deadline extension provides more flexibility for producers who experienced planting and field work delays.”

Filing a timely crop acreage report is important to maintaining eligibility for USDA conservation, disaster assistance, safety net, crop insurance and farm loan programs. A crop acreage report documents all crops and their intended uses and is an important part of record-keeping for your farm or ranch.

Producers filing reports with FSA county offices are encouraged to set up an appointment before visiting the office. Acreage reports from producers in Minnesota who set up appointments before the July 22 deadline are considered timely filed, even if the appointment occurs after the deadline.

The following exceptions apply to acreage reporting:

• If the crop has not been planted by the reporting date, the acreage must be reported no later than 15 calendar days after planting is completed.

• If a producer acquires additional acreage after the above acreage reporting date, the acreage must be reported no later than 30 calendars days after purchasing or acquiring the lease. Appropriate documentation must be provided to the county office.

“Even though the deadline has been extended, I encourage producers to contact their local FSA office today to schedule an appointment to report acreage,” Martin said.

Other USDA Efforts to Help Producers

USDA is taking additional steps to help producers across the country, including:

• Updating the haying and grazing date for producers who have planted cover crops on prevented plant acres;

• Offering special sign-ups through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program for assistance to plant cover crops; and

• Extending the deadline to report prevented plant acres in certain places.

More Information

To learn more, contact your FSA county office or visit fsa.usda.gov or farmers.gov/prevented-planting.