USDA Reminds Nebraska Producers to File Crop Acreage Reports

Lincoln, Nebraska, June 18, 2024 – Agricultural producers in Nebraska should make an appointment with their local Farm Service Agency (FSA) office as soon as possible to complete crop acreage reports before the applicable deadline after planting is complete. The acreage reporting date for spring planted crops, perennial forage such as pastures and Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres is July 15, 2024.

“Many USDA programs require producers to file an accurate crop acreage report by the applicable deadline in order to receive program benefits,” said Tim Divis, Acting FSA State Executive Director in Nebraska. “We’ve had the benefit of spring moisture in various locations across the state, but it slowed planting and therefore has delayed the acreage reporting process at some county FSA offices. Once planting is complete, please call your local FSA office as soon as possible to complete the acreage reporting process.”

An acreage report documents a crop grown on a farm or ranch and its intended uses. Filing an accurate and timely acreage report for all crops and land uses, including failed acreage and prevented planted acreage, can prevent the loss of benefits, Divis said.

“We are asking producers to pay close attention to communications from their county FSA office as it may have processes in place to facilitate the completion of acreage reports, including specific timelines to return maps,” Divis said.

Producers also should report crop acreage they intended to plant, but due to natural disaster, were unable to plant. Prevented planting acreage must be reported on form CCC-576, Notice of Loss, no later than 15 calendar days after the final planting date as established by FSA and USDA’s Risk Management Agency.

Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) policy holders should note that the acreage reporting date for NAP-covered crops is the earlier of the date listed above or 15 calendar days before grazing or harvesting of the crop begins.

FSA offers continuous certification for perennial forage. This means after perennial forage is reported once and the producer elects continuous certification, the certification remains in effect until a change is made. Check with FSA at the local USDA Service Center for more information on continuous certification.

Farmers.gov Portal

Producers can access their FSA farm records, maps, and common land units through the farmers.gov customer portal. The portal allows producers to export field boundaries as shapefiles and import and view other shapefiles, such as precision agriculture boundaries within farm records mapping. Producers can view, print and label their maps for acreage reporting purposes. Level 2 eAuthentication or login.gov access that is linked to a USDA Business Partner customer record is required to use the portal.

Producers can visit farmers.gov/account to learn more about creating an account. Producers who have authority to act on behalf of another customer as a grantee via an FSA-211 Power of Attorney form, Business Partner Signature Authority or as a member of a business can now access information for the business in the farmers.gov portal.  

For questions, producers should call their FSA county office. To find their FSA county office, visit farmers.gov/service-center-locator.