Kansas producers must file accurate and timely crop acreage reports for all crops and land uses, including prevented planting and failed acreage, by July 15 to prevent the potential loss of FSA program benefits. Due to the extremely wet weather conditions this spring and summer, planting and harvesting were delayed which has created a disproportionate number of producers trying to complete acreage reports now at county offices across the state.

By State Executive Director authority, all Kansas producers are afforded the use of an appointment register for one additional week, through July 22. However, producers MUST request to be placed on the appointment register by close of business, Monday, July 15. Producers will contact their county offices to make this request. Any requests made after July 15 will result in a late-filed report, acceptable only with payment of the late-filed fee. Submission of a late-filed request does not guarantee approval of the acreage report. 

The following exceptions apply to the above acreage reporting dates:

• If the crop has not been planted by the above acreage reporting date, then the crop acreage must be reported no later than 15 calendar days after planting is completed.
• If a producer acquires additional crop acreage after the above acreage reporting date, then the crop acreage must be reported no later than 30 calendars days after purchase or acquiring the lease. Appropriate documentation of how and when the crop acreage was acquired must be provided to the county office.

Prevented Planting Acreage Reporting Clarification

Producers interested in receiving acreage credit must report crop acreage they intended to plant, but due to natural disaster, were prevented from planting. Prevented planting acreage must be reported on form CCC-576, Notice of Loss, within 15 calendar days after the final planting date as established by FSA, or within 20 calendars after the Risk Management Agency (RMA) final planting date for insured crops. This policy was revised for 2019 in FSA Notice CP-751. Producers may also timely report prevented from planting crop acreage to FSA (insured or not insured, but not NAP acreage) by telephone.  Producers must provide a location of where the disaster event occurred, including the farm, tract, and field number and prevented planting acreage.  Producers must still sign and return the form CCC-576 to the office by the final crop acreage reporting date of July 15 and may do that by mail or in person at the local county FSA office.

Producers of hand-harvested crops must notify FSA of damage or loss through the administrative County Office within 72 hours of the date of damage or loss first becomes apparent. This notification can be provided by filing a CCC-576, email, fax or phone. Producers who notify the County Office by any method other than by filing the CCC-576 are still required to file a CCC-576, Notice of Loss, within the required 15 calendar days.  For losses on crops covered by the Non-Insured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP), producers must file a Notice of Loss within 15 days of the occurrence of the disaster or when losses become apparent.

If a producer is or was unable to report prevented planting acreage to FSA within either the 15 or 20 calendar day late-reporting period, as applicable, a late-filed report may be submitted on form CCC-576, Notice of Loss.  Late-filed reports will only be accepted with payment of the late-filed fee to cover FSA verification of the eligible disaster condition that prevented the crop from being planted.  Submission of a late filed request does not guarantee approval.

For comprehensive information about all USDA assistance available for crops prevented or delayed planting, see https://www.farmers.gov/manage/prevented-planting.