(KLZA) USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Juan M. Garcia announced an extension of the FSA acreage reporting deadline. Farmers and landowners have an additional 2 weeks to submit their acreage report to their local FSA county office. The deadline is extended from Monday, July 15, 2013, to Friday, Aug. 2, 2013. Only the FSA reporting deadline has been extended. The acreage reporting requirement for crop insurance has not changed and remains July 15.

"We want to ensure our producers maintain their program benefits by filing their reports accurately and in a timely manner for all crops and land uses, including prevented and failed acreage,” said Administrator Garcia.

Accurate acreage reports are necessary to determine and maintain eligibility for various programs, such as the Direct and Counter-cyclical Program (DCP); the Average Crop Revenue Election Program (ACRE); the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP); and the Non-insured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP).

The extension to Aug. 2 for acreage reporting aligns with the 2013 final enrollment date for the 2013 Direct and Counter-cyclical Program (DCP). Farmers and landowners must have 2013 DCP contracts signed, completed, and submitted to FSA, in order to participate in the program in 2013.

While FSA is able to extend its deadline, Risk Management Agency (RMA) Administrator Brandon Willis emphasized today that RMA’s acreage reporting date remains July 15, 2013, for most spring planted crops in the country. Farmers are reminded to report any loss within 72 hours to their insurance company. Farmers are also reminded to contact their insurance agent if they have any questions about coverage, prevented planting, or for reporting and processing a claim.

Producers also should visit their USDA Service Center to complete acreage reporting for FSA. For questions on this or any FSA program, producers should contact their FSA county office or seek information online at www.fsa.usda.gov.