Farm Credit ServicesFALL 2016

Minimize Risk To Your Page 4 Farming Operation

Crop Insurance Reminders Page 12

22 INSIDE FARM CREDIT SERVICES

few years ago I had a pain in my back that just would not go away. I thought a quick trip to the chiropractor would make everything better. While I still remember the fine-tuning on my

back to this day, what was more memorable was the advice from the doctor. He told me I need to make some life adjustments, otherwise I would be in contention for being named their number one customer.

While there may not be many connections with my bad back and the farm economy, one thing is for sure, those involved in agriculture are in a period of adjustment. A healthy ag economy a few years ago has turned into a struggling ag economy today. Most of us are looking at our business and wondering where we need to make changes. It appears once again that we will have a good crop throughout the U.S., and for that

Claude Sem, CEO

questions youshould be asking:

matter, the world. Large inventories of grain will keep pressure on commodity prices and the strong dollar will keep world trade opportunities stressed. Volatility has been the only thing that seems to be normal. Agriculture is cyclical and we encourage farmers to take a long-term view of their business model. Farming is a business; manage it for the long term. The decisions you make today can have positive or negative repercussions for years to come.

What adjustment(s) do you need to make? There is not a one-size-fits-all solution. I continue to be bullish on agriculture. There are opportunities out there today of which we can take advantage. Together, we will get through this cycle. Thank you for partnering with us.

Can we lower

land costs?

Can welower crop

inputs?

What isthe impact of

moving a variable rate loan to a fixed term?

Should we rebalance the balance sheet, move debt to longer terms?

Can we diversify our income stream?

Can we adjust family living?

Can we revise

our growth

strategies?

Do you

know your

ARC/PLC

PAYMENT?

DO WE NEED AN ADJUSTMENT?A

Do We Need An Adjustment?

Minimize Risk To Your Farming Operation

Products & Services

FCS Awards Pat-NOWCommunity Funds

Rural Community Grant Fund: Latest Grants To Support Western North Dakota Communities

NextGen Ag: A New Beginning Building Relationships

The Arnold Family Crop Insurance Reminders

2016 Tailgate Tour Dates/Call For Candidates

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ISSUEIN THIS

Minot: 852-1265 | Bottineau: 228-3731 | Carrington: 652-2836 | Crosby: 965-2265 | Rugby: 776-5863 | Williston: 774-0055

Bowbells Crop Insurance: 377-3703 | Schaan Crop Insurance: 776-6353 | Ward County Crop Insurance - 852-5432

DO WE NEED AN ADJUSTMENT?

s we get closer to harvest, I am reminded of the difficulty of actually getting the crop to harvest. We had a pretty nice spring with some land being planted that had not been able to be seeded for several years. Since then,

we have had a variety of weather conditions from ideal in some areas to too much water in others, along with hail storms, wind storms and, believe it or not, some areas that are being stressed by too little moisture.

These varied conditions show the vulnerability we have to weather in our industry. But not to be doom and gloom, as we really have some wonderful crops growing in our area and they should provide excellent yields.

However, as we discuss the risks in farming, I want to ask you to consider Farm Credit Services as a resource to help manage your risk as much as possible. FCS of ND has excellent products to help you manage risk. We have attractive long term rates to limit financial risk, and have fixed rates on machinery, livestock and real estate. We also have the ability to fix the rate on all or part of an individual loan. Our loan officers are ready to discuss how to manage the interest rate risk on your farm.

With the weather variable, we can also help you manage your risk with some excellent hail products that can be tailor made, from low to high deductibles or by crop, to fit your specific situation. I know the loan officers have been busy riding with the hail adjusters to view the crops and get a feel for the damage that has occurred.

Farm Credit is also committed to the multi-peril crop insurance industry with over 20 agents ready to serve farmers in our northwest North Dakota trade area. Our insurance specialists are well-trained and they focus specifically on crop insurance. They have the expertise to design a multi-peril insurance coverage plan that can help manage your risk.

Please feel free to contact us to see how we may be able to assist you in trying to minimize the risk to your farming operation.

Have a safe and successful harvest.

4 INSIDE FARM CREDIT SERVICES

A

Leigh Wagner, VP, Marketing

FARM CREDIT SERVICES HAS EXCELLENT PRODUCTS TO HELP YOU MANAGE RISK

RISKMINIMIZE

TOYOUR FARMING

OPERATION

FALL 2016 5

REAL ESTATE LOANS Long-term credit for land, land improvements, buildings and facilities.

OPERATING LOANS Short and intermediate credit for operating purchases, family living and feeder livestock.

TERM LOANS Intermediate term credit for capital purchases such as machinery, breeding livestock, irrigation systems and vehicles.

LEASING SERVICES A financing alternative for cash flow, tax advantages and other considerations: lease livestock, facilities, farm equipment, vehicles, computers, irrigation systems and specialty equipment.

YOUNG & BEGINNING FARMER LOANS Programs and resources to help finance young or beginning farmers or ranchers.

FAMILY FARM PROGRAM Designed especially to assist farmers in bringing the next generation into the business. A partnership between the seller, buyer and FCS, which provides a low cost plan to transfer the farm from one generation to another or from one farmer to another.

LIFE & DISABILITY INSURANCE Affordable life and disability insurance coverage to protect your family’s income, home and acreage in the event of illness, injury or death.

Products & ServicesCROP INSURANCE Multi-peril, revenue protection and hail insurance policies that can help protect your investment against crop loss or damage.

APPRAISAL SERVICE Certified real estate and chattel appraisers experienced to give quality rural appraisals.

ESTATE PLANNING Through an alliance, we can provide you with information and advice to help you make decisions on transferring farm assets and meeting retirement goals.

FUNDS HELD Park excess funds in this account and earn interest until you make a withdrawal.

FARM CASH MANAGEMENT A flexible product that links your revolving line of credit with an AgriBank money market investment or it can simply serve as a standalone money market investment account alternative.

ELECTRONIC BANKING Simple, convenient and secure access to your account information 24 hours a day, 7 days a week through telephone or internet service.

CREDIT LINE CHECK WRITING A convenient way to access your pre-approved line of credit simply by writing a check.

DISBURSEMENT CARD Disburses funds straight from your operating loan to pay farm expenses.

FarmCredit ServicesALL THE PRODUCTS& SERVICES TO MEET YOUR NEEDS

Farm Credit Services of North Dakota provides short, intermediate and long-term credit to farmers, ranchers and ag-related businesses.

FCS also offers life and disability insurance, crop-hail insurance, multi-peril crop insurance, real estate fee appraisals, and expertise in estate planning.

We offer the most comprehensive credit and insurance packages tailored for the agricultural industry. Here is a list of the products and services we offer. Be sure and visit with our staff to see how they can work for you!

66 INSIDE FARM CREDIT SERVICES

arm Credit Services of North Dakota announced $54,150 in grant funds were awarded from the new Pat-NOW Community Fund (PNCF) for the period of January through June 2016.

Farm Credit Services of North Dakota established the Pat-NOW Community Fund to have grants available for projects and organizations that positively impact agriculture in northwest North Dakota. This is an independent grant fund project funded solely by Farm Credit Services of North Dakota. It is separate from the Rural Community Grant Fund.

Pat-NOW Community Fund award recipients from the first two quarterly grant periods include the following:

BOTTINEAU COUNTY IMAGINATION LIBRARY:

$2,000 for continuation of the preschool reading program

BOWBELLS RECREATION COMMISSION:

$1,600 towards a commercial first aid kit, pressure washer, shop-vac and blower and signage for a new swimming pool

CARPIO LUTHERAN CHURCH:

$2,000 towards a community raised produce garden

CARRINGTON VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT:

$6,000 towards replacing fire fighters turnout gear

GRANVILLE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT:

$6,850 for mobile radios and communication equipment

HARVEY VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT:

$10,000 towards a new pumper truck

NESSON PUBLIC SCHOOL IN RAY:

$10,000 for fire alarms throughout the school

NEWBURG UNITED SCHOOL:

$2,000 towards a playground update project

POWERS LAKE SCHOOL:

$1,700 for a basketball hoop to complete the Erik Helseth Memorial fund basketball court

POWERS LAKE SENIOR CITIZENS CENTER:

$2,000 to replace kitchen cupboard doors

RUGBY VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT AUXILIARY: $10,000 to purchase new grass-fire truck equipment

“The rural communities in northwest North Dakota face challenges every day and at Farm Credit Services of ND we believe it’s important to give back to these communities,” says Claude Sem, CEO. “The support these communities have given us over the years makes me very proud to give back with the goal of helping them make a difference,” he adds.

Grants will be considered for any purpose consistent with the fund objective – projects and organizations that positively impact agriculture. Through this fund, Farm Credit Services of North Dakota provides grants to support, but not limited to, the following:

AGRICULTURE EDUCATION:

Education for youth, high school, university, general public, or producers that is specific to agriculture

YOUNG AND BEGINNING PRODUCERS:

Projects and initiatives that support the next generation of agriculture

HUNGER AND NUTRITION:

Provide local support for addressing food and hunger issues

SENIOR CITIZENS/COMMUNITY CENTERS:

Provide support to community centers that serve retired farmers

LOCAL COMMUNITY PROJECTS:

Projects and initiatives that support local rural communities

LOCAL FOOD FARMERS:

Financial grants available to segments in agriculture where farmers sell directly to customers

Applications for grants are available on our website at www.farmcreditnd.com and will be considered on a quarterly basis. The next review period will close September 27, 2016. The PNCF administrators will review and evaluate completed applications and notify recipients once the review and approval process has been completed. The Pat-NOW Community Fund of $100,000 is funded annually by Farm Credit Services of North Dakota.

F

Pat-NOW Community Funds Awarded$54,150 AWARDED TO COMMUNITY PROJECTS TO SUPPORT RURAL

COMMUNITY NEEDS IN NORTHWEST NORTH DAKOTA.

LUTHERAN SOCIAL SERVICES FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN BEULAH & WATFORD CITY

CARPIO LUTHERAN CHURCH FOR RAISED PRODUCE GARDEN BEDS

FALL 2016 7

Pat-NOW Community Funds Awarded

he fund was established as a partnership between Farm Credit Services of North Dakota and Farm Credit Services of Mandan – the two largest providers of agricultural loans in western North Dakota—and AgriBank, their St. Paul, MN based funding bank, to help communities impacted by oil development. Through the fund, Farm Credit provides grants to support infrastructure or development initiatives encompassing housing projects, medical facilities, health, safety and environmental programs, and other critical needs.

“Farm Credit continues to support rural communities in western North Dakota. While oil activity has slowed, the needs within those communities continue to exist. Farm Credit is pleased to give back to those communities who support agriculture,” says Claude Sem, CEO Farm Credit Services of North Dakota.

The Rural Community Grant Fund is accepting applications for work to meet the needs of communities in western North Dakota. Interested parties should apply before the next closing period of August 31st at www.AgriBank.com or www.farmcreditnd.com. Grants will support critical community needs that improve health, safety, access to housing, education, economic development and other important needs.

SUPPORT WESTERN NORTH DAKOTA COMMUNITIES

FARM CREDIT ORGANIZATIONS IN WESTERN NORTH DAKOTA ANNOUNCED NEARLY $200,000 IN GRANTS TO LOCAL COMMUNITIES THROUGH THE RURAL COMMUNITY GRANT FUND.

T

KENMARE RURAL FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT FOR A NEW FIRE RESPONSE BRUSH TRUCK $50,000

RAY COMMUNITY AMBULANCE DISTRICT FOR AN EKG MACHINE$36,000

BERTHOLD AMBULANCE SERVICE FOR AN EKG MACHINE$20,000

GARRISON MAX AMBULANCE DISTRICT FOR A TRAUMA AMBULANCE$20,000

TIOGA MEDICAL CENTER FOR MEDICAL EQUIPMENT$20,000

TRINITY HEALTH FOUNDATIONFOR MEDICAL EQUIPMENT$11,000

MCKENZIE COUNTY HERITAGE ASSOCIATION FOR TABLES FOR COMMUNITY EVENTS$10,167

$20,000

$5,000

Latest Grants include:Rural CommunityGrant Funds

8 INSIDE FARM CREDIT SERVICES

OUR MISSION WITH THIS PROGRAM IS TO ASSIST YOUNG BEGINNING FARMERS TO DEVELOP, GROW & PROSPER.

O

Dan Beyer, VP, Marketing

NEXTGEN AG

PROGRAM

the nation was, “Farm Credit sees the next generation as their success.” What he likes about Farm Credit is that it “has a greater ability to listen and understand where a farmer wants to take the farm for the next generation.” For Spear, what differentiates Farm Credit from other lenders is “it feels more like a family than a lender. The loan officer and others at FCS become part of their farm and are committed to their success.”

Farm Credit Services is here for our customers in good times and tough times. As Sem states, “Our young farmers and ranchers are the key to our future success. We are in turn committed to helping them succeed.” Stop in and talk to your FCS of ND loan officer about NextGen Ag and see how we can help you succeed.

n March 1, 2016, we kicked off our NextGen Ag program for young, beginning and small farmers. At Farm Credit Services of North Dakota, our mission with this program is to assist young beginning farmers to develop, grow and prosper. With relaxed underwriting standards, reduced rates and education programs and assistance, FCS of ND is the ag lender to work with to help you succeed.

Recently, FCS of ND CEO Claude Sem traveled to Washington, D.C. to help celebrate the 100 year anniversary of the Farm Credit System. Young producers Wade and Breann Fischer from Williston and Scott and Rachel Spear from Drake helped represent Farm Credit Services of North Dakota, along with 1,000 producers from across the country. Part of the celebration was to continue to tell the story of the success of these young operators to legislative leaders, and the need to keep the Farm Credit system in tact to help fulfill its mission of serving rural America.

Fischer said what he heard from other producers across

FALL 2016 9

THE FARM CREDIT SERVICES TEAM IN RUGBY IS ALL ABOUT BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEIR CLIENTS. GET TO KNOW THEM A LITTLE BETTER!

Jesse FahnestockRUGBY BRANCH MANAGER / LOAN OFFICER

After growing up on a family farm, I’ve spent the past dozen years on a small farm and ranching operation 25 miles northwest of Rugby, raising cattle, small grains and performance-bred quarter horses. As a rancher, I understand the challenges that can be associated with meeting financial obligations under uncertain conditions, and identify with how important it is for a loan officer to be understanding and someone who knows my operation and me personally.

A big part of my job is building relationships, and FCS values the relationships formed at local branches. The support they have given this office and the construction of the new building shows their commitment to this community, and to the producer.

Corey BelisleINSURANCE SPECIALIST

I’ve been at Farm Credit Services for nine years, working with crop and hail insurance. I’ve been farming ever since I was old enough to be out on the farm. Every farm is different, so it’s important to meet and go through all your insurance options. I believe we have the best-trained, most knowledgeable insurance staff out there. We get together at regular meetings and learn from each other.

During our staff turnover last fall, there were a lot of nervous farmers out there wondering what was going on, but Farm Credit Services didn’t panic. People from all the other branches came and stepped up, so we were fully staffed the whole time. We ended up with a fantastic staff that’s here to serve you.

Sarah ShivelyCUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

As a CSR, I process and draw up customers’ loan papers, transfer money to their banks and look over

morning reports to make sure nothing is out of place. Other banks do ag loans, of course, but we specialize in agriculture and that’s important to us and our customers.

My grandparents farmed and ranched in Towner. My husband and I raise cattle and horses. We understand the financial aspects of farming and ranching on a personal level, and that means everything when serving our customers.

Bradley Nelsen

LOAN OFFICER

I’ve always known I’d work in agriculture. After graduating from NDSU with an ag economics degree, I was a crop adjuster for a season before joining FCS as a loan officer. A big part of my job is helping farmers and ranchers in any way I can, and gathering all the correct information to see what best benefits them. At FCS, we’re not just bankers. We’re committed to developing a relationship with our farmers and supporting the industry.

Coleen StutrudCUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

I work directly with the customers, do loan processing, administrative duties, maintain files, disperse funds and coordinate special events. I wasn’t looking to change jobs when I applied with Farm Credit, but I’m very glad that I did. As we transitioned into our new positions, they had individuals here to help train us, making sure we were comfortable with our job responsibilities. I’ve always had an interest in agriculture – I come from a farm, my husband farms, and now my son came to farm with us – so, it’s a great fit.

Amber Feickert

LOAN OFFICER

As a loan officer, it’s my responsibility to be a financial partner in members’ operations and help manage their risk in good times and in bad. I’m proud to be part of a cooperative that offers so many unique products and services tailored to agriculture. I’ve worked on my family farm for as long as I can remember and witnessed first-hand the ups and downs of farming. Then, while working on my degree in Ag Economics, I saw agriculture from other sides and realized I wanted to be a partner with farmers and ranchers to help them manage all the financial risk they take on.

Building Relationships

10 INSIDE FARM CREDIT SERVICES

e got the farm from my father and he got it from his father,” says Lynn Arnold across the high-topped kitchen table. “We’re the fourth generation. It’s close to a 100-year farm. Pretty much everybody that does the work is sitting at the table.”

Sitting beside Lynn are his wife, Robin, and their children, Jacob and Andrea. Together, they tend to 225 cows and raise corn, wheat, soybeans, alfalfa and oats on around 4,700 acres of land. Additionally, the kids have horses, goats and have recently gotten into registered Berkshire pigs.

“I should call this yard the Hub,” says Robin, “because his brother, his nephew and his dad all meet up and everybody talks about what they are going to be doing, and they all work together.”

From the Arnold Hub, just a few short miles south of Esmond, spokes extend out around the region and around the world. Just down the road stand the acres of corn Jacob is tending for his summer FFA project. Out a bit farther is Lynn’s nephew’s operation and the 24-row planter that helped seed that corn. At a breakfast table in Japan, bowls of nattõ are prepared with soybeans straight from the Arnold farm. Closer to home, in Rugby, ND, one of those spokes connects to the branch office of Farm Credit Services.

“Everybody that I’ve had any contact with at Farm Credit Services has been very nice, very supportive,” says Lynn. “They always want to know if there is anything else they can do to help. Last year, we had a lot of hail damage and we had really good luck when we called in the claim. It didn’t take long for the adjustor to get here.

The Arnold Hub

“W

"Call this yard the Hub"

FALL 2016 11

The

ArnoldFamily

Everything seemed to work out fine. We’ve had a good working relationship with Corey Belisle in Rugby.

“In the last five or six years we’ve acquired a lot of land that we’d rented. We were renting a lot, so Farm Credit Services was good to work with to allow us to buy the land. They’ve helped a lot with business decisions we’ve made. They’re always willing to help, offer us advice. There are still more programs I believe that we should probably look into, estate planning and stuff like that we’re thinking of doing now.”

“Jesse Fahnestock seems to understand what farming is all about,” says Robin. He has a good concept of what goes on. Whenever you call, the ladies in the office are willing to do whatever they can. If they don’t know an answer to something they will look into it, call you back. As a whole, Farm Credit Services is willing to work with a

farmer to make sure that he gets what he needs and has a good working relationship so that he feels comfortable and can concentrate on the job at hand. If there is some paperwork that needs to be done, they’ll come out and you can take care of the paperwork right at home.

“A lot of times they’ll come to you right in the field,” adds Lynn. “Say we’re out seeding or something, they’ll come right out to the field to visit. It saves us a trip to Rugby. Very good support system for the communities, too. They’ve always been willing to sponsor different events, like the kids’ 4-H. It’s been nice to see.”

If the farmyard is the center of the Arnold Hub, then family is its core. From Jacob’s 4-H hippology team winning the state horse judging contest at NDSU to Andrea carving out time to ride her horses while learning the ins and outs of Berkshire pigs, life at the farm revolves around family.

“I look at farming not so much as a business, but a lifestyle,” says Robin, “A lifestyle that’s worth handing down to the kids.”

"Call this yard the Hub"

CROPINSURANCEReminders

FALL CROPS & POLICIES

rowers who seed rye want to make sure that crop is listed on their Multi-Peril Crop Insurance policy by September 30th. Rye acres will need to be reported to your insurance agent by November 15th. “Winter wheat works differently with MPCI since winter wheat is recognized as a spring crop in North Dakota,” says Nick Dreyer, Crop Insurance Specialist. It’s crucial to tell your agent about any winter wheat acres early. “A form needs to be filled out before March 15th of the next year so any winter wheat can be inspected. If that form is missed, you will not have insurance on your winter wheat,” says Dreyer. Keep in mind that your county FSA office will need you to report any fall seeded crop by November 15th.

A newer program called Margin Protection also has a deadline of September 30th. This plan provides coverage on an expected margin, which is the expected area revenue minus the expected area operating costs, for certain crops.

Producers with cattle also have insurance options in the fall. Forage production insures your alfalfa and hay. This works similar to MPCI where hay production is reported and tracked, and a tonnage guarantee is generated annually. September 30th is also the last day to sign up for Forage Production Insurance and production is needed by November 16th.

Pasture, Rangeland and Forage Insurance (PRF) is a popular fall policy option for ranchers. PRF is solely based on precipitation. If the rainfall is below the average in your area, a payment is generated. You can sign up for 2017 PRF Insurance any time before November 15th.

If you have any questions on fall crops or how the policies work, give your FCS Insurance Specialist a call.

12 INSIDE FARM CREDIT SERVICES

G

THE END TO HARVEST IS IN SIGHT,BUT THE DECISIONS ARE NOT.

f you intend to put a crop to a different use, other than how it’s insured, you must notify your agent immediately so the crop can be appraised. If you don’t get the appraisal, you will receive “0” production to count for that insured crop. Example: Oats for hay instead of grain or corn for silage instead of grain.

Also, you never want to destroy a crop without consent. This too would give you “0” production to count for your APH. The best practice is to always check with your FCS Insurance Specialist if you plan to do anything other than harvest your crop for its insured purpose.

HARVEST REMINDERS-APPRAISALS NEEDED

I

Reminders

FALL 2016 13

issed deadlines can happen when harvest gets late and producers are busy wrapping up the year. End of Insurance Periods exist for each commodity.

CORN, DRY PEAS – SEPT. 30TH

SMALL GRAINS, DRY BEANS, CANOLA – OCT. 31ST

SUNFLOWERS – NOV. 30TH

SOYBEANS – DEC. 10TH

Any loss on crops needs to be reported 15 days after harvest or by the end of insurance period. The same goes for quality losses which have been an issue in the past few years, especially vomitoxin in wheat. These claims

can get quite complex and it’s best to call your FCS Insurance Specialist to go over your options right away. “It is best to have a sample checked to be sure,” says Denise Krebsbach, Minot Branch Insurance Manager. “We would rather you be ahead of this instead of hauling grain in after the first of the year and running into problems. If there wasn’t a claim open, nothing can be done that far past the deadline.” Reporting your production ASAP is a good habit to help you catch any Revenue Protection claims, as well. Every year, losses are missed because growers don’t realize they have a revenue loss or they wait to report their production months later and the deadline to report a claim has come and gone.

CROPS INSURANCE CLAIMSM

2014 FARM BILL UPDATE

COMMODITY

Wheat

Barley

Oats

Corn

Soybeans

Dry Peas

Lentils

Large Chickpeas

Small Chickpeas

Sunflowers

Canola

Flax

Mustard

$4.890

$5.520

$2.120

$3.650

$9.050

$0.129

$0.310

$0.310

$0.245

$0.196

$0.01545

$9.000

$0.318

2015 MYA PRICES

$5.500

$4.950

$2.400

$3.700

$8.400

$0.110

$0.200

$0.215

$0.190

$0.202

$0.202

$11.284

$0.202

REFERENCE PRICE PLC PAYMENT RATE

$0.610

$0.280

$0.050

$0.006

$0.0475

$2.284

he marketing year is wrapping up for 2015 Farm Bill payments. As expected, several crops have dipped below the reference price established in the 2014 Farm Bill. The most current market information shows that PLC payments look to be significant on wheat ($0.61 per bushel), canola ($0.048/pound), and flax ($2.20/bushel) with small payments on oats and sunflowers.

* MYA Price - national average price received by producers during the 12-month marketing year.

** Projections - official prices have not been announced.

*** Data received from nass.usda.gov

PROJECTED 2015 PRICES AS OF JULY 12, 2016

T

THE MARKETING YEAR FOR EACH COMMODITY IS LISTED BELOW

The 2014 Farm Bill eliminated direct payments and authorized the ARC and PLC programs. The PLC program payments are issued when the effective price of a covered commodity is less than the respective reference price.

The ARC-CO program provides revenue loss coverage at the county level. ARC-CO payments are issued when the actual county crop revenue of a covered commodity is less than the ARC-CO guarantee for the covered commodity. For ARC-CO payments, you must have the NASS data for average production by county to calculate.

Payments will be issued in November and December of 2016 and are subject to sequestration under the 2011 Budget Control Act. 2014 payments were reduced by 6.8 percent.

MARKETING YEAR

JUNE 2015 - MAY 2016

JULY 2015 - JUNE 2016

SEPTEMBER 2015 - AUGUST 2016

wheat

barley

oats

dry peas

lentils

canola

flax

corn

soybeans

chickpeas

sunflowers

mustard

CROP INSURANCE CONTINUED ON PAGE 14

14 INSIDE FARM CREDIT SERVICES

he Acreage Crop Reporting Streamlining Initiative (ACRSI) was developed by the USDA and has extended to North Dakota for 2016. The purpose of this program is to have producers report acres to only one location, with the information electronically shared between crop insurance and your local FSA office. Currently, reporting takes place at the FSA office and your crop insurance agent’s office. At Farm Credit Services of North Dakota, it is our priority to make sure our data matches what is reported to FSA to ensure that claims are resolved quickly. While reporting to FSA is not mandatory for crop insurance, it simplifies the claims process because adjustors can use FSA data to verify what is reported instead of having to measure acreage.

NAU’s Assistant Vice President of Marketing, Geoffrey Blegen, said, “ACRSI allows for a one-stop shop for producers to report acreage. By reporting all acreage to your crop insurance agent, farmers can save time. It will reduce the time spent at FSA by half since they will not have to sit and go through all their fields and wait for the information to be entered.” He also stresses, “Farmers need to understand that they will still have to go to FSA to verify and sign the 578s.”

ACRSI is still a pilot program at this time. Both insured and non-insured acres can be reported to crop insurance, but not all acreage can currently be transferred through ACRSI. The 2016 crops in our area that can be sent through ACRSI are alfalfa, corn, CRP, fallow, grass, oats, rye, soybeans and wheat. All other crops, i.e. barley, dry peas, flax and sunflowers, will still need to be reported to FSA. This program is expected to expand to other types of acreage.

ACRSI is being used for 2016, but has presented some challenges so far. Blegen said, “This program is still in its infancy. It has been a challenge so far because data is not transferring properly between the two systems the way it was designed to. They are working out the kinks, and as time goes on, it will get better.”

As ACRSI moves forward, your Farm Credit Insurance Specialist aims to take the lead regarding acreage reporting and data sharing with FSA to improve your customer experience and guarantee the data integrity. Please visit with your Insurance Specialist for more information.

STREAMLINING ACREAGE REPORTINGT

ould you like to set a floor price for your cattle? It’s possible through an insurance product offered by Farm Credit Services.

Livestock Risk Protection (LRP) is a risk management tool that allows producers to lock in a price and works similar to options. “One of the advantages of LRP versus options is coverage,” says Dan Beyer, VP of Marketing. “It can be purchased from as little as one calf up to 2,000 head, covering producers of all sizes.”

If the market value of cattle drops below what you covered, you will be paid an indemnity for the difference. “You simply choose your contract length, amount of coverage, number of head to cover, and indicate your best estimate on how much the cattle will weigh at the end of the contract,” says Luke Anderson, LRP Specialist with QBE NAU Insurance. A cattle producer can be confident that they are protected from declines down the road that the market hasn’t projected. “Their LRP coverage can help fill the gap of that unanticipated drop,” says Anderson. Premiums are paid up front and there is a 13 percent subsidy on LRP.

Talk to your Farm Credit Insurance Specialist to find out more about Livestock Risk Protection and how you can help manage your downside risk months in advance.

LIVESTOCK RISK PROTECTIONW

CallCandidates

for

FARM CREDIT SERVICES OF NORTH

DAKOTA WANTS YOU!

If you are interested in running for a

position on the Board of Directors,

please contact Kathy Berg, HR

Director, at kberg@farmcredit.com or

by calling 800-264-1265.

FALL 2016 15

arm Credit Services and local high school football teams are teaming up for the fourteenth year hosting “Home Field Advantage” tailgate parties.

Farm Credit Services sets up the Pat-NOW grill and tailgates at local high school football games. Game-goers can purchase a hamburger or hotdog, chips and pop with all proceeds being donated back to the home team.

Let’s give them the “Home Field Advantage!” We look forward to seeing you there!

AUGUST 19TH: TOWNER* VS MOHALL/LANSFORD/SHERWOOD

SEPTEMBER 2ND: DRAKE/ANAMOOSE* VS TOWNER/GRANVILLE/UPHAM

SEPTEMBER 9TH: KENMARE* VS MOHALL/LANSFORD/SHERWOOD

SEPTEMBER 23RD: BOTTINEAU* VS DES LACS/BURLINGTON

SEPTEMBER 23RD: RAY* VS DIVIDE COUNTY

SEPTEMBER 30TH: WESTHOPE/NEWBURG/GLENBURN * VS BOTTINEAU

OCTOBER 7TH: DES LACS/BURLINGTON* VS BERTHOLD

OCTOBER 21ST: GRENORA* VS RICHEY LAMBERT

*Hometeam

F

Presorted StandardU.S. Postage PaidPresort Plus, LLC

3100 10th St. SW • Box 70Minot, ND 58702

MULTI-PERIL CROP INSURANCE

HAIL INSURANCE

LIFE INSURANCE

LOANS

LEASES

APPRAISALS

Minot852-1265

Bottineau228-3731

Carrington652-2836

Crosby965-2265

Rugby776-5863

Williston774-0055

Bowbells Crop Insurance

377-3703

Schaan Crop Insurance

776-6353

Ward County Crop Insurance

852-5432FCS OF ND IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY PROVIDER AND EMPLOYER.

FINANCINGRURAL

COMMUNITIESFOR 100 YEARS.