Kiowa County USDA Service Staff

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:

• JUNE 19 and July 3- SERVICE CENTER CLOSED: Juneteenth and Independence Day holidays.
• JULY 15, 2026 - Spring acreage reporting deadline.
• AUGUST 12, 2026- SDRP - Supplemental Disaster Relief Program – Stage 1 and Stage 2 – application. NEW DATE – PROGRAM HAS BEEN EXTENDED
• AUGUST 31, 2026 - Review base allocation summary, deadline to notify FSA regarding acreage corrections, resolving subsequent acres or opting-out.
• LIVESTOCK FORAGE PROGRAM - Kiowa County eligible for 3 month payment. Apply before March 1, 2027.
• CRP EMERGENCY GRAZING available - 50% stocking rate reduction. Paperwork begins with FSA. Visit Farmers.gov for more information regarding deadlines and programs available through FSA and NRCS.
• CRP PRIMARY NESTING SEASON – March 15 – July 15. No grazing or contract management activities authorized. Grassland CRP contracts are exempt

VISITING FSA OFFICE - SPECIFICALLY CHEYENNE AND KIOWA COUNTIES

FSA employees request that producers limit their visits and phone calls to FSA on Monday – Thursday. By allowing us Friday to catch up on other programs and paperwork that we have not been able to complete the rest of the week, the employees will be better able to serve you on Monday – Thursday.

• Kiowa County office hours are 8:00 – 4:30
• Cheyenne County office hours are 8:00 – 4:00

CHANGING OWNERSHIP

As the office has worked through some farm ownership and changes and have researched ownership on the county assessor’s website; we have noticed that producers have deeded their land to a revocable trust or similar entity. It is important that when deeds are recorded changing ownership of land; FSA is made aware of that change.

FSA will need a copy of the recorded deed to change the ownership. If FSA is not made aware of the ownership change, any long-term contracts or agreements could be in jeopardy, because the title of the ownership doesn’t match the contract or agreement with FSA and/or NRCS.

BASE ALLOCATION NOTIFICATIONS

Landowners have received or will be receiving a postcard regarding base allocations to eligible farms. Producers with a login.gov i.d, will be able to access the notifications through their login.gov account. Producers who do not have a login.gov account can call the FSA office to have a copy of the base allocation summary emailed or mailed to them. There is a letter of explanation with the base allocations. It’s important that producers read the letter in its entirety to fully understand the base allocation. Not every farm will receive add’l base acres. Some farms will need to have subsequent acres resolved also.

The 2026 ARCPLC signup will be held later this year.

DROUGHT MONITOR

Last week, a D3 – extreme drought designation was added to the western portion of Kiowa, and a few other counties to the west of Kiowa. (See drought map pg 5)

With this designation, Kiowa County is now eligible for 3-month payment for Livestock Forage Program or LFP and CRP Emergency Grazing.

LIVESTOCK FORAGE PROGRAM

Producers with grazing land physically located in Kiowa are eligible to apply for LFP.

Eligible producer must have control and risk in the two triggering factors.

• Land - control and risk in native pasture physically located in a county that is eligible for LFP. All leased land will require a written lease signed by at least 50% or more of the current ownership.
• Livestock - ownership, control and risk in livestock that normally graze the native pasture. Cattle located in feedlots are not eligible. Livestock must have been owned at least 60 days prior to the qualifying date of drought. Kiowa qualified on 5-26-2026; therefore ownership on livestock must be 3-26-2026 or before.

Payment is paid on 60% of the lessor value, land or livestock.

Contact FSA to apply.

CRP EMERGENCY GRAZING

Due to the D3 drought designation producers can request emergency grazing of eligible CRP acres, with a stocking rate of 50%, due to the fact primary nesting season does not end until July 15th. The request to graze will begin at FSA, and FSA will need the following information.

• CRP contract to be grazed.
• Number and type of livestock.
• Name of producer who will be grazing.

NRCS will need to complete a field inspection to determine if the land can be grazed. Eads NRCS has limited staff and are in the office only 2 days a week, so plan accordingly. NRCS will complete a grazing plan and a modified conservation plan. The modified conservation plan will need to be signed by all owners on the CRP contract.

NOTE: Emergency grazing during primary nesting season cannot be used to meet contract management requirements.