Adrian Polansky, state executive director of the United States Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency in Kansas, reminds producers that enrollment for the 2012 Direct and Counter-cyclical Program and the Average Crop Revenue Election program began Monday and will continue through June 1.

DCP payments are calculated using base acres and payment yields established for each farm. Eligible producers receive direct payments at rates established by statute regardless of market prices. The 2008 Farm Bill states that no advanced payments will be issued for 2012. The entire DCP payment will be issued after Oct. 1.

Counter-cyclical payments vary depending on market prices and are issued only when the effective price for a commodity is below its target price, which takes into account the direct payment rate, market price, and loan rate.

“New contracts are required annually and all signatures must be obtained by the deadline,” Polansky said. “We encourage producers to contact their local FSA office and set up appointments to begin the enrollment process as soon as possible.”

Producers with an active USDA eAuthentication Level 2 account can fill out a DCP contract online. To get a Level 2 account, producers must complete an outline registration form at http://www.eauth.egov.usda.gov and then visit the local USDA Service Center to verify their identity.