SPRING EXPO EVENT SCHEDULED

          Spring is just around the corner, and with the arrival of spring comes the need to get pastures and hay meadows fertilized, work cattle, and plan for changes to be made in the coming months. To celebrate the arrival of springtime, Texas AgriLife Extension in Hunt County and the Northeast Texas Farmers Coop in Greenville will be sponsoring a Spring Expo on Wednesday, February 27.

            This event will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Fletcher Warren Civic Center, 5501 Business Highway 69, in Greenville. There will be many vendors showcasing their products and answering producer questions regarding, pastures, cattle management, fencing, vet supplies, herbicides, livestock supplements, and other agricultural products.

         Talks will be given to update producers on sprayer calibration, weed control and herbicides, improving pastures, soil testing, fertilizing, rotational grazing, and more. In addition at noon, there will be a hamburger lunch provided free of charge to all participants, and many door prizes will be given away.

            The event is free of charge to all attending, compliments of the NET Farmers Coop. A  RSVP 

is requested by February 26. More information can be obtained, and reservations can be made by 

calling the Coop at 903-455-6365 or the Extension Office at 903-455-9885.

USDA Announces 45th General Sign-up for the Conservation Reserve Program

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will conduct a four-week general sign-up for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), beginning May 20 and ending on June 14. CRP has a 27-year legacy of protecting the nation's natural resources through voluntary participation, while providing significant economic and environmental benefits to rural communities across the United States.

Currently, about 27 million acres are enrolled in CRP. Producers that are accepted in the sign-up can receive cost-share assistance to plant long-term, resource-conserving covers and receive an annual rental payment for the length of the contract (10-15 years).

Contracts on 3.3 million acres of CRP are set to expire on Sept. 30, 2013. Producers with expiring contracts or producers with environmentally sensitive land are encouraged to evaluate their options under CRP.

Additional sign-ups for continuous CRP programs such as Highly Erodible Land Initiative and Initiative to Restore Grasslands, Wetlands and Wildlife will be announced in spring 2013.

For more information on CRP and other FSA programs, visit a local FSA service center or www.fsa.usda.gov.

Beef Quality Assurance Training Scheduled

Hispanic and Women Farmers and Ranchers Claims Period Ends March 25

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack reminds Hispanic and women farmers and ranchers who allege discrimination by the USDA in past decades that there are 45 days remaining in the filing period closing March 25, 2013.

USDA urges potential claimants to contact the Claims Administrator for information and mail their claim packages on or before March 25, 2013.

The process offers a voluntary alternative to litigation for each Hispanic or female farmer and rancher who can prove that USDA denied his or her application for loan or loan servicing assistance for discriminatory reasons for certain time periods between 1981 and 2000. As announced in February 2011, the voluntary claims process will make available at least $1.33 billion for cash awards and tax relief payments, plus up to $160 million in farm debt relief, to eligible Hispanic and women farmers and ranchers. There are no filing fees to participate in the program.

Claimants may register for a claims package by calling the telephone number below Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Time or by downloading the forms from the website.

Website: www.farmerclaims.gov

Phone: 1-888-508-4429

Claims Period: September 24, 2012 - March 25, 2013.

Independent legal services companies will administer the claims process and adjudicate the claims. Although there are no filing fees to participate and a lawyer is not required to participate in the claims process, persons seeking legal advice may contact a lawyer or other legal services provider.

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USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Stop 9410, Washington, DC 20250-9450, or call toll-free at (866) 632-9992 (English) or (800) 877-8339 (TDD) or (866) 377-8642 (English Federal-relay) or (800) 845-6136 (Spanish Federal-relay).