Agriculture

FSA ballots mailed
Ballots for the 2011 FSA county committee elections were mailed to eligible voters Nov. 4. The deadline for eligible voters to return ballots to their local FSA offices is Dec. 5, 2011. The FSA county committee allows producers to make decisions concerning the local administration of federal farm programs. Eligible voters who do not receive a ballot can obtain ballots at their local USDA Service Center or call 765-2702.

Beef Producers meet

Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments (SURE) program enrollment for 2010 crop year losses begins Nov. 14.
To qualify for a SURE payment, the producer’s operation must be located in a county that was declared a disaster, either as a primary or contiguous county, for 2010 and have at least a 10 percent production loss that affects one crop of economic significance. Producers with agricultural operations located outside a disaster county are eligible for SURE benefits if they had a production loss greater or equal to 50 percent of the normal production on the farm.

Now is a good time to clean up the garden. Garden clean-up done well is good exercise, aids in sanitation of the area, and is an excellent and effective plant disease control practice. Many disease causing fungi and bacteria can survive the winter on diseased roots, stems, leaves, or fruits and cause problems next year. 
Remove all the plants (except cover crops or winter vegetables) from the vegetable garden. Dig up the roots and take them away as well. Roots left to decompose in the soil can release microbes next year.

LaRue County FFA has a video in the top 10 of the Kentucky Soybean Association YouTube Video contest. Freshmen Madison Lee and Danielle Nunn have the opportunity to win $3,000 as the state winner of this contest. The quality of the video and number of views will be a factor in determining the state winner.