Cotton Transition Assistance Program Enrollment Begins Today

Cotton Transition Assistance Program Enrollment Begins Today 07/06/2015 03:38 PM EDT Cotton Transition Assistance Program Enrollment Begins Today WASHINGTON, July 6, 2015 — U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency Administrator Val Dolcini announced that beginning today farmers in eligible counties may enroll in the Cotton Transition Assistance Program (CTAP). The deadline for enrollment is Sept. 30, 2015. CTAP provides interim payments to cotton producers in counties where the Stacked Income Protection Plan (STAX), a new insurance product administered by the Risk Management Agency, is not yet available. Most cotton-producing counties and cotton producers have STAX available and are not eligible for CTAP. A list of counties eligible for CTAP in 2015 is available at www.fsa.usda.gov/Internet/FSA_File/2015_ctap_map_list.pdf. “The Cotton Transition Assistance Program is for farms with former cotton base acres that are physically located in a county where the Stacked Income Protection Plan is unavailable,” said Dolcini. “To help us provide the best service possible, cotton producers are encouraged to schedule an appointment with their local Farm Service Agency office early in the application period.” The Cotton Transition Assistance Program and the Stacked Income Protection Plan were established by the 2014 Farm Bill. The Farm Bill builds on historic economic gains in rural America over the past six years, while achieving meaningful reform and billions of dollars in savings for taxpayers. Since enactment, USDA has made significant progress to implement each provision of this critical legislation, including providing disaster relief to farmers and ranchers; strengthening risk management tools; expanding access to rural credit; funding critical research; establishing innovative public-private conservation partnerships; developing new markets for rural-made products; and investing in infrastructure, housing and community facilities to help improve quality of life in rural America. For more information, visit www.usda.gov/farmbill. For more information, visit a local Farm Service Agency office. To find your local office, visit http://offices.usda.gov. USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (866) 632-9992 (Toll-free Customer Service), (800) 877-8339 (Local or Federal relay), (866) 377-8642 (Relay voice users).