USDA Streamlines Crop Acreage Reporting for Farmers

TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KLIX) – Submitting crop acreage reports just got easier. 

Now you can submit reports to the Farm Service Agency and participating insurance companies approved by the Risk Management Agency all with one stop.

"If you file your report at one location, the data that's important to both FSA and RMA will be securely and electronically shared with the other location," FSA Administrator Val Dolcini said in a prepared statement. "This will avoid redundant and duplicative reporting, and we expect this to save farmers and ranchers time."

The new process is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Acreage Crop Reporting Streamlining Initiative. Producers must, however, still visit both locations to validate and sign acreage reports, complete maps or provide program-specific information, according to the news release.

The USDA says it will continue to expand the program with additional efficiencies.

"Accuracy in crop reporting is a key component for crop insurance, because an error in this information can affect premiums or claims, RMA Administrator Brandon Willis said. “This is going to greatly improve efficiencies and reduce mistakes.”

More than 93 percent of all annual reported acres to FSA and RMA now are eligible for the common data reporting, and USDA is looking into adding more crops.

Contact your local FSA office to enroll in the new self-service portal, FSAFarm+, which gives farmers and ranchers online access to securely view, print or export personal farm data, according to the news release.