According to a USDA report, sign-up for the 2009 Direct and Counter-cyclical Payment (DCP) Program for farms with base acres has begun online or at local USDA service centers.

Sign-up will continue until Aug. 14 and the deadline is mandatory for all participants. FSA will not accept any latefiled applications.

FSA computes DCP Program payments using base acres and payment yields established for each farm. Eligible producers receive direct payments at rates established by statute regardless of market prices.

Advance direct payments based on 22 percent of the direct payment for each commodity associated with the farm may be requested. FSA will issue advance direct payments later this month.

Counter-cyclical payment rates vary depending on market prices and are issued only when the effective price for a commodity is statutorily set below its target price.

Producers who are eligible for the DCP Program will also be eligible to enroll in the Average Crop Revenue Election (ACRE) Program. The enrollment period for the ACRE Program began April 27. Producers may first enroll in the DCP Program, receive advance direct payments and then later modify their enrollment to include the ACRE program.

The electronic DCP or e- DCP service will save time, reduce paperwork and speed up contract processing at FSA offices.

The information can be accessed at fsa.usda.gov/dcp. An active USDA e-Authentication Level 2 account that requires filling out an online registration form at eauth.egov.usda.gov followed by a visit to the local USDA Service Center for identity verification is required.