Signup for the 2009 Direct and Counter-cyclical Payment (DCP) Program continues until June 1, 2009. The June 1, 2009 deadline is mandatory for all participants. FSA will not accept any late-filed applications.

The electronic DCP (or eDCP) service will save time, reduce paperwork and speed up contract processing at FSA offices. It is available to anyone who is eligible to participate in the DCP Program and can be accessed at www.fsa.usda.gov /dcp.

To access this on-line service, you must have an active USDA eAuthentication Level 2 account, which requires filling out an online registration form at http://www.eauth.egov.usda.gov followed by a visit to the local USDA Service Center for identity verification.

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.

For 2009, you may request to receive advance direct payments based on 22 percent of the direct payment for each commodity associated with the farm. 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.

Eligible producers for the DCP Program are also eligible to enroll in the Average Crop Revenue Election (ACRE) Program or the Counter-cyclical Program. The enrollment period for the ACRE Program will begin in the spring.

You may first enroll in the DCP Program, receive advance direct payments and then later modify your enrollment to the ACRE program or you may wait and elect to enroll in DCP and ACRE at the same time in spring 2009.