The national CCC loan rates for corn, soybeans and wheat will stay at the 2008 loan rates for 2009: $1.95/bu. for corn, $5/bu. for soybeans and $2.75/bu. for wheat. The corn and soybean national loan rates will remain the same for 2010-2012, while the wheat loan rate will increase to $2.94/bu. for 2010-1012. CCC loan rates can be found at: www.fsa.usda.gov.

Bottom Line
Producers may enroll in the 2009 DCP farm program at county FSA offices at any time between now and June 1, 2009. Once they enroll in the farm program, they will be eligible to receive 22% of their 2009 direct payments. Producers will be able to consider enrollment in the new ACRE program at a later date, as ACRE sign-up will not begin until the spring 2009. For more information on DCP farm program sign-up, producers should contact their county FSA office.

Editor’s note: Kent Thiesse is a former University of Minnesota Extension educator and now is Vice President of MinnStar Bank, Lake Crystal, MN. You can contact him at 507-726-2137 or via e-mail at kent.thiesse@minnstarbank.com.