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December 2006

cases, receive approval and payment by direct deposit within 48 hours.

-   eDCP is FSA's electronic Direct and Counter-Cyclical Payment Program
    which allows producers to enroll in DCP online, choose DCP payment
    options, assign crop shares, sign and submit contracts, and view and
    print them out at any time.

-   My USDA is an online portal the producer can create. It can be
    customized so that the news, reports, links, and USDA business data
    most important to the producer will immediately be viewable.

Stop by the county office for assistance in obtaining a USDA
eAuthentication Service Level 2 Customer Account. This provides a single
user ID and password that grants access to the Customer Statement, and
many other USDA e-Services, including submitting forms online through
USDA e-File, such as eLDP and eDCP.

+----------------------------------------------------+-----------------+
| **Selected Interest Rates for**                    |                 |
|                                                    |                 |
| **December 2006**                                  |                 |
+----------------------------------------------------+-----------------+
| 90-Day Treasury Bill                               | [5.00%]{.mark}  |
+----------------------------------------------------+-----------------+
| Farm Operating - Direct                            | [5.125%]{.mark} |
+----------------------------------------------------+-----------------+
| Farm Ownership - Direct                            | [5.375%]{.mark} |
+----------------------------------------------------+-----------------+
| Limited Resource                                   | 5.000%          |
+----------------------------------------------------+-----------------+
| Farm Ownership - Direct Down Payment, Beginning    | 4.000%          |
| Farmer or Rancher                                  |                 |
+----------------------------------------------------+-----------------+
| Emergency                                          | 3.750%          |
+----------------------------------------------------+-----------------+
| Farm Storage Facility                              | 5.000%          |
+----------------------------------------------------+-----------------+
| Sugar Storage Facility                             | [5.250%]{.mark} |
+----------------------------------------------------+-----------------+
| Commodity Loans 1996-Present                       | [6.000%]{.mark} |
+----------------------------------------------------+-----------------+

**Emergency Loans Available Under Two Separate Disaster Declarations**

These loans are available to cover:

*Production Losses.* Eligible farmers can also use emergency loan funds
to recover a portion of losses on growing crops that were destroyed.

*Physical Losses.* Eligible farmers can use emergency loan funds to
repair or rebuild essential farm buildings, clean debris or prepare land
for replanting, and to replace livestock, supplies and harvested crops
on hand or in storage that were lost.

M1663 covers Alaska farmers in the Mat-Su and nine surrounding
boroughs/census areas who suffered significant damage due to the severe
storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides that occurred August 15, 2006
through August 25, 2006. Producers may be eligible for low-interest
emergency loans from the Farm Service Agency if they are unable to get
financing from any other source. These loans carry an interest rate of
3.75 percent. Loan applications will be accepted at your local FSA
office through June 16, 2007.

M1669 covers Alaska farmers in the Kenai Peninsula and five surrounding
boroughs/ census areas who suffered significant damage due to the severe
storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides that occurred October 8, 2006
through October 13, 2006. Producers may be eligible for low-interest
emergency loans from the Farm Service Agency if they are unable to get
financing from any other source. These loans carry an interest rate of
3.75 percent. Loan applications will be accepted at your local FSA
office through August 8, 2007.

Spousal Signatures

Husbands and wives may sign documents on behalf of each other for FSA
and Commodity Credit Corporation programs in which either has an
interest. This option is automatically available unless a written
request for exclusion is made to the county office staff by either
spouse.

There are exceptions to the rule. Spouses may not sign FSA-211s on
behalf of each other or sign on behalf of the other as an authorized
signatory for partnerships, joint ventures, corporations or other
similar entities. Spouses must have a power of attorney on file or sign
personally for claim settlements, such as promissory notes, and on
security documents for price support loans.

Individual signatures are also required on certain Farm Loan Program and
Farm Storage Facility Loan documents.

A spouse's authority to sign documents on behalf of the other spouse
does not entitle the spouse to review or receive agency records of the
other spouse.

Loans for Beginning Farmers, Socially Disadvantaged

FSA is authorized to assist beginning farmers and or members of socially
disadvantaged groups to finance agricultural enterprises. Under these
programs, FSA can provide financing to eligible applicants through
either direct or guaranteed loans. FSA defines a beginning farmer as a
person whom:

-   Has operated a farm for not more that 10 years

-   Will materially and substantially participate in the operation of
    the farm

-   Agrees to participate in a loan assessment, borrower training and
    financial management program sponsored by FSA

-   Does not own a farm in excess of 30 percent of the county's average
    size.

Each member of an entity must meet the eligibility requirements. Loan
approval is not guaranteed. Socially disadvantaged groups are Hispanics,
American Indians, African Americans, Asians, Pacific Islanders and
women.

**2006 COC Election Results**

**Southern County Results:**

**LAA-1** Member: Aloysius Unok, 1^st^ Alternate: Craig Shauf, 2^nd^
Alternate Jesse Edward.

**LAA-2** Member: Abby Ala, 1^st^ Alternate: Lee Martin, 2^nd^
Alternate: Michael Swan, 3^rd^ Alternate: Lerory Cabana.

**LAA-3** Member: Wayne Brost, 1^st^ Alternate: Rose Marie "Tiny"
Depriest, 2^nd^ Alternate: Matthew Shaul.

**LAA-4** Member: Charles "Chip" Treinen, 1^st^ Alternate: Kevin Adams

**LAA-5** Member: Rodger Painter, 1^st^ Alternate: Scott McAllister,
2^nd^ Alternate: Tom Henderson.

**Northern County Results:**

**LAA-1** Member: Clark Davis, 1^st^ Alternate: Ted Katcheak.

**LAA-2** Member: Mark W. Kern, 1^st^ Alternate: Micheal F. Martin.

**LAA-3** Member: Mclaren Carter, 1^st^ Alternate: Clyde Barnebey.

**LAA-4** Member: Paul E. Knopp, 1^st^ Alternate: Robert Green.

**LAA-5** Member: Richard D. Karr, 1^st^ Alternate: Roger Hendry.

We thank all who participated in this year's election.

**SCHEDULED COC MEETING**

The FSA Southern and Northern County Committees will be holding the
first 2007 COC meeting the week of January 22, 2007. Should you have any
information or applications for program participation, please submit by
January 12, 2007 to the appropriate county office so it may be included
in Agenda items.

**OFFICE DAY**

Acting CED Lloyd Wilhelm will be in the Southern County Office on
January 25 and 26, 2007

Maintaining the Quality of Loaned Grain

This year's large grain crop has its obvious up side, but there is a
downside too. Many producers are hard pressed to find adequate storage
for every bushel harvested. Overfilled grain storage bins can lead to
grain quality problems.

Bins are ideally designed to hold a level volume of grain. When bins are
overfilled and grain is heaped up, airflow is hindered and the chance of
spoilage increases.

Producers who take out marketing assistance loans and use the
farm-stored grain as collateral should remember that they are
responsible for maintaining the quality of the commodity through the
term of the loan.

For information about grain storage options visit
http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/cropsystems/M1080-FS.pdf or
contact your local extension office.

"The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits
discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race,
color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex,
marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual
orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or
because all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public
assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.)
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for
communication of program information (Braille, large prints, audiotape,
etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and
TDD)"

"To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of
Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or
call 800-795-3272 (voice) or 202-720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal
opportunity provider and employer."

Alaska State FSA Office PRSRT STD

800 W Evergreen, Suite 216 Postage Fees paid

Palmer, AK 99645-6539 Farm Service Agency

Permit NO G-96