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November 2006

***[LAA-3]{.underline}*** Wayne Brost of Wasilla has produced livestock
feed crops for 35 years and salmon for 13 years. "Tiny" Rose Marie
DePriest resides at 16020 East Outer Springer Road in Palmer and has
produced mink, chickens, potatoes, hay, silage, dairy animals, and milk
for 63 years. "Tiny" is an active member of Northland Pioneer Grange #1,
Alaska Farmers Union, Alaska Farm Bureau, Mat-Su Resource and
Conservation District, Palmer SWCD (Supervisor of Palmer County), and
the FSA COC where she has served two 3- year terms. Also nominated in
LAA-3 is Matthew Shaul of Wasilla

***[LAA-4]{.underline}*** Charles W. "Chip" Treinen resides at 2054
Arlington Drive in Anchorage. He has produced salmon for over 30 years
and he serves on the Board of Directors of United Fishermen of Alaska as
a member-at-large. Kevin Adams resides at 2037 Churchill Drive in
Anchorage. He has produced salmon for 34 years and is an active member
of the United Fisherman Association.

***[LAA-5]{.underline}*** Rodger Painter resides at 132 Street in Juneau
and has produced oysters and clams for 16 years. He is president of the
Alaskan Shellfish Growers Association and has served as member of the
Pacific Coast Shellfish Growers Association and the Alaska Seafood
Marketing Institute. Tom Henderson of Kake has produced oysters for 12
years. He is an active member of the Alaska Shellfish Growers
Association and currently serves as Southeast Vice President. Also on
the ballot is Scott McAllister of Juneau.

**Northern County:**

***[LAA-1]{.underline}*** Ted Katcheak of Stebbins has produced reindeer
for 50 years. He is an active member of the Reindeer Herders Association
and serves as secretary. Also on the ballot is Clark Davis of Nome.

***[LAA-2]{.underline}*** Micheal F. Martin resides at 3240 Judy Lane in
North Pole. He grew up on a farm raising cattle, pigs, sheep, horses,
and goats, and has produced oats, beardless barley, and brome grass in
Alaska for several years. Mark Kern of Eielson Farm Road in Salcha is
also on the ballot.

***[LAA-3]{.underline}*** Clyde Barnebey of North Pole has produced
brome hay for 6 years and is an active member of the Alaska Farm Bureau.
McLaren Carter resides at 4650 Kitfox Lane in Central. He produced
vegetable crops for 9 years and is an active member of the Board of
Agriculture and Conservation and serves as Chair on the Creamery
Corporation.

***[LAA-4]{.underline}*** Robert Green resides at Triple H Road in Delta
Junction. He produced barley, oats and hay pellets for 35 years. Also on
the ballot is Paul Knopp of Delta Junction

***[LAA-5]{.underline}*** Roger Hendry resides at Mile 15 Cummings Road
in Delta Junction. He has raised hogs, cattle, hay, grain, potatoes and
yaks during the past 16 years. Richard D. Karr of Delta Junction raises
yaks.

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Farm Reconstitutions

In program terminology, farms are *constituted* to group all tracts
having the same owner and the same operator under one farm serial
number. When changes in ownership or operation take place, a farm
*reconstitution* is necessary. The reconstitution --- or recon --- is
the process of combining or dividing farms or tracts of land based on
the farming operation.

The following are the different methods used when doing a farm recon.
Remember, to be effective for the current year, recons must be requested
by Aug. 1 for farms enrolled in the Direct and Counter-cyclical Program.

**Estate Method** --- the division of bases, allotments and quotas for a
parent farm among heirs in settling an estate;

**Designation of Landowner Method** --- may be used when (1) part of a
farm is sold or ownership is transferred; (2) an entire farm is sold to
two or more persons; (3) farm ownership is transferred to two or more
persons; (4) part of a tract is sold or ownership is transferred; (5) a
tract is sold to two or more persons; or (6) tract ownership is
transferred to two or more persons. In order to use this method the land
sold must have been owned for at least three years, or a waiver granted,
and the buyer and seller must sign a Memorandum of Understanding;

**DCP Cropland Method** --- the division of bases in the same proportion
that the DCP cropland for each resulting tract relates to the DCP
cropland on the parent tract;

**Default Method** --- the division of bases for a parent farm with each
tract maintaining the bases attributed to the tract level when the
reconstitution is initiated in the system.

If DCP direct payments have already been issued on a particular farm,
the reconstitution will be effective for the next year, unless the
payments are refunded.

**Changing Financial Institutions**

Almost all Farm Service Agency payments are made electronically using
Direct Deposit. This innovation has cut down on the number of missing
and late payments and reduced the time required to move funds. It has
been determined that the chance of having a problem with a payment is 20
times greater with checks than with Direct Deposit. Another benefit is
that Direct Deposit to your account can be made within 48 hours.

To keep the system running smoothly, it's critical to keep the county
office staff up to date on changes you might make in your financial
institutions.

If you have changed accounts or institutions that might affect the
direct deposit of your FSA payments, contact the FSA county office so we
can update our files to insure continued uninterrupted service.

Selling Land

If you're planning to sell farmland, there may be some program
consequences you should be aware of. For example, if you're planning to
sell land that's enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program, the buyer
must agree to continue the enrollment. If the buyer doesn't want to
continue the CRP contract, you might have to refund all of the payments
you've received to date.

Reviewing program implications with your local Farm Service Agency staff
before completing a sale of farmland is always a prudent precaution.

Unauthorized Disposition of Loaned Grain

If loan grain has been disposed of through feeding, selling or any other
form of disposal without prior written authorization from the county
office staff, it is considered unauthorized disposition. The financial
penalties for unauthorized dispositions are severe and a producers name
will be placed on a loan violation list for a two-year period. Always
call the office before any loan grain is fed or sold.

Reasonable Accommodations

Reasonable accommodations will be made, upon request, for individuals
with disabilities, vision impairment, or hearing impairment to attend or
participate in meetings or events sponsored by the Farm Service
Agency. If you require special accommodations to attend or participate
in one of our events, please call the FSA county office and we will be
happy to make any needed arrangements. 

# Dates to Remember

November 23, 2006 Thanksgiving Holiday -- Office closed.

The last date to return your ballots to the Farm Service Agency office
is the close of business on December 4, 2006. If mailed, ballots must be
postmarked by midnight December 4.

Presidential Major Disaster Declaration M1663

Effective October 16, 2006, President Bush declared a Major Disaster in
Alaska based on damages and losses caused by severe storms, flooding,
landslides, and mudslides that occurred August 15, 2006 through August
25, 2006. The major disaster declaration number is M1663. The primary
boroughs/census divisions declared eligible for Federal disaster
assistance including Farm Service Agency (FSA) emergency (EM) loans for
eligible family farmers, designated by M1663 are:

Denali, Matanuska-Susitna, Chugach Regional Education Attendance Area.

In addition to the above areas, seven other Alaska boroughs/census
divisions are named as contiguous boroughs/census divisions where
eligible family farmers may qualify for FSA EM loan assistance, pursuant
to section 321(a) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act.
Those boroughs/census divisions are:

Yukon-Koyukuk, Anchorage, Bethel, Kenai Peninsula, Fairbanks-North
Start, Southeast Fairbanks and Valdez-Cordova.

EM loan applications will be received through June 16, 2007 for physical
and production losses. Contact your local County 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 Postage Fees Paid

Suite 216 Farm Service Agency

Palmer, AK 99645 Permit NO G-96