FARMINGTON – Gary J. Raymond, Franklin County executive director for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency, announces that USDA has launched a nationwide service that will allow producers to request and receive Electronic-Loan Deficiency Payment payments online. It was successfully tested as a pilot program over the past two years.

“This service saves farmers and ranchers time, energy and money, and it is an example of how USDA is harnessing the power of the Internet to better serve producers,” said Raymond.

When local market prices are less than the marketing-assistance loan rate, eligible producers can choose to receive payments for their crops in lieu of marketing assistance loans. A payment is made based upon the quantity of the commodity that is eligible to be pledged as collateral for a loan multiplied by the difference between the marketing assistance loan rate for a given location and the loan repayment for the applicable commodity.

To participate in the new service, producers must meet all eligibility requirements. To register, producers can go to www.sc.egov.usda.gov and complete form CCC-634-E or obtain the form at USDA Service Centers.

The program allows producers to apply for and receive payments online from remote locations such as their homes or offices.

Additional information is available on this and other Farm Service Agency programs at the Franklin County USDA Service Center or online at www.fsa.usda.gov.