March 2, 2009

LANSING, MI - Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDA) Director Don Koivisto today announced that Michigan has been chosen as one of seven states for a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) pilot project for plant transferability.  The other states involved in the pilot are Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin.

“As one of the nation’s most diverse agricultural states, this pilot project provides producers a new opportunity to more effectively use their base acreage,” said Koivisto.  “It also provides another revenue stream for Michigan’s fruit and vegetable producers as well as increasing fresh produce for consumers looking to buy local.”

Authorized in the 2008 Farm Bill, the Planting Transferability Pilot Project (PTPP) allows producers to plant approved fruits or vegetables for processing on a farm's base acres - these include cucumbers, green peas, lima beans, pumpkin, snap beans, sweet corn or tomatoes. Without the PTPP, planting these crops on base acres would be prohibited. Base acres on a farm will be temporarily reduced each year on an acre-for-acre basis, for each base acre planted with an approved fruit or vegetable on that farm. The approved states and acreages are:

Eligible participants must agree to produce one of the approved crops for processing and to provide the county Farm Service Agency (FSA) office with a copy of the contract between the producer and processing plant. Participants must agree to produce the crop as part of a program of crop rotation on the farm to achieve agronomic, pest and disease management benefits, and to provide disposition evidence of the crop. Participants must complete form CCC-749 (available at http://www.fsa.usda.gov) and file it with their county FSA office.

The sign-up period for the PTPP ends March 2, 2009.  USDA will not accept applications filed after that date.

For more information on PTPP or other farm programs, visit your local USDA Service Center or the FSA Web site at http://www.fsa.usda.gov.