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The Farm Loan Team will be sending letters to FSA Farm Loan Program borrowers to remind them of our year-end analysis requirements. Year-end analysis is important in understanding your operation's financial health. It is critical that you complete a financial statement and take an inventory of your assets and liabilities as of January 1 because it aligns with your tax year.
The letter will have forms for you to complete, but if you are in a Farm Business Management group, you may simply complete your FINPACK forms and meet with your instructor. Ask your instructor to email your analysis, financial statement, and 2014 plan to FSA. Those that don't participate in Farm Business Management must complete the forms and return them to FSA by January 31. We will start to schedule appointments after that date. If you are ready prior to January 31, call our office to make an appointment at your convenience.
Borrowers who may need operating credit for 2014 should make an appointment as soon as possible to avoid delays that typically occur later in winter.
Completing a good year-end inventory is the key to a proper balance sheet and for analyzing your operating profitability. Be sure to include all crops on hand, seed, feed, straw, fertilizer, chemicals, and fuel that you have on hand. Group all livestock by type, weight, and age. Do a financial inventory including accounts payable, loans, and receivables. Taking a year-end inventory is sound advice for all producers and will make your life easier, no matter who you borrow from.

New ballots will be mailed to producers in local areas that are holding an election on Dec. 20, 2013
These ballots will indicate that they are the corrected ballot in several places, including on the outside of the mailing, on the ballot and on the outside of the return envelope.
Producers receiving a corrected ballot must return them to the FSA County Office or have them postmarked by January 17, 2014.
The FSA Committee will hold a County Committee meeting after the January 17, 2014 deadline to count the ballots. All newly elected county committee members will take office February 18, 2014. All county committee members whose term expires on Dec. 31, 2013, will have their term extended to January 31, 2014.
County committee members are an important component of the operations of FSA and provide a link between the agricultural community and USDA. Farmers and ranchers elected to county committees help deliver FSA programs at the local level, applying their knowledge and judgment to make decisions on commodity price support programs; conservation programs; incentive indemnity and disaster programs for some commodities; emergency programs and eligibility. FSA committees operate within official regulations designed to carry out federal laws.
To be an eligible voter, farmers and ranchers must participate or cooperate in an FSA program. A person who is not of legal voting age, but supervises and conducts the farming operations of an entire farm may also be eligible to vote.
The Farm Service Agency County offices appreciate all eligible voters that took time to return the incorrectly printed ballots which were destroyed and hope that you will again submit your vote to be counted. The Farm Service Agency apologizes for the inconvenience that the reprinting of ballots may have caused.

Up-coming deadlines for 2013 and 2014
• Dec. 20 - New replacement ballots will be mailed by printing company.
• Dec. 25 - Office Closed - Merry Christmas.
• Jan. 1, 2014 - Office Closed - New Year's Day
• Jan. 17, 2014 - Last date to postmark or submit ballots to FSA office.
Farm Service Agency is an Equal Opportunity Lender, Complaints about discrimination should be sent to: Secretary of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 20250. Visit the Farm Service Agency Web site at: www.fsa.usda.gov/ for necessary application forms and updates on USDA programs.
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