Agriculture Transportation Reimbursement Program Ends Sept. 9

USDA Farm Service Agency News Release

Agriculture producers exporting crops have until Friday, Sept. 9 to apply for reimbursements covering transportation costs.  Authorized by the 2008 Farm Bill, the Reimbursement Transportation Cost Payment Program for Geographically Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers (RTCP) provides payments intended to offset a portion of the costs of transporting agricultural inputs and products over long distances. The program assists farmers and ranchers in Hawaii, Guam, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of the Marshall Islands and Republic of Palau.
 
RTCP benefits are calculated based on the amount of costs incurred by the producer for transportation of the agricultural commodity or inputs during a fiscal year, subject to an $8,000 per producer cap per fiscal year. Applicants must file their RTCP application for benefits with their local Farm Service Agency (FSA) county office no later than Sept. 9. Applicants will have until Nov. 4 to provide supporting documentation of actual costs of transporting agricultural inputs and commodities in fiscal year 2011 to the FSA county office.
 
For more information on the new RTCP program, farmers and ranchers in the eligible areas can visit their local FSA county office, www.fsa.usda.gov/pricesupport, or contact Henry Fong at (808) 441-2704.