IfG.CC -
Institute for eGovernment

Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman announced that the USDA is expanding its pilot e-LDP program to 50 counties, with every state having one participating county. The service, which allows producers to request and receive loan deficiency payments (LDPs) online, has been available as a pilot program in 21 counties since May 2002. "This program saves America's 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 Veneman. "The pilot program is part of the Administration's e-Government initiative, the government-wide effort to use technology to better serve individuals and businesses across the country."

The program allows producers to apply for and receive LDPs online from remote locations such as their homes or offices. Participating farmers no longer have to travel to USDA Service Centers to receive their benefits. As a result, the program reduces paperwork load and speeds up payment processing.

The voluntary service has stringent security measures to protect participants' private information. Just like traditional LDPs, only authorized federal employees are given access to information that is submitted electronically.

To participate in the voluntary e-LDP pilot, producers must meet all eligibility requirements for marketing assistance loans and LDPs. Producers of the following crops may participate in the program: barley, corn, grain sorghum, oats, peanuts, rice, soybeans and wheat. Producers of rice and peanuts can now participate in the program, a change from the first phase of the pilot program. Eligible producers can choose to receive LDPs for their crops in lieu of marketing assistance loans. An LDP is the difference between the loan rate at a given location and the market price for the applicable commodity.

Quelle: Crop Decisions