Does anyone know of a program (perhaps through Farm Services or USDA) whereby sheep owners can receive some reimbursement for part of the cost of purchasing a registered ram, or for capital improvements to the farm livestock operation? Was told of this but no details, except that the purchases had to be made by September. Any info appreciated. (We are in Indiana altho I don't know if the above is a state or a national program)Thanks.

-- Peggy Taylor (bptaylor@ccrtc.com), August 24, 2000

Answers

Sorry, but this seems like one of those 'how do I boil water' questions which burned out Jd. You go to your local phone book, look up the number for your local ag extension agent, call and ask. That was your tax dollars pay for. How are people out of your area, much less your state, going to be able to help?

-- Ken S. in TN (scharabo@aol.com), August 25, 2000.

Hi peggy,

Yes, I have the information. I am the secretary for the Mid- Atlantic meat Goat and Lamb Marketing Cooperative. We received the letter a few weeks ago and I am in the process of disseminating the information. I have to get ready for work so i don't have time but wrote myself a note to post the information. Off the top of my head they will pay $100.00 towards a lamb and 25% of facilities construction. There are also monies for when the said sheep is sold after a few yrs, think it was an extra $8.00 they will add to the price. hope this helps and I'll post the information tonight.

-- Bernice (geminigoats@yahoo.com), August 25, 2000.

Peggy, I received my information from the county Farm Service Agency and can give you an overview. Year 1 - ram payment (reimburse a sheep producer $100 for the purchase of a new ram), 20% reimbursement for improvement to sheep facilities (re: lambing pens, etc., check out for sure what is covered in your county) and a sheep improvement program, NSIP is mentioned in the letter from FSA. The purpose of this is to evaluate the genetics of flocks for maternal, growth and wool traits to improve production efficiencies.

Year 2 and 3 - Two types of lambs are eligible for payment, slaughter lambs and feeder lambs. Feeder lambs must be marketed between Aug 1, 2000 and July 31, 2002 and slaughter lambs market between Aug 1, 2000 and July 31, 2002. Payment rates for feeder and slaughter lambs are $3.00 per head for feeder lambs and $5.00 per head for slaughter lambs, and $8 per head for slaughter lambs marketed during June 1 through July 31 of year 2 and 3. This is a brief discription of the program. You need to contact your FSA office for all the info. The program is called Lamb Meat Adjustment Assistance Program. The first year ends September 31 so move fast. The purpose of the program is to encourage the increased production of lamb in the USA since flock are decreasing at an alarming rate. This is not a program to help the hobby flock so much as to increase the production. As usual, this is a fix that may or may not work, but if you can improve your operation and produce better product, then take advantage of it. (Got to remember, the government programs are designed by folks in shirt and tie sitting at a desk and sometimes don't make lots of sense.) You can also get info off the net, just put in USDA and you should get there. Sorry didn't keep the address when I searched it out.

-- Betsy (betsyk@pathwaynet.com), August 25, 2000.

Realize that you will not be getting an immediate payment. Our daughter raises sheep and turned in her forms last week and we were told that payment had not yet been approved by the government (or whoever allocates the money), but that she would get her check when it was.

-- beckie (sunshine_horses@yahoo.com), August 25, 2000.

I guess the self sufficient homesteader mentality ends for some people when the government nipple comes out.Seems funny to see all the give me liberty or give me death sentiments on some threads and find that all erased with a little free money. IMHO Mike

-- Mike (MSTYDALE@aeroinc.net), August 25, 2000.

Why in the world is our government encouraging production when a few years ago they cut sheep/goat producers off at the knees by eliminating the subsidy payment to them generated not from tax dollars but from tariffs on imported lamb (meat) and wool?

-- marilyn (rainbow@ktis.net), August 25, 2000.

Marilyn, I wondering the very same thing, which underscores my point.Why would any producer ( and I am one btw ) want to get tangled up with the government subsidising there enterprise? If you cant find a way to make a profit on sheep without the government handing over some one elses money, the real question ( borrowing from Joel Salatin) would be why raise sheep at all?One thing I do know is little 4h and hobby flocks dont need any tax money, I mean come on!

-- Mike (MSTYDALE@AEROINC.NET), August 25, 2000.

Wow, didn't mean to hit a nerve! Was just asking for info. To Besty, Beckie, and Berniece, thanks for your kind replies. You have been helpful. I apologize to others whose sensibilities I have obviously offended by asking such a question. I'm very sorry.

-- Peggy Taylor (bptaylor@ccrtc.com), August 25, 2000.

Peggy go to www.fsa.usda.gov/dafp/psd/

Then your can look under programs , I think what you are looking for is the Lamb adjustment assistance program .This will give you details.Then you can go to forms and download them .

My feeling is the gov. gives money to everyone else including other countrys , and all I do is give mine to them .It's my turn .Hope this helps . ~ Patty

-- Patty Gamble (fodfarms@slic.com), August 25, 2000.

We choose what programs we get involved with. After YEARS of being in the top tax brackets while making much less than the president and paying more taxes, I feel this is a way to get some back. We are now in the bottom tax brackets since deciding to farm and knowing that at this point we will never make enough off of the farm to give up our other jobs makes me mad.

Mike and Marilyn, Just because you do not want to participate in government programs does not give you the right to condemn someone else that does.

Ken S, Many of theses programs are difficult to get information on much less know WHO you are supposed to get information from. We have gone to our local FSA office to get info and been told that they know nothing about it and I have to bring in the article from the newspaper to show them that they should and then miraculously they have all of the information I need.

-- beckie (sunshine_horses@yahoo.com), August 26, 2000.

I am a little surprised at the tone of some of the replies to this inquiry. This is exactly what deters folks to use the forum and psot a question or reply. What happened to our warm friendly welcomeing attitude seen in so many other threads? Although there were some good points made about government subsidies and opinions stressed, the manner in which they were expressed came across as condemming and rude. Must be a few got up on the wrong side of the bed:):0 Ok.. heres the information for the sheep grant $ NSIIC PO Box 281028 Lakewood CO. 80228-1028 (303)236-2856 fax (303) 236-7683 Just one comment here about the grant, its my understanding and I am writing for clarification that goats were to be included in this grant money and some type of program created for goats. As I said I am writing for clarification. And to respond to the comment about the tax monies going to 4-H or hobby farms. I would much rather my tax moneies go to helping some child in 4-H than supporting them in prison or some other type of deliquent youth program. Just my humble opinion. Guess this is a political topic as the monies derive from politics.

-- Bernice (geminigoats@yahoo.com), August 26, 2000.

Bravissima, Bernice. I like to be REFUNDED/rewarded some of my own tax dollars as well...and also see them directed to my choice of recipients. As for the purpose and tone of this forum, again, bravissima.

-- just another tax payer (zumende@aol.com), August 31, 2000.

Great job as always Bernice. With the new rules currently being written in APHIS once again the US will have a viable export of sheep, since we will once again be under the umbrella of "point of origin is in a scrapie free program". With the hair, meat and dairy goats lumped into this scrapie program via being caprines, we are hoping to see some of these monies also come into our hands! Rabies and CAE funding are so incredibly needed. Geeze never thought of applying to help defray the cost of my new buck :) Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), September 01, 2000.