Agristability????? For the guru, SF 99!!!

[freewheat]

So I elected to drop out of Agstability
in 2009. I expanded my farm by 85% in
the spring of 2009. Seeing this years
disaster looming, I paid up and got back
in. I had assumed they have my acreage
numbers. But when I phoned, they stated
they wouldn't have changed my margins,
as they had no 2009 forms completed, and
therefore no structural change would be
included in my current reference margin.
So the reference margin I have been
working with, and presuming accurate and
up to date, may be out by 85%!!! No one
could give me a definitive answer, other
than they don't think they would have my
updated numbers. WTH!!!!

So, Saskfarmer 99, ye guru of all things
agstability, what can I expect in your
humble opinion? Did they take into
account my structural change, and how???
Am I in line for a small fortune because
of this? I'm now working like a madman
on doing my books, because this is a
large sum difference, and if they are
using my old reference margin, I will be
a happy man! How in the heck can they
not know? I talked to three separate
people, and none could give me an
answer. Are not the acres farmed by me
in 2008 on file?

HELP ME SF99!!!

[ALLFARMER]

Freewheat

I will do some thinking on your post and get back to you. I picked up a couple weeks of truck driving and am on the road for a bit.

[farmaholic]

Sorry couldn't resist:


http://dsp-psd.pwgsc.gc.ca/collection_2010/agr/A120-11-2010-eng.pdf

[freewheat]

Gee thanks, farmaholic. Haven't been there
29 times today scouring for an answer the
professionals at the office didn't have.

[riders2010]

HA HA HA The GURU nerd has expressed over and over how stupid farmers are and how they go to him and her for help filling the forms out, yet there is no answer to such a common basic question?? Too funny, what a bullshitter, what's the matter don't you have a handbook and calculator in every piece of equipment you drive? HA HA HA HA HA AHA AHA AHA. Where is Mrs.99 oh yeah when your on the road she's with a real man, BTO your hired man. Ever wonder why they send you out to truck and they are busy with the agristability work wink! wink!.

[riders2010]

Freewheat - Its a bit unclear but when you say you dropped out and got back in, did you not still file an application or was it past the deadline and you were not able to? If you didn't it's not an issue.

You will still need to do your inventory flows for the 2009 year as just as you would have done if you would have filed an application. When I say inventory flows, I mean the old long form style that CAIS used. Make sure you reconcile opening and ending inventory quantities and grades etc for each year. I am sure you have done this already but I thought I would mention.

File your 2010 application as you normally would and attach the 2009 details. (acres info, production, all the other relevant items). When your 2010 application is processed by crop insurance they will calculate the missing 2009 margin and apply it to your reference margin period.

You need to calculate what your claim year margin is for 2009 so that you have something to compare it to when you get your calculations back. There is a good chance it could get calculated incorrectly and since you will not get a calculation document for 2009, you won't get the details of how it was arrived at.

You have always talked about a lot of unseeded acres because of being to wet. The program is only going to use actual seeded acres in your reference period and ignore anything in the unseeded (too wet/dry) category. In 2010 they will use all the acres regardless if they are seeded or too wet and create a structure change for the difference.

So long as you have a margin in the reference years it is going to get a fairly significant bump because of this change in the way the structure change formula works. This is new in 2010 and will give many a boost in reference margins protection in 2011.

Other than fine tuning because the program has not listed final prices for the 2010 year, I already know my protection level for 2011. I have met with my accountant and know within a couple percent what I will get for the 2010 program year.

And before anyone pounces on me because I know that number already, its not very much since we carried over a lot of grain from 2008 and 2009 which increased in value substantially. This greatly reduced the benefit from the program but all and all we are far better off making it on inventory gains than the program.

I hope I answered your question freewheat but if you have more, feel free to ask. My only suggestion other than the above is if you are uncertain, go to see one of the teritory reps from the program or meet with someone from the Melfort or Humboldt MNP offices. a couple hundred bucks may go a long way to make sure you get what you are entitled to

[freewheat]

Thanks for the info binser. I am looking
at a very significant change it appears
in my reference margin. I am hoping it
is right. My territory manager is my
former algebra teacher. I spoke to him,
but he didn't want to speculate whether
they had my post 2009 acres or my pre-
2009 acres. He felt they would not, and
could not. This would change my margin
from less than 50 bucks an acre to more
than 90. And including as you stated,
the unseeded acreage from previous
years,, it could climb to over 100
bucks. A large difference in payout
potential. I may have to eat my hat
regarding the unresponsiveness of this
program, as the potential relief, I must
say would be helpful indeed. The
difference between nothing, and a decent
payout, due to structural changes.

I think your advice to see a CA is a
good idea, now that this has been
uncovered, I would sure be dumb to not
maximize my potential benefit... I
currently do my taxes with a local small
town cheap CA, but MNP or Parker Quine
may get this portion.

I never knew about the unseeded acreage
of previous years bumps. The one year
2006, when I seeded 125 acres, gets
adjusted to the moon, but dropped. My
2007 gets a decent bump, but it had a
small margin to begin with.

Thank you for your effort. Your writing
style tells me you are SF99 in
disguise??? lol I do appreciate this
response.

[freewheat]

Thanks Freewheat but no relation, I guess I should have introduced myself instead of just butting in the conversation.

I have not posted anything since 2006 but read Agriville every so often. But when I read your post I had dig up my id and password to add my 2 cents.

I'm a small grain farmer of around 1500 acres north/east of Saskatoon and a MNP client. I managed to seed about 60% of my acres and grew an average crop. With Agristability I basically do the inventory flow worksheets, they do the analysis,file it and review the assessments for me. I used to do my applications at the beginning but a major processing error on the gov't side relating to the CWB adjustment receivable (RAPC)in 2002 has proven otherwise (to the tune of $25,000).

I have learned a lot about the program from a good advisor and that's where I was able to pass on my knowledge. It seems you knew most of the things anyway so I may not have added much

Its unfortunate that the program seems/is complicated and frustrating to most. And with any program there will be failures and people falling through cracks. Farming isn't easy, I don't buy the concept of something easy from a program standpoint either.

I don't think you need a "CA" to help you fix this, you need someone or some firm that has a significant amount of Ag customers.

Maybe talk to your "Algebra teacher" and ask his opinion on where to go to get your situation straightened out.

Good luck and hope this coming year is a better one. We all need it.

[freewheat]

Well there goes my attempt at using a secret identity this morning.

Everything was true on my last post other than the farm size.

I hope I still helped you freewheat.

[BTOfarmall]

How many acres is yer farm den Saskfarmer99???? So you are binsizer also??? Why Hide, Tom ain't that Scary, He gist a BIG puffa hot air.....

[gustgd]

FWIW
Saskfarmer99

Leave the secret identities to those with capes.

As someone who posted with an alias here and on other blogs for a while.

Go with a your real name or something that a friend or neighbour can call you if you start acting the bully.

Your opinions are taken more seriously if you care enough to stand behind your words. Who do you take more seriously BTO or JDePape?

Don't post anything that might get you punched/sued if you said it in public.

Sometimes you might not post as much because of the above rules, but that says something as well.

I have never had someone call me out on what I have posted here. Yet many people have publicly agreed with me when we meet in person.

Again take it for what you paid for this advice.

a good link

http://thelighthouseonline.com/messages/archives/2005/10/using_your_real.html