SPRINGFIELD — Scherrie V. Giamanco, state executive director for USDA’s Illinois Farm Service Agency (FSA), is reminding producers of the new acreage reporting requirements for fall seeded small grains, forage crops, apples and peaches.

Producers of perennial forage crops (grass, hay, alfalfa, and pasture) and fall seeded small grains (wheat, rye and barley) must submit a 2013 acreage report for these crops by Dec. 15. Producers of apples and peaches must submit a 2013 acreage report for these crops by Jan. 15, 2013. These dates are also the same date for these crops to be reported to your crop insurance agent when carrying federal crop insurance. For the 2013 crop year only, late-file fees will not be assessed if reported by June 30, 2013.

In prior years, reports for these crops were not due to FSA until later in the spring and summer. This change is part of an initiative at the national level to align acreage reporting dates between FSA and Risk Management Agency (RMA).