Higher temperatures are coming. With high temperatures it is important to keep an eye on our hay moisture and temperatures to prevent barn fires. Hay fires are caused when bacteria in wet hay create so much heat that the hay spontaneously combusts in the presence of oxygen. At over 20% moisture mesophilic bacteria release heat-causing temperature to rise between 130°F to 140ºF with temperature staying high for up to 40 days. As temperatures rise, thermophilic bacteria can take off in your hay and raise temperature into the fire danger zone of over 175°F. To learn how to prevent hay barn fires by accessing risks and checking temperatures, access the full article on Ohio State University Extension’s C.O.R.N Newsletter.
hay storage
Farm Storage Facility Loan Program
FSA’s HAY FACILITY AND HANDLING EQUIPMENT LOAN PROGRAM CHANGES
Farm Service Agency’s Farm Storage Facility Loan (FSFL) program provides low interest financing for hay producers to build/upgrade hay storage facilities and now hay handling equipment like never before. How low are interest rates? The following are rates for the month of April:
3 year loan terms 1.625%
5 year loan terms 2.000%
7 year loan terms 2.250%
10 year loan terms 2.500%
12 year loan terms 2.500%
Loan Amounts: Loans of $100,000 or less are limited to 7 year terms. Used equipment is now eligible for loan and for used equipment the loan term cannot exceed 5 years. Loan amounts between $100,000 and $250,000 can be up to 10 year loan terms and loan amounts between $250,000 and $500,000 can be up to 12 year loan terms.
Down Payments: Usual down payment amounts for FSFL loans are 15 or 20 percent. A new option is now available called micro loans which offers the opportunity for a down payment of 5 percent when the loan amount is $50,000 or less.
Eligible Items: Hay storage buildings have been eligible for some time now. The eligible equipment list has been expanded to include flatbed trucks, skid steers, hay trailers, hay wagons, front and rear-end loader attachments, round bale grippers, forklifts, hay spear attachments, telehandler/loadall, bale bed, bale accumulator, bale band-its (excluding ties), bale wrappers (excluding wrapping supplies), and automatic bale stackers. As mentioned previously used equipment can also be eligible for loan if it has a useful life for the term of the loan and market value equal to the loan amount can be determined. Trucks cannot be more than 15 years old and cannot have a salvage title. Further semi-trucks (semi-tractors) are not eligible. This is not a complete list and FSA should be contacted to determine eligibility of equipment and structures.
First steps: Don’t do earth moving or have building supplies delivered until an environmental evaluation is done and your FSFL application is approved. Don’t buy equipment until your FSFL application has been filed with FSA. Do get an estimate of the work you want to do or the equipment you want to buy to base your application on. There is an application fee of $100. Contact your local Farm Service Agency for more information.