Act extends USDA sign-ups<br>
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Kenneth Culp, executive director for USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Indiana, announced eligible farmers and ranchers who suffered livestock, livestock feed and crop losses that occurred before Dec. 31, 2007, can apply to receive disaster payments.<br>
On Dec. 26, President Bush signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2008.  This amends sections of the U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans’ Care, Katrina Recovery and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act of 2007, which allows producers who suffered losses for crops planted before Feb. 28, 2007, or eligible livestock or livestock feed losses between Jan. 1, 2005, and Feb. 28, 2007, to apply for disaster payments under the Crop Disaster Program (CDP), Livestock Compensation Program (LCP) and Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP).<br>
The 2008 act extends CDP, LCP and LIP payments to eligible farmers who suffered 2007 losses throughout the 2007 crop year before Dec. 31, 2007.<br>
The FSA is accepting applications and making payments for quantity losses before Dec. 31, 2007, under CDP. It is issuing LCP and LIP payments for losses up to Feb. 28, 2007, and will soon pay for losses incurred during the remainder of 2007.<br>
FSA will conduct sign-up and begin making payments for quality losses under CDP this spring. More information about CDP, LCP and LIP is available online at http://disaster.fsa.usda.gov<br>
The Dairy Disaster Assistance Payment (DDAP-III) Program, which provides benefits to eligible dairy producers for production losses suffered as a result of natural disasters since Jan. 1, 2005, has also been extended to cover any 2007 disaster occurring before Dec. 31.<br>
As a result, DDAP-III sign-up was temporarily suspended until automation, policy, procedure and other administrative items could be updated accordingly. DDAP-III program sign-up will resume Feb. 4.<br>
The act also extends FSA’s authority to administer the Conservation Reserve Program and marketing loan benefits for wool and mohair through March 15, 2008. It also allows the Milk Price Support Program to continue operating at current price support levels through March 15, 2008.<br>
Additionally, the 2008 act provides $3.3 billion in direct and guaranteed loan funds for FSA’s farm loan programs.<br>
Wall collapses, kills worker<br>

LANESVILLE, Ind. (AP) — A southern Indiana worker died when a wall of a 12-foot-deep trench collapsed on him, authorities said.
The victim, Christopher Hauswald, 32, of Corydon, had been digging the trench for a water line on a farm near Lanesville, about 15 miles west of Louisville, Ky. He was pronounced dead soon after the first emergency crew arrived at the site, Lanesville Fire Lt. Tony Combs said.<br>
The trench, about 300 feet from the road, was about 150 feet long and 3 feet wide. Thirty to 40 feet of the trench wall collapsed, said Lt. Col. Al Tronzo of Louisville Fire & Rescue.<br>
It took rescue crews until about 4 p.m. to secure the walls and begin digging to the victim, Tronzo said. The work was slowed by the frozen ground, and Hauswald’s body was not recovered until shortly after 7 p.m.<br>
The crews were “basically chiseling the dirt out, it was so hard and packed,” Tronzo said. “We were using hammers and chisels.”<br>
Farmer crushed in feed grinder<br>

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. (AP) — Authorities say a central Illinois farmer has died after becoming trapped in equipment used to grind hog feed.<br>
McLean County Coroner Beth Kimmerling says Adam Denzer of Danvers was filling buckets with feed from a grinder-mixer when his clothes caught on a cylindrical shaft between the device and a tractor. Kimmerling says the preliminary cause of death for the 43-year-old is compressional asphyxiation due to entrapment.<br>
Denzer’s wife found him unresponsive around 5:45 a.m. on Jan. 23 at his father’s farm west of Normal. Officials say it was normal for Denzer to stay overnight at the farm while hogs gave birth.<br>
Hog shot after escaping<br>

CUSTER, Mich. (AP) — A 900-pound hog with a reputation for avoiding the slaughterhouse escaped again, but this time met its fate.<br>
The 3-year-old swine recently jumped off a trailer while being unloaded at Sanders Meat Packing, Inc. in the Mason County community of Custer. WWTV-TV in Cadillac stated the hog spent the next six hours roaming village streets and dodging his pursuers.<br>
Farmer Jeff Davenport told the Ludington Daily News he finally shot the hog to stop it. He says the meat was salvaged and nothing went to waste.<br>
Davenport said the hog previously had escaped from his Lake County farm. He said he’d tried to bring the animal to the slaughterhouse several times before. But each time it jumped to freedom, at least temporarily.<br>
Four horses die in car collision<br>
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Four horses from Lane’s End Farm died after bolting onto a road and being hit by a car.<br>
Lexington police said the four yearlings were struck Thursday morning by a car driven by Andrew Jackson, 21, of Georgetown. Lane’s End president Bill Farish said the horses got loose about 7 a.m. and were being led to a barn when they were spooked.<br>
Farish said three of the horses were euthanized because of their injuries, and one died in the collision. Six yearlings ran from their handlers, went out a gate and ran into a two-lane street adjacent to the farm, he said. Farish said one yearling avoided the car and another turned back before the collision.<br>
The road is straight, but has a slight rise to it, Farish said. The horses ran over the rise and into the oncoming car, he said.
Jackson was treated at University of Kentucky Hospital and released, the hospital said. The horses belong to various owners, all of whom had been notified by Thursday afternoon, Farish said.