Moore County farmers have a critical deadline coming up.

Carrie Burnette, executive director of the Moore/ Montgomery County U.S. Department of Agricul-ture's Farm Service Agency (FSA), is reminding producers that Friday, June 1, is the fast-approaching deadline for Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments (SURE), the Direct and Counter-Cyclical Program (DCP) and the Average Crop Revenue Election Program (ACRE).

"It is absolutely crucial that Moore/Montgomery County producers meet the deadline for these programs in order to receive disaster and income support," Burnette said. "Farmers and producers take risks. These programs form a safety net that keeps producers operating after a devastating natural disaster and during times of low market prices."

The SURE program compensates producers for production and quality losses during times of disaster. Producers who experienced crop production and/ or crop quality losses during the 2010 crop year must apply for SURE program benefits by the June 1 deadline, an FSA news release said.

In addition to other eligibility requirements, producers must have purchased crop insurance through the Federal Crop Insurance Act or the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program on all crops.

While SURE helps after natural disasters strike, DCP and ACRE provide income support when there is a decline in commodity prices, the agency said.

Eligible DCP participants receive a direct payment and/or a counter-cyclical payment. Counter-cyclical payments vary depending on market prices and are issued only when the effective price for a commodity is below its target price.

ACRE protects producers from farm market revenue declines when revenue triggers are met for a commodity at both the state and farm level.

"Late file provisions are not available for ACRE," Burnette said. "If elected in a previous year, producers must enroll for 2012 by June 1 to receive payment."

Anyone needing more information can visit the Moore/Montgomery County FSA office at 707 Pinehurst Ave. in Carthage, or call (910) 947-5104.