(AP) - Farmers have until Friday to make some key decisions that will govern their operations for the next five years under the new farm bill.

The first deadline of Feb. 27 requires them to update base acre and yield history for their chosen crops. Those are then used to calculate choices about crop coverage.

Producers used to talk to their local Farm Services Agency office and the staff would tell them what price they would receive per acre. They're now offered choices and need to analyze how the program will work for them before the final March 31 signup.

The new farm bill replaces set direct payments with payments that factor in price volatility and production averages county by county.

The FSA says South Dakotans are doing well in signups.

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