HUNTINGTON -- The West Virginia Farm Service Agency will issue Conservation Reserve Program and Direct and Counter-cyclical Program payments during the first few weeks of October.

FSA will issue the payments as long as all producer eligibility requirements are met, said Alfred Lewis, the FSA's executive director.

CRP and DCP payments could be affected if producers have not submitted the required Adjusted Gross Income forms. For more information on CRP and DCP payments, contact the local FSA office.

Business After Hours planned for Oct. 18

ASHLAND, Ky. -- American Health Centers will host the Ashland Alliance's next Business After Hours from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 18, at 1301 Winchester Ave.

Guests can RSVP for the Halloween-themed event by calling 606-327-1915. Food and beverages will be served, and guests are encouraged to bring business cards to drop in for door prizes and use while networking throughout the evening.

U.S. drops 11 to 1,837 rigs exploring for oil, gas

HOUSTON -- The number of rigs actively exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. dropped this week by 11 to 1,837.

Texas-based oilfield services company Baker Hughes Inc. reported Friday that 1,398 rigs were exploring for oil and 437 were searching for gas. Two were listed as miscellaneous. A year ago, Baker Hughes listed 2,012 rigs.

Of the major oil- and gas-producing states, Texas lost 10 rigs, Louisiana and North Dakota each dropped by three and Alaska and Oklahoma were down two apiece.

Pennsylvania added three rigs and California two.

Arkansas, Colorado, New Mexico, West Virginia and Wyoming were unchanged.

The rig count peaked at 4,530 in 1981 and bottomed at 488 in 1999.

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