Non-insured crop disaster assistance program (NAP) deadline dates
Producers interested in participating in the Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) Non-Insured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) need to be aware of the upcoming application deadlines that must be met for NAP qualification.
NAP was designed to reduce financial losses that occur when natural disasters cause catastrophic losses of production or prevented planting of eligible crop by providing coverage equivalent to catastrophic (CAT) insurance.
Application deadline dates for specific NAP qualifying crops are listed.
• The application deadline date for the 2010 NAP coverage for “value loss” crops such as ginseng, turf grass sod, Christmas trees, aquaculture, floriculture and ornamental nursery is Sept. 1, 2009.
• The deadline date for forage crops, including most spring planted forages and pastureland forages not covered by federal crop insurance, is Sept. 30, 2009.
• Sept. 30, 2009, is the application closing date for winter and spring plantings of wheat, barley and rye, and mint.
• Perennial crop deadlines on fruit and other crops such as apples, pears, blueberries, strawberries, grapes, honey, maple sap, asparagus and other perennial fruits is Nov. 20, 2009.
Producers still need to file a crop report and/or inventories by the prescribed deadlines for the crops.
Those currently with coverage on 2009 NAP crops may choose to continue coverage on the same crops for 2010, if the applicable service fee is submitted by the application closing date. A new CCC-471, application for coverage, is not required to be signed when applying for continuous coverage of the same crop or crops. However, if producers choose to add new crops or remove crops from the previous year’s coverage or change crop shares, a new CCC-471 must be filed with signatures and the applicable service fee paid.
The 2009 NAP fees are now $250 per crop with a limit of $750 per county. The national limit is $1,875 per producer if farming in more than two counties.
Producers with NAP coverage must remember to file acreage reports and/or inventories in a timely manner, and keep track of harvested production using acceptable methods. To qualify for NAP, a “Notice of Loss” must also be filed within 15 days of when a loss due to drought, hail, flood, etc. becomes apparent,.
For more information on NAP coverage and crop specific acreage, inventory and production reporting deadlines, contact the Sheboygan County FSA Office at (920) 467-9917, ext. 2.
