ORIGINALLY WRITTEN BILL HARMON (FARM SERVICE AGENCY)
Producers should be aware that March 15 is the application deadline for certain crops under the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP).
Crops eligible for NAP benefits are limited to those not insurable in the county and are produced for food or fiber.
March 15 is the final date to pay the applicable service fee and obtain NAP coverage for coarse grains, vegetable and melon crops and cotton. The administrative service fee is $100 per crop per county not to exceed $300 per producer per county, and a $900 maximum fee for multi-county producers.
This coverage entitles eligible producers to a payment of 55 percent of an average market price for the commodity if a natural disaster causes a production loss of at least 50 percent.
In the event that a producer does suffer a loss on a particular crop, a form CCC-576, Notice of Loss, must be filed with Farm Service Agency within 15 calendar days after the disaster occurrence, or the date the loss becomes apparent to the producer.
Interested producers should contact their local FSA at the U.S. Department of Agriculture service center prior to March 15.
aBill Harmon is executive director of the FSA office for Marion County.
