U.S. Department of Agriculture Indiana Farm Service Agency (FSA) State Executive Director Julia A. Wickard, urges producers who want to purchase coverage through the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) to do so before the sales closing date of March 16, 2015. NAP provides financial assistance to producers of noninsurable crops when low yields/grazing loss, loss of inventory or prevented planting occur due to natural disasters including drought, freeze, hail, excessive moisture, excessive wind or hurricanes.
In order to meet eligibility requirements for NAP, crops must be noninsurable, commercially-produced agricultural commodity crops for which the catastrophic risk protection level of crop insurance is not available.
The Agricultural Act of 2014 (the 2014 Farm Bill) allows producers to choose higher levels of NAP coverage. Previously, the program offered coverage at 55 percent of the average market price for crop losses that exceed 50 percent of expected production. Producers can now choose higher levels of coverage, up to 65 percent of their expected production at 100 percent of the average market price. It is important to note that the higher coverage is not available on grazing crops.
The following crops in Indiana have a NAP application closing date of March 16, 2015 for crop year 2015 coverage: Beans, Beets, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Cantaloupes, Cauliflower, Corn, Cucumbers, Eggplant, Greens, Herbs, Honeydew, Lettuce, Oats, Okra, Onions, Peas, Peppers, Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Pumpkins, Radishes, Sorghum, Squash, Tomatillos, Tomatoes, Watermelon.
“NAP policies allow producers to protect their investment by purchasing coverage for noninsurable crops,” said Wickard. “Natural disasters are an unavoidable part of farming and FSA programs like NAP help producers to recover when they experience a loss.”
Eligible producers must file the application and pay a service fee by the March 16 deadline. Producers also pay a fixed premium for higher coverage. Beginning, limited resource and underserved farmers may request a waiver of the service fee and a 50 percent premium reduction when the application for coverage is filed.