Deadline near for NAP crop coverage

USDA's Farm Service Agency is advising farmers that Oct. 1 is the deadline to obtain crop year 2013 NAP coverage for crops such as perennial forage crops and select fruits/vegetable (asparagus, rhubarb and strawberries).

The normal deadline is Sept. 30, which this year falls on a Sunday, so producers have until the following day to obtain this coverage.

Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) provides financial assistance to producers of noninsurable crops when low yields, loss of inventory or prevented planting occur due to natural disasters.

An eligible producer is a landowner, tenant or sharecropper who shares in the risk of producing an eligible crop. Eligible producers must apply for coverage of noninsurable crops using Form CCC-471, "Application for Coverage," and pay the applicable service fees at their local FSA office.

The application and service fees must be filed by the application closing date as established by the producer's FSA state committee.

The service fee is the lesser of $250 per crop or $750 per producer per administrative county, not to exceed a total of $1,875 for a producer with farming interests in multiple counties.

Service fees may be waived for farmers with limited resources, as measured by gross farm income and total household income.

The other 2013 NAP purchase deadlines are November 20 (perennial fruit/vegetables), December 1 (honey), March 15 (spring seeded annual crops, perennial forage pasture) and May 1 (Ornamental nursery).

The Stevens County Farm Service Agency staff can be reached at (320)589-4886.