SURE Payments Sign-Up Period opens Oct. 22 for 2011 Crop Losses

SAINT PAUL, MINN -- Farm Service Agency State Executive Director Linda Hennen announced the sign-up period for the 2011 crop year Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments (SURE) program will open Oct. 22, 2012 and end June 7, 2013. The SURE program authorizes assistance to farmers and ranchers who suffered crop losses caused by natural disasters occurring through Sept. 30, 2011.

"Any eligible producer who suffered losses during the 2011 crop year is encouraged to contact the FSA office to learn more about the SURE program and how to apply," said Hennen.

Production losses due to disasters occurring after Sept. 30, 2011, are not eligible for disaster program coverage.

To be eligible for SURE, a farm or ranch must have:

-At least a 10-percent production loss on a crop of economic significance;

-A policy or plan of insurance under the Federal Crop Insurance Act or the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) for all economically significant crops;

-Been physically located in a county that was declared a primary disaster county or contiguous county by the Secretary of Agriculture under a Secretarial Disaster Designation. Without a Secretarial Disaster Designation, individual producers may be eligible if the actual production on the farm is less than 50 percent of the normal production on the farm due to a natural disaster. A "farm" for SURE purposes means the entirety of all crop acreage in all counties that a producer planted or intended to be planted for harvest for normal commercial sale or on-farm livestock feeding, including native and improved grassland intended for haying.

Producers considered socially disadvantaged, a beginning farmer or rancher, or a limited resource farmer may be eligible for SURE without a policy or plan of insurance or NAP coverage.

For more information on the 2011 SURE program, visit any FSA county office or www.fsa.usda.gov/sure.