Adrian J. Polansky, State Executive Director for USDA’s Farm Service Agency in Kansas, reminds producers that March 15, 2013, is the application closing date 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, Cotton, Pecans, Pumpkins, Safflower, Sesame, Squash, and Walnuts.  The administrative service fee is $250 per crop per administrative county not to exceed $750 per producer per administrative county and a $1875 maximum fee for multi-county producers.  Interested producers must pay the fee and file form CCC-471, Application for Coverage, by the application closing deadline.

                    This coverage entitles eligible producers to a payment of 55 percent of an average market price for the commodity if a natural disaster caused a 50 percent production loss or greater of an eligible crop.

                    In the unfortunate event that a producer does suffer a loss on their particular crop, a form CCC-576, Notice of Loss, must be filed with FSA within 15 calendar days after the disaster occurrence, or the date the loss becomes apparent to the producer.

                    Producers are limited to $100,000 in benefits per person per crop year, they must certify crop acres by applicable deadlines, maintain production evidence for 3 years, have less than $500,000 Non-farm Adjusted Gross Income, and must comply with conservation compliance provisions in order to be eligible.

                    Contact the local Farm Service Agency at the USDA Service Center prior to the March 15 application closing date to obtain NAP coverage.