The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) offers protection from weather related conditions for producers who grow crops that are not eligible for coverage through the Federal Crop Insurance Program. This program, known as the Non-Insured Crop Disaster Assistance Program or NAP is specially tailored to the needs of vegetable producers.
The deadline to purchase coverage for 2018 spring-planted crops is March 15, 2018. This includes crops such as pumpkins, processed beets and carrots, fresh market sweet corn, squash, and all other spring-planted vegetable crops.
Basic coverage at 50% of yield and 55% of the established market price of the crop is available for a $250 service fee per crop. Buy-up coverage is available at 100% of the established price at 50%, 55%, 60% and 65% of the crop’s established yield. The cost of buy-up coverage is the $250 service fee plus only 5.25% of the liability for the coverage. No producer ever has to pay more than $750 in service fees per county and buy-up coverage costs are also capped.
A waiver of the $250 service fee and a 50% reduction in the cost of buy-up coverage is available for limited resource farmers (income determination based on total household income and income from farming), beginning farmers(someone is considered a beginning farmer if they have not operated or not substantially participated in the operation of a farm for more than 10 years) and underserved farmers (someone is considered underserved if they are a member of a group whose members have been subject to racial, ethnic, or gender prejudice because of their identities as members of a group without regard to their individual qualities) Females are considered underserved producers.
Consider NAP a financial and risk management tool to help provide you protection from weather related crop losses. Producers in Manitowoc County should contact the Manitowoc FSA Office at 920-683-5119, ext. 2 and producers in Calumet County should contact the Chilton FSA Office at 920-849-3570, ext. 2 with any questions or for more information.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.
