Closing Dates for USDA Non-Insured Crop Disaster Assistance Program Approaching

USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) reminds Tennessee producers who wish to purchase crop loss protection, for non-insurable crops for the 2010 crop year, of the following final sales closing dates:grass pasture, and hay—February 15 sweet corn – February 28 tomatoes—February 28 watermelons—March 15 cantaloupes, cucumbers, peppers, squash—March 31 okra—April 28 pumpkins—April 30 strawberries—July 31
Eligible producers must apply for coverage of non-insurable crops and pay the applicable service fees at their local FSA office by the application closing date. 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 per producer with farming interest in multiple counties. Limited resource producers may request a waiver of service fees. To qualify for an administrative service fee waiver, the producer must meet both of the following criteria: 1) earn no more than $142,000 gross income in farm sales from each of the previous two years (to be increased starting in FY 2009 to adjust for the inflation using price paid by farmer index as compiled by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS); and 2) have a total household income at or below $22,050. It benefits producers to report crop acreage shortly after planting (early in the risk period) to ensure reporting deadlines are not missed and coverage is not lost. In addition, producers must annually provide the following production information: the quantity of all harvested production of the crop in which the producer held an interest during the crop year; the disposition of the harvested crop, such as whether it is marketable, unmarketable, salvaged or used differently than intended; and verifiable or reliable crop production records (when required).
The NAP crop acreage reporting deadlines for Tennessee are as follows:
pasture—March 15 hay—May 15 strawberries — May 30
sweet corn, tomatoes, watermelons, cantaloupes, cucumbers, peppers, squash, okra, pumpkins — July 15
When a crop or planting is affected by a natural disaster, you must notify your local FSA office and complete Part B, (the Notice of Loss portion) of the application, which is Form CCC-576, the Notice of Loss and Application for Payment. This must be completed within 15 calendar days of the: 1)natural disaster occurrence; 2) final planting date if your planting was prevented by a natural disaster; 3) date damage to the crop or loss of production becomes apparent to you.
In order to be eligible for the Livestock Feed Program (LFP), the livestock producer must, for the grazing lands incurring losses for which assistance is being requested, also apply for and obtain coverage under a 2010 NAP policy for grazing crops. Eligible farmers and ranchers who meet the definition of “Socially Disadvantaged”, “Limited Resource”, or “Beginning Farmer or Rancher” do not have to meet this requirement. Important: A signup for the Livestock Forage Program is only conducted after the county is approved to conduct a signup by the national office. In order to be an eligible county for a LFP signup, the county must be in one of the following drought categories: 1) D2 (severe drought) intensity in any area of the county for at least 8 consecutive weeks during the normal grazing period is eligible to receive assistance in an amount equal to 1 monthly payment; 2) D3 (extreme drought) intensity in any area of the county at any time during the normal grazing period is eligible to receive assistance in an amount equal to 2 monthly payments; and 3) D3 (extreme drought) intensity in any area of the county for at least 4 weeks during the normal grazing period or is rated a D4 (exceptional drought) intensity at any time during the normal grazing period is eligible to receive assistance in an amount equal to 3 monthly payments.
Additionally, to be eligible for the Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments (SURE) Program, producers must have obtained a policy or plan of insurance for all crops through either the Federal Crop Insurance Act or FSA’s Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP). There are limited exceptions to this rule, and SURE does not require coverage for forage crops intended for grazing. Eligible farmers and ranchers who meet the definition of “Socially Disadvantaged”, “Limited Resource”, or “Beginning Farmer or Rancher” do not have to meet this requirement.
For additional program details, contact the Cannon County Farm Service Agency, located at 740 Old McMinnville Rd., or phone the office at 563-4321, extension 2.