FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 5, 2002
USDA To Begin Issuing Noninsured Crop Disaster Program Payments
COLUMBIA---Soon, the U.S. Department of Agriculture will begin issuing Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) payments to South Carolina farmers, announced Kenneth Rentiers, Jr., State Executive Director of the USDA's Farm Service Agency.
"We hope to begin issuing payments within the next month," said Rentiers. "We are placing top priority on loading 2001 NAP crop data for our transmission to Washington, D.C."
County Offices will begin issuing payments as soon as approval is received from Washington, D.C. on the transmitted crop data. Applications are filed at the county level so the total amount being paid and the number of producers receiving benefits are unknown at this time.
NAP is an ongoing program that provides financial assistance to producers for noninsurable crop losses and prevented planting as a result of natural disasters.
Producers interested in obtaining a 2002 crop policy may file an application for coverage and pay the applicable service fee. The service fee is equal to $100 per crop per county or $300 per producer per county, not to exceed a total of $900 per producer for all counties.
To be eligible for benefits, applicants must have a timely filed acreage report and necessary crop loss documentation. USDA recommends producers contact their local USDA Service Center for further information and 2002 eligibility requirements.
Under NAP, eligible crops are those produced for food (including livestock
feed) or fiber for which catastrophic federal crop insurance is not available.
Also eligible for NAP coverage are controlled-environment crops (mushroom
and floriculture), specialty crops (honey) and value loss crops (aquaculture,
Christmas trees, ginseng, ornamental nursery and turfgrass sod).
Other program restrictions may apply. More information on NAP is
available from local USDA service centers or on FSA's web site at:
www.fsa.usda.gov.