NAP coverage deadline signup is Feb. 28 for most vegetable crops
PINE BLUFF, Ark. – Feb. 28 is the deadline for producers of spring and summer seeded planted crops to sign up for the Noninsured Assistance Program, or NAP.
“NAP provides financial assistance to growers of noninsured crops when they have low yields or planting is prevented because of natural disasters,” said Henry English, director, Small Farm Program at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. Natural disasters include drought, floods, hurricanes, blizzards, wildfires, disease and excessive rain.
If planting is prevented or a disaster occurs, an acreage report must be filed within 15 calendar days of the final planting date of the crop. Also, growers are reminded not to destroy the crop until an inspector has visited the farm to verify the loss, English said.
Noninsured crops are primarily fruit and vegetable crops such as Southern peas, sweet potatoes, squash, okra, peppers and watermelons, said English, who points out that some vegetable crops have a March 15 deadline. These crops include green beans, sweet corn and tomatoes, both spring and fall.
The 2014 Farm Bill expanded the NAP coverage options from Basic NAP (50 percent loss coverage/55 percent price coverage) to Buy Up coverage ranging from 50 percent loss coverage and 100 percent price coverage to 65 percent loss coverage and 100 percent price coverage.
Additional NAP coverage changes under the 2014 Farm Bill is the allowance for yield and price options for organic crops.
The Farm Bill also waives one-half of the Buy Up costs if the applicant qualifies as an historically underserved applicant, limited resource or beginning farmer (HUA/LR/BF). The Basic NAP application fee is also waived for HUA/LR/BFs. New this year is the inclusion of women in this group, says Dr. English.
Limited-resource status differs in each county. For example, in 2015 a limited-resource farmer in Jefferson County is one with gross farm sales of $176,800 or less for each of the previous two years and an adjusted gross household income of $23,850.
A limited-resource producer or rancher Self-Determination Tool is available at www.lrftool.sc.egov.usda.gov/DeterminationTool.aspx?fyYear=2015. If you are running Internet Explorer 10, be sure to use it in the compatibility mode, or versions 9 or below. An alternative is to Google limited resource farmer tool 2015.
Another handy decision-making tool is NAP Crop Tool. To get to it, Google NAP Crop Tool and click on Nap Buy Up. For additional information, contact your local Farm Service Agency (FSA) office or the UAPB Small Farm Program at (870) 575-7246.
The Arkansas Cooperative Extension Program offers its programs to all eligible persons regardless of race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.
By Carol Sanders
UAPB School of Agriculture, Fisheries and Human Sciences
(870) 575-7238
sandersc@uapb.edu
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