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In the News -
February 2008
February 28 NAP Sign-up and Pay Deadline
PINE BLUFF, Ark., - While row crop farmers are wrestling with crop insurance
decisions, vegetable farmers, forage producers, Christmas tree farmers and
aquaculture producers should be considering signing up for the Noninsured Crop
Disaster Assistance Program (NAP). Designed to protect producers of
non-insurable crops, NAP also has a February 28 sign-up deadline.
"Not only must producers sign up by February 28, they must also pay
administrative fees by that date," says Dr. English, small farm project director
at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB). Fees are $100 per crop; not
to exceed $300 per producer per county, or $900 for a producer with farming
interests in multiple counties.
NAP is also linked to the Crop Disaster Program. Producers who did not have
NAP did not qualify for the 2007 Crop Disaster Program.
Small, limited resource and family farmers may qualify for a waiver of
service fees, but small, limited resource, family farmer status varies from
county to county. For example, a small, limited resource farmer in Jefferson
County is one with gross sales of $116,800 or less and a total household income
of $19,350.
NAP is a voluntary program that provides financial assistance to producers of
noninsurable crops when low yields, loss of inventory, or planting was prevented
because of natural disasters. Natural disasters include drought, hail, frost,
hurricanes, or excessive moisture or wind.
Eligible producers are compensated for losses exceeding 50 percent of their
expected yield at 55 percent of the average market price. This coverage is
similar to the Catastrophic Crop Insurance (CAT) coverage.
Crops with the February 28 deadline include beets, cantaloupes, sweet corn,
cucumbers, eggplant, okra, pumpkins, squash, sweet potatoes, watermelons and all
varieties of spring and fall beans, turnip roots and peas.
Eligible producers must apply for coverage using Form CCC-471, "Application
for Coverage" and pay the service fees at their local Farm Service Agency (FSA)
office. An eligible producer is a landowner or tenant who shares in the risk of
producing the crop.
To remain eligible for NAP, producers must annually report the following:
crop name, crop acreage and location, crop share, practice used (irrigated or
non-irrigated), planting date, harvested production and use of crop (marketed,
salvaged). "Failure to report acreage and production may result in reduced or
zero NAP assistance," warns Dr. English.
With what seems an early beginning to severe weather season and changing
weather patterns, NAP can help reduce farming risks, says Dr. English.
For more information on NAP or help in signing up, farmers can contact their
local FSA office or an area UAPB Extension associate:
- Arlanda Jacobs (870) 572-2966 - Lee, Phillips, St. Francis,
Arkansas and Monroe counties
- Carolyn Prowell (870) 489-5585 - St. Francis, Crittenden, Woodruff
and Cross counties;
- Janet Breckenridge (870) 489-2336 - Chicot, Drew, Ashley and Desha
counties;
- Kandi Williams (870) 774-0446 - Howard, Little River, Miller,
Hempstead and Lafayette counties;
- Precious Williams (870) 774-0446 - Clark, Columbia, Nevada,
Ouachita, Pike and Sevier counties; and
- Stephan Walker (870) 575-7237 - Jefferson, Desha, Lincoln and
Pulaski counties. Those elsewhere in the state can contact Dr. English
at (870) 575-7246.
February 15, 2008
By: Carol Sanders
Writer/editor
UAPB School of Agriculture
Fisheries and Human Sciences
(870) 575-7238
sanders_c@uapb.edu
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