Richland producers urged to consider risk protection

U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency Executive Director Kenneth Cook III in Richland Parish reminds producers to review available USDA crop risk protection options, including federal crop insurance and Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program coverage, before the fall-seeded crop deadline of Oct. 2.
Federal crop insurance covers crop losses from natural adversities, such as drought, hail and excessive moisture. NAP covers losses from natural disasters on crops for which no permanent federal crop insurance program is available, including forage and grazing crops, fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, floriculture, ornamental nursery, aquaculture, turf grass, ginseng, honey, syrup, bioenergy and industrial crops.
The following crops in Richland Parish have a NAP application deadline of Oct. 2: wheat, oats, small grains, warm and cool season grasses for grazing or mechanically harvested forage.
“NAP policies allow producers to protect their investment by purchasing coverage for noninsurable crops,” said Cook. “Natural disasters are an unavoidable part of farming and ranching and FSA programs like NAP help producers recover when they experience a loss.”
USDA has partnered with Michigan State University and the University of Illinois to create an online tool at www.fsa.usda.gov/nap that allows producers to determine whether their crops are eligible for federal crop insurance or NAP and to explore the best level of protection for their operation. NAP basic coverage is available at 55 percent of the average market price for crop losses that exceed 50 percent of expected production, with higher levels of coverage, up to 65 percent of their expected production at 100 percent of the average market price available, including coverage for organics and crops marketed directly to consumers. Crops intended for grazing are not eligible for additional NAP coverage.
Federal crop insurance coverage is sold and delivered solely through private insurance agents. Agent lists are available at all USDA service centers or at USDA’s online Agent Locator at http://prodwebnlb.rma.usda.gov/apps/AgentLocator/#. Producers can use the USDA Cost Estimator at https://ewebapp.rma.usda.gov/apps/costestimator/Default.aspx to predict insurance premium costs.
For more information on NAP, service fees, premiums and sales deadlines, contact the Kenneth Cook III Richland Parish FSA office at (318) 728-2081 or visit www.fsa.usda.gov/nap.