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AGRICULTURE
Non-Insured
Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP)
The Noninsured
Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) provides financial assistance
to eligible producers affected by natural disasters. Eligible
crops include: commercial crops and other agricultural commodities
produced for food (including livestock feed) or fiber for which
the catastrophic level of crop insurance is not available.
To be eligible for this program, the CCC-471 form must be filed
with the local Farm Service Agency. The applicable service fee
must be paid by the applicable closing date. The NAP closing dates
are as follows:
Nov. 20: Apples, Blueberries, Caneberries, Grapes, Honey, Peaches,
Pears, Pecans and Rhubarb.
March 1: Alfalfa, Christmas Trees, Clover, Grass-Forage, Grass-Grazing,
Lespedeza, Mixed Forage and Sorghum.
March 15: Beans, Beets, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cantaloupe, Cauliflower,
Sweet Corn, Cucumbers, Eggplants, Gourds, Herbs, Lettuce, Oats,
Okra, Onions, Peppers, Potatoes, Pumpkins, Radishes, Squash, Strawberries,
Sweet Potatoes, Tomatoes, Turnips and Watermelons.
To remain eligible for NAP, the crop must be annually reported.
The report should include: type and variety, crop location, producer
shares, date the crop was planted, type of practice used and intended
use (fresh, processed, etc).Once harvested the production must
be reported.
When a covered crop is affected by a natural disaster, you must
notify your local FSA office by completing a Notice of Loss within
15 calendar days of the natural disaster occurrence or the date
the damage became apparent.
The cost of the insurance is $100 per crop with a maximum of $300
per county. The $100 per crop insures your share of that crop
on all farms in which you have an interest. Should you have, for
example, mixed hay, pasture, alfalfa, red clover and strawberries
in Owen County, the cost would be $300 and all of your crops would
be covered under NAP.
NAP insurance does not cover those commodities already available
through Federal Crop Insurance. For more information with regard
to this program, please contact your local Farm Service Agency
office.
Farm
Service Agency
loans
are available
The Farm
Service Agency (FSA) of the United States Department of Agriculture
issues operating loans to eligible farmers who are unable to obtain
sufficient credit elsewhere at rates and terms which can reasonably
be afforded.
Operating loan funds can be used for annual farm operating expenses,
family living expenses, purchase of livestock, purchase of equipment,
payment of costs associated with land and water development for
conservation or use purposes, real estate repairs and the refinancing
of intermediate farm debts.
Eligible applicants may obtain direct loans up to a maximum of
$200,000. Loans can be approved at a fixed interest rate
or the limited resource interest rate for applicants who meet
the limited resource interest rate criteria. FSA loans are required
to be fully secured.
Security for operating loans usually consists of livestock, equipment,
crops or livestock products in amounts to adequately secure the
loans. The operating loans can only be approved for those
producers who have repayment ability. Crop loans are generally
scheduled for repayment within one year, and equipment and brood
livestock loan terms cannot exceed seven years.
Youth Loans
The FSA youth loan program is also available to individual rural
youths ages 10 through 20 to establish and operate income-producing
projects. The projects must be of a modest size and be initiated,
developed and carried out by rural youths participating in 4-H
club, FFA, a similar organization, with a vocational teacher or
county extension agent. The project must be an organized
and supervised program of work, and it must be planned and operated
with the assistance of the organization advisor, produce sufficient
income to repay the loan and provide the youth with practical
business and educational experience. The amount of the youth
loan cannot exceed $5,000.
FSA loans are subject to availability of funds. Anyone interested
in obtaining an FSA operating or youth loan should submit an application
as quickly as possible in order to receive a high priority for
funding. Pamphlets and general information can be obtained
at the local FSA office. Application packets, detailed information,
and appointments to meet with Farm Loan Program personnel can
be obtained by contacting the Henry County FSA office at (502)
845-2666 anytime between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Disaster Assistance
Farmers in all Kentucky Counties are eligible for federal disaster
assistance, including low interest emergency (EM) loans from the
FSA provided eligibility requirements are met.
On Oct. 1, Acting Secretary Chuck Conner declared the entire state
of Kentucky a disaster area due to drought conditions and higher
than normal temperatures that occured on Feb. 1, and continuing.
All Kentucky counties were named as primary counties where eligible
family farmers may qualify for FSA EM loan assistance pursuant
to Section 321(a) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development
Act.
EM loan applications for physical and production losses will be
received through June 2, and applications pending on that date
may be processed and completed.
Farmers interested in applying for assistance should contact their
local FSA county office.
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