The final day to apply for the Non-Insured Crop Disaster Assistance Program is March 15. The program, called NAP, helps reduce the risks growers face when producing crops not covered by Federal Crop Insurance.

NAP also reduces risk of financial losses when natural disasters cause a catastrophic loss of production or prevent planting of eligible crops. Drought, hail, freeze, excessive moisture are all eligible causes of loss. Wildlife damages or failure of the producer to follow good farming practices are not eligible.

Eligibility for payment is based on an expected yield for a specific farm. Approved yields are based on actual production history for the farm.

Availability of NAP is triggered when production of a non-insurable crop falls below more than 50 percent of expected production. The NAP payment is calculated using the crop acreage, approved yield, net production and 55 percent of an average market price for the specific commodity.

To be eligible for NAP assistance, the producer shall pay a service fee at the time an application is submitted, equal to the lessor of:

$100 per eligible crop per county

$300 per producer per county.

Eligible crops include commercial crops and other agricultural commodities produced for food or fiber that are not covered by crop insurance. Also eligible are controlled-environment crops, special crops like honey, and value loss crops such as aquaculture, Christmas trees, ornamental nursery and turf grass sod.

Producers must meet all requirements regardless of whether they are a farm operator, tenant or landowner sharing in the production of a NAP crop. Specifically, to be eligible for NAP, producers must:

Have suffered a qualifying loss of expected production.

Accurately and timely reported acreage and shares for all crops potentially eligible for NAP.

Report crop losses within 15 days of the date the disaster occurs or the date crop damage becomes apparent.

Certify crop production history and report current year production by the crop acreage reporting date for the year following the year of the disaster.

Complete person determination forms.

Certify conservation compliance.

Request measurement service, if needed.

Request NAP payments by the crop acreage reporting date for the year following the year of the disaster.

Luke Fritz is executive director of the Butler County Farm Service Agency.