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In This Issue:
 Decide by March 15th.
Farmers and ranchers rely on crop insurance to protect themselves from disasters and unforeseen events, but not all crops are insurable through the USDA’s Risk Management Agency. The Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) provides producers another option to obtain coverage against disaster for these crops. NAP provides financial assistance to producers of non-insurable crops impacted by natural disasters that result in lower yields, crop losses, or prevents crop planting.
Commercially produced crops and agricultural commodities for which crop insurance is not available are generally eligible for NAP. Eligible crops include those grown specifically for food, fiber, livestock consumption, biofuel or biobased products, or value loss crops such as aquaculture, Christmas trees, ornamental nursery, and others. Contact your local FSA office to see which crops are eligible in your state and county.
Eligible causes of loss include drought, freeze, hail, excessive moisture, excessive wind or hurricanes, earthquake and flood. These events must occur during the NAP policy coverage period, before or during harvest, and the disaster must directly affect the eligible crop. For guidance on causes of loss not listed, contact your local FSA county office.
Interested producers apply for NAP coverage using FSA form CCC-471, “Application for Coverage,” and pay the applicable service fee at the FSA office where their farm records are maintained. These must be filed by the application closing date, which varies by crop. Contact your local FSA office to verify application closing dates and ensure coverage for eligible NAP crops.
Upcoming Closing Dates:
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March 15, 2024: Fresh Beans, Brussel Sprouts, Cantaloupe, Celery, Cucumbers, Eggplant, Honeydews, Oats, Okra, Peppers, Pumpkins, Sorghum Forage, Squash, Sweet Corn (processing), Sweet Potatoes, Sunflowers, Tomatillos, Tomatoes(Fresh) and Watermelons.
- Click here for a complete list of NAP closing deadlines, by closing date or by crop name.
At the time of application, each producer acknowledges they have received the NAP Basic Provisions, which describes NAP requirements for coverage. NAP participants must report crop acreage shortly after planting and provide verifiable or reliable crop production records when required by FSA.
Producers are required to pay service fees which vary depending on the number of crops and number of counties your operation is located in. The NAP service fee is the lesser of $325 per crop or $825 per producer per administrative county, not to exceed a total of $1,950 for a producer with farming interests in multiple counties. Premiums also apply when producers elect higher levels of coverage with a maximum premium of $15,750 per person or legal entity.
Basic NAP coverage is free and buy-up coverage is 50% off for beginning, limited resource, minority and women farmers. This includes entities whose membership is at least 50% beginning, minority and women farmers and entities whose membership are all limited resource.
A producer’s certification on Form CCC-860 Socially Disadvantaged, Limited Resource, Beginning and Veteran Farmer or Rancher Certification may serve as an application for basic NAP coverage for all eligible crops beginning with crop year 2022. These producers will have all NAP-related service fees for basic coverage waived, in addition to a 50 percent premium reduction if higher levels of coverage are elected.
For more detailed information on NAP, download the NAP Fact Sheet. To get started with NAP, we recommend you contact your local USDA service center.
 The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) today announced it has a cooperative agreement with New Jersey under the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program (RFSI). Through this agreement, USDA and New Jersey are working together to offer over $3 million in competitive grant funding for projects designed to build resilience across the middle of the supply chain. New Jersey is accepting applications for this Infrastructure Grant funding through March 15, 2024.
In May 2023, USDA announced the availability of up to $420 million through RFSI to strengthen local and regional food systems. Through this program, AMS has entered into cooperative agreements with state agencies, commissions, or departments responsible for agriculture, commercial food processing, seafood, or food system and distribution activities or commerce activities in states or U.S. territories. RFSI is authorized by the American Rescue Plan. Updates for each state’s Request for Applications for the RFSI program are available on the AMS website.
“This partnership between USDA and New Jersey is allowing critical funding to reach areas of the supply chain that need it most,” said USDA Marketing and Regulatory Programs Under Secretary Jenny Lester Moffitt. “The projects funded through this program will create new opportunities for the region’s small and midsize producers to thrive, expand access to nutritious food options, and increase supply chain resiliency.”
Using RFSI funding, the New Jersey Department of Agriculture will fund projects that augment on-farm processing capabilities, enabling businesses across the agricultural industry to meet the rising demand in their respective markets. The department will also fund projects that contribute to the development of essential infrastructure necessary for the introduction of new agricultural products into the New Jersey food system. The state’s priorities are informed by stakeholder engagement and outreach to underserved producers to better understand their needs.
“The New Jersey Department of Agriculture is committed to enhancing the state's food systems through the implementation of the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program,” said New Jersey Assistant Secretary of Agriculture Joe Atchison III. “The extension of the application period until the March 15th will allow more producers the opportunity to take advantage of the funds available to augment their operations.”
Those interested in receiving a subaward should apply directly through the New Jersey Department of Agriculture by March 15, 2024. AMS encourages applications that serve smaller farms and ranches, new and beginning farmers and ranchers, underserved producers, veteran producers, and underserved communities.
For more information, visit the AMS Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure webpage.
For more NJ program information please visit the New Jersey Department of Agriculture's Website at: https://www.nj.gov/agriculture/grants/rfsigrants.html
 As of Wednesday, February 28th, dairy producers will be able to enroll for 2024 Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC), an important safety net program offered through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that provides producers with price support to help offset milk and feed price differences. This year’s DMC signup begins Feb. 28, 2024, and ends April 29, 2024. For those who sign up for 2024 DMC coverage, payments may begin as soon as March 4, 2024, for any payments that triggered in January 2024.
Read more here: https://www.fsa.usda.gov/state-offices/New-Jersey/news-releases/2024/dairy-producers-can-enroll-for-2024-dairy-margin-coverage-beginning-feb.-28-
 The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has launched an online application for Direct Loan customers. More than 26,000 customers who submit a Direct Loan application each year can now use an online, interactive, guided application that is paperless and provides helpful features including an electronic signature option, the ability to attach supporting documents such as tax returns, complete a balance sheet and build a farm operating plan. This tool is part of a broader effort by USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) to streamline its processes, improve customers service, and expand credit access.
Click here to learn more: https://www.fsa.usda.gov/state-offices/New-Jersey/news-releases/2023/usda-now-accepting-applications-for-farm-loans-online-
To use the online loan application tool, producers must establish a USDA customer account and a USDA Level 2 eAuthentication (“eAuth”) account or a Login.gov account.
Most farm loan borrowers will soon be able to make payments to their direct loans online through the Pay My Loan feature on farmers.gov starting in early February. Pay My Loan is part of a broader effort by USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) to streamline its processes, especially for producers who may have limited time during the planting or harvest seasons to visit a local FSA office; modernize and improve customer service; provide additional customer self-service tools; and expand credit access to assist more producers.
Learn more here: https://www.fsa.usda.gov/state-offices/New-Jersey/news-releases/2024/farmers-ranchers-now-can-make-usda-farm-loan-payments-online
The U. S Department of Agriculture (USDA) will provide more than $3 billion to commodity and specialty crop producers impacted by natural disaster events in 2022. Eligible impacted producers can apply for financial assistance through the Emergency Relief Program (ERP) 2022. The program will help offset the financial impacts of crop yield and value losses from qualifying disasters occurring in 2022.
ERP 2022 covers losses to crops, trees, bushes and vines due to qualifying, calendar year 2022 natural disaster events including wildfires, hurricanes, floods, derechos, excessive heat, tornadoes, winter storms, freeze (including a polar vortex), smoke exposure, excessive moisture, qualifying drought and related conditions.
Read more here: https://www.fsa.usda.gov/state-offices/New-Jersey/news-releases/2023/usda-to-provide-more-than-3-billion-to-commodity-and-specialty-crop-producers-impacted-by-2022-natural-disasters-
More Information
ERP 2022 eligibility details and payment calculation factor tables are available on the emergency relief website, in the ERP Track 1 and ERP Track 2 fact sheets and through your local FSA county office.
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