LEWISTON – Jane Harden, executive director of USDA’s Farm Service Agency in Androscoggin/Sagadahoc counties, has reminded producers in need of insurance coverage for crops not covered by federal crop insurance that they can enroll in FSA’s Noninsured Crop Assistance Program.

“Crop insurance is an important risk management tool for farmers, but it’s not available for all crops. That’s why NAP is so important,” said Harden.

NAP is a federally funded program that provides coverage to producers for non-insurable crops when low yields, loss of inventory or prevented planting occurs due to natural disasters.

Crops eligible for NAP coverage are those for which crop insurance is not available, including fruits and vegetables, aquaculture, pecans, turf grass and forage crops.

“Producers must apply for coverage before a disaster strikes,” said Harden.

“Like regular crop insurance, once an application period closes, the opportunity to obtain coverage is gone.”

Coverage requires a service fee of $100 a crop, a producer with a $300 cap a county.

Out-of-pocket expenses will not exceed $900 for any producer, even if production occurs in more than three counties.

Service fees may be waived for eligible limited resource producers.

NAP applications for coverage must be filed and service fees paid by the applicable closing date.

Closing dates vary by crop. Androscoggin and Sagadahoc County producers can contact the FSA office for specific crop application sales closing dates at 753-9400.

More information on NAP and additional disaster assistance programs is available online at: http://www.fsa.usda.gov/.