LEWISTON — Androscoggin/Sagadahoc and Oxford County USDA Farm Service Agency County Executive Director, Marcia Hall urges producers who want to purchase coverage through the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program to do so before the sales closing date of March 15.

NAP provides financial assistance to producers of noninsurable crops when low yields/grazing loss, loss of inventory or prevented planting occur due to natural disasters including drought, freeze, hail, excessive moisture, excessive wind or hurricanes.

The Agricultural Act of 2014, better known as the Farm Bill, allows producers to choose higher levels of NAP coverage. Previously, the program offered coverage at 55 percent of the average market price for crop losses that exceed 50 percent of expected production. Producers can now choose higher levels of coverage, up to 65 percent of their expected production at 100 percent of the average market price.

To get a list of crops that have a NAP application closing date of March 15, contact the FSA office for each county.

Eligible producers can apply for coverage using form CCC-471, “Application for Coverage.” Producers must file the application and pay a service fee by the March 15 deadline. The service fee is the lesser of $250 per crop or $750 per producer per administrative county, not to exceed a total of $1,875 for a producer with farming interests in multiple counties.

Beginning, limited resource and traditionally underserved farmers may request a waiver of the service fee and a 50 percent premium reduction when the application for coverage is filed.

For more information on sales closing dates and NAP, contact the Androscoggin/Sagadahoc County FSA office at 207-753-9400, Ext 2, or the Oxford County FSA office at 207-743-5789, Ext 2.