BAXTER - Producers are reminded that March 16 is the deadline to apply for the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) for producers with annual spring-seeded crops and perennial forage pasture.
"Spring-seeded crops encompass the majority of Minnesota's NAP participation as it applies to our vegetable growers," said Trisha McMonagle, U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency county executive director, in a news release. "We also see a number of applicants for pasture, so education on the program is crucial this time of year."
Minnesota FSA and University of Minnesota Extension have coordinated several meetings throughout the state to provide updates on NAP. An Extension educator will cover the benefits of the program for specialty crop growers and will provide a comparison between NAP coverage and RMA's Whole Farm Revenue Policy, which is available in several Minnesota counties this year. An FSA representative will provide an overview of program policy and procedure and will be available to answer questions.
Locally, the NAP Farm Bill meeting will be 10 a.m. on March 3 at the USDA Service Center, 7118 Clearwater Road in Baxter.
The meetings are free and open to the public and while the upcoming deadline applies only to producers with spring-seeded crops and pasture, FSA strongly encourages all producers with non-insurable crops to attend a meeting.
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To learn more about the program, visit the FSA website at www.fsa.usda.gov/nap or contact your local FSA office at offices.usda.gov.
