SIDNEY — With spring planting upon us, the Shelby County Farm Service Agency (FSA) encourages farmers to report failed crop acreage that will not be brought to harvest to their FSA office. Failed acreage must be reported to FSA before destroying and replanting to allow time for a field check. Those prevented from planting should also report the acreage to the FSA office within 15 days of the final planting date of the crop. This applies to all crops, whether covered by crop insurance, not covered by insurance, or covered by FSA’s Non-insured Assistance Program (NAP).
“It is very important that farmers report failed acreage that will not be brought to harvest to the FSA office prior to destruction,” said Shelby County Executive Director Annette Purkey. “This simple act of insuring that failed acres are documented could be the determining factor in whether or not a farmer is eligible for future crop disaster program payments.”
Producers who have their crops insured through a private crop insurance company should contact the insurance agent immediately and advise them of the prevented planted or damaged crops. Additionally, a CCC-576, Notice of Loss Application, must be completed in person at the FSA office, and the prevented and/or failed acres reported. Form CCC-576 may be completed by any producer with an interest in the crop.
For crop losses covered by the Non-insured Assistance Program (NAP), producers must contact their local FSA office within 15 days of the occurrence of the disaster or when losses become apparent. Producers of hand-harvested crops and certain perishable crops must notify FSA within 72 hours of when a loss becomes apparent.
Producers are encouraged to keep good production records on acreage with a low crop yield to document crop losses. To be eligible for crop disaster programs in the future, production records may help support crop loss claims.
Additional information regarding preventing planting, failed crop acreage or crop losses covered by the Non-Insured Assistance Program (NAP) can be obtained by contacting the SHELBY County FSA office at 937-492-6520, ext. 2.
