California State Executive Director John G.Smythe has announced that sign-up ends Jan. 30, 2004, for the Crop Disaster Program (CDP), which provides payments for producers who suffered 2001 or 2002 crop-year losses due to a natural disaster.
"The Farm Service Agency has issued $2.2 billion in benefits to about 325,000 farmers across the nation," said Smythe. And to date in California, we have issued $32.78 million."
The Crop Disaster Program reimbursed producers for qualifying crop production and quality losses for either the 2001 or 2002 crop years. Payments have been issued for losses exceeding 35% of expected production at:
- 50% of the established price for crops that were covered by crop insurance;
- 50% of the established price for crops for which crop insurance was unavailable; and
- 45% of the established price to producers for crops that could have been insured but were not.
Producers may also be reimbursed for quality losses for certain crops if quality was reduced due to eligible causes.
Eligible producers who did not have crop insurance or Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program coverage during the year of the disaster must agree to purchase coverage for each of the next two crop years.
More information on this program and other USDA disaster assistance programs is available at local Farm Service Agency offices and at FSA's Web site.