Loss Adjustments Waived
The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) has announced that loss adjustments for the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) have been waived for growers impacted by Hurricane Ian. The waiver is not county specific, but grower specific. It is for growers in counties that have Presidential or Secretarial designations with crops where the entire unit acreage is destroyed or damaged to the extent the acreage will never be harvested. The counties where shellfish aquaculture occurs that have disaster designations are Brevard, Charlotte, Collier, Indian River, Lee, Manatee, St. Johns, and Volusia. Growers must notify USDA of their crop loss.
Reporting Losses
Growers must report losses with your local FSA office within 30 days after loss is evident. This information can help with eligibility for other relief programs. You can do this in person at your local FSA office. Find your local FSA service center at https://www.farmers.gov/service-locator. For growers located in counties where the FSA local infrastructure has been impacted, the agency has established state-specific toll-free information lines where growers can report damage and losses and receive immediate information regarding available FSA assistance. If your local FSA office is closed, you can contact the FSA Call Center at 1-877-508-8364. The line is staffed Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET or you can email SM.FPAC.FSA.FLFSA.Disaster@USDA.GOV.
Reporting Deadline Waived
The deadline to file an acreage report with your local FSA office for both the NAP and ELAP programs is typically September 30th, but the agency is waiving this deadline in light of impacts from Hurricane Ian. You can file late, with a $31 late fee per farm, and still be considered eligible for these disaster relief programs. You can learn more about filing an acreage report here: https://www.fsa.usda.gov/news-room/efoia/electronic-reading-room/frequently-requested-information/crop-acreage-data/index.
Filing ELAP claims
Clams and oysters, among a large variety of other aquaculture species, are now eligible for ELAP (Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-raised Fish), which provides financial assistance to eligible growers for losses due to disease, certain adverse weather events or loss conditions. Because aquaculture is new to ELAP, FSA staff may not be entirely familiar with your operation. File a claim even if you are told you are not eligible.
Other FSA Assistance Programs
USDA Emergency Loans are available to growers who have at least a 30% loss in crop production in counties under a disaster declaration and contiguous counties. The FSA has other programs to help. You can contact your local FSA office or visit the Hurricane Recovery Assistance website: https://www.farmers.gov/protection-recovery/hurricane.
