Farmers bit by frost receive financial aid
Farmers who lost crops in the winter of 2012 may finally receive some relief for their suffering.
When the Farm Bill was enacted this year, the USDA made disaster assistance programs a top priority.
The winter of 2012 was a harsh one, and many fruit farmers lost revenue due to the freezing temperatures. Through the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program, NAP, many of these farmers will be able to apply for assistance.
To qualify, farmers must have grown a crop on a bush or tree that was not covered by a catastrophic risk protection level crop insurance. In addition, the farmer must have also lived in a county that received secretarial disaster designation due to frost or freeze.
This makes almost the entire Upper Peninsula eligible to apply. The only county not affected by the new program is Keweenaw.
Payments will be calculated using several factors, including acreage and yield.
The deadline to apply for NAP is September 22.