South Dakota Farm Service Agency State Executive Director Craig Schaunaman recently announced that non-irrigated corn for grain has been added as a covered crop under the 2015 Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program in 10 South Dakota counties.

Coverage under NAP is equivalent to the catastrophic risk protection level of crop insurance.

A request for an exemption in 10 counties in western South Dakota was approved to allow the use of NAP Coverage for non-irrigated corn for grain beginning with the 2015 crop year.  Counties approved for the policy change are: Butte, Custer, Fall River, Harding, Jackson, Lawrence, Meade, Pennington, Perkins, and Shannon. 

Non-irrigated corn dries up without rain.

Prior to Jan. 23, 2014, if the CAT level of insurance was available to any crop, type, and intended use in the county, then NAP coverage could not be offered for those crops within that county for any practice.  National procedure changed to permit states to request an exception to this provision for FSA practices of irrigated and non-irrigated if there was supporting documentation.

The application deadline for the 2015 NAP coverage for all non-insurable spring planted and forage crops, including grass for hay and grazing is March 15, 2015.

You can apply for coverage at your local FSA office. Additional information on  AP and other FSA programs can be obtained from your local FSA office or online at www.fsa.usda.gov/sd/.

Source: South Dakota FSA