National & World Ag News Headlines Vilsack Announces Disaster Assistance for Producers USAgNet - 03/18/2009 The recently approved economic stimulus package allows producers to become eligible for 2008 disaster assistance authorized by the 2008 Farm Bill even if they did not previously obtain otherwise statutorily required crop insurance from the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation or Non-insured Crop Disaster Assistance Program coverage for 2008 by now paying a buy-in fee through May 18, 2009. "President Obama is providing an additional opportunity to producers who suffered losses as a result of natural disaster because he understands they are going through tough times and he acknowledges their importance in helping stimulate the economy and create jobs," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. Paying such a buy-in fee does not provide the producer with crop insurance or NAP for the 2008 crop year; it merely permits the producer to become eligible for the 2008-crop disaster assistance programs. Producers who have not already taken the necessary steps to become eligible for the Supplemental Revenue Assistance Program (SURE), Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish (ELAP), and the Tree Assistance Program (TAP) may now become eligible for such programs. Producers who choose to buy in under this provision will be considered, for insured crops for the 2008 Farm Bill disaster assistance programs only, to have obtained a policy or plan of insurance for the 2008 crop year at a level of coverage not to exceed 70 percent of the yield at 100 percent of the price. For noninsurable crops for the 2008 Farm Bill disaster programs only, producers will be considered to have a level of coverage equal to 70 percent of the yield. These levels of coverage will be used to calculate the 2008 SURE guarantee. Producers who buy in will not be eligible for actual crop insurance or NAP benefits for the 2008 crop. Copyright © 2010 - USAgNet.com. All Rights Reserved.