USDA FSA Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP)
USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA)
50–65% of normal yield coverage
Crop loss coverage for uninsurable specialty crops
NAP provides federal crop loss coverage for specialty and non-commodity crops that are ineligible for federal crop insurance — including fruits, vegetables, herbs, aquaculture, mushrooms, floriculture, turfgrass, honey, maple sap, and ginseng. Producers pay a service fee upfront to enroll, then receive payments if natural disaster reduces yields or prevents planting. Coverage from 50% to 65% of normal yield depending on level purchased.
- Funding type
- Program
- Level
- Federal
- Amount range
- $125,000
- Realistic amount
- Payments vary widely based on crop type, acreage, and loss severity. A small specialty vegetable operation (10 acres) mi…
- Deadline
- Application for coverage must be submitted before the final planting date for the crop in your county. Loss claims must be filed within 15 calendar days of when the loss becomes apparent.
- Status
- active
- States
- Nationwide
- Payment model
- lump sum
Who qualifies
- Producers of crops for which federal crop insurance is not available or available in limited form
- Eligible crops include: fruits and vegetables, herbs, aquaculture, floriculture, mushrooms, turfgrass, ginseng, honey, maple sap, and other non-commodity crops
- Must apply for coverage BEFORE the crop's final planting date in your county (enrollment is not retroactive)
- Must pay the service fee: $325 per crop per county, maximum $825 per producer per county, maximum $1,950 for multi-county producers
- Beginning farmers, limited resource producers, and socially disadvantaged producers may receive service fee waivers or reductions
- Must demonstrate a loss caused by a natural disaster: drought, flood, freeze, hail, excessive heat, wind, or other qualifying adverse weather
Hard requirements
- Restricted to industry: specialty crops or non-commodity crops ineligible for federal crop insurance
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- NAP is a yield/revenue indemnity program — payments replace lost crop revenue, not specific expenses
- Funds can be used for any farm operating purpose (re-planting, operating capital, debt service)
- Coverage is for crop production losses caused by natural disasters — not market price losses or crop quality issues
Ineligible expenses
- Market price losses unrelated to a qualifying natural disaster
- Quality losses (unless the crop is deemed unmarketable due to the disaster)
- Crops that have federal crop insurance available (those crops must use the federal crop insurance program instead)
- Losses caused by poor farming practices, pest damage without a natural disaster event, or negligence
How to apply
-
1
Enroll before the crop's final planting date
Contact your local FSA Service Center to enroll in NAP coverage before the application closing date for your specific crops in your county. This date is crop-specific — ask FSA for your crops' deadlines. Pay the service fee ($325/crop/county, capped at $825/county or $1,950 multi-county).
-
2
Choose coverage level
Choose Catastrophic (CAT) coverage: free beyond the service fee, pays when yields fall below 50% at 55% of average market price. Or choose Buy-Up coverage (additional premium): coverage up to 65% of yield at 100% of average market price. Buy-Up provides significantly more protection for high-value specialty crops.
-
3
File a Notice of Loss within 15 days of discovering a disaster loss
If you experience a qualifying natural disaster loss, file a Notice of Loss at your FSA office within 15 calendar days of when the loss becomes apparent. Late notice is grounds for denial. FSA will schedule an appraisal to verify the loss.
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4
File application for payment after harvest
After harvest, submit an Application for Payment documenting your actual production versus your approved yield. FSA calculates the payment based on the extent of the loss relative to your coverage level. Payments are issued directly to you.
Industry & certifications
NAICS codes: 111, 1114, 1119
NAP coverage must be purchased BEFORE the growing season — you can't enroll after a disaster hits. Small service fee ($325/crop) is well worth it for high-value specialty crops that lack crop insurance options.
Deadline & timing
NAP enrollment deadlines are crop-specific and county-specific — each crop has its own application closing date (the 'final planting date' for that crop in your county). Contact your local FSA office for the specific deadlines for your crops. You cannot retroactively enroll after a disaster — you must enroll BEFORE the growing season. If you experience a loss, file a Notice of Loss within 15 days.
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Last reviewed 2026. GrantCompass is an independent funding-discovery tool and is not affiliated with any government agency. Always confirm details on the official program page.