S.U.R.E. program authority ends Sept. 30

County Executive Director Gretchen McLain for the Jefferson County FSA Office, announced that legislative authority for the Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments program ends Sept. 30. Producers must meet specific eligibility requirements to receive S.U.R.E. assistance for disasters that occur on or before Sept. 30 and affect fall 2011 and 2012 crops.

?The S.U.R.E. program compensates producers for production and/or quality losses during times of disaster,? said McLain.

Producers can apply for a 2011 or 2012 S.U.R.E. payment if a crop of economic significance located in a primary or contiguous disaster county under a Secretarial Disaster Designation suffered at least a 10 percent loss because of disaster occurring on or before Sept. 30. S.U.R.E. applications for crop year 2011 will not be available until the fall of 2012 due to the fact the National Average Market Price must be established at the end of the marketing year for 2011.

Crops are not required to be harvested on or before Sept. 30 to maintain S.U.R.E. eligibility. A loss claim will only trigger after FSA determines that the loss was because of disaster occurring on or before Sept. 30. Losses that result from disasters that occur after Sept. 30 will not be eligible for S.U.R.E. benefits. Also, producers are not required to notify their local FSA Office of losses prior to Sept. 30, with the exception of producers having a Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program Policy where the N.A.P. crop suffered a loss.

Producers with 2011 and 2012 crops that suffer losses caused by disasters that occur on or before Sept. 30 must also meet the following criteria:

? For insured crops, the insurance policy defines the coverage period as beginning on or before Sept. 30, 2011

? For N.A.P. crops, the coverage period begins on or before Sept. 30, 2011

? The final planting date according to RMA and FSA (NAP crops only) occur on or before Sept. 30, 2011.

McLain points out that, ?If the crop is planted prior to Sept. 30, 2011, but the final planting date is after Sept. 30, 2011, the crop will not be eligible for S.U.R.E. benefits.? 

The sign-up period for 2011 and 2012 S.U.R.E. will not begin until after the national average market prices are determined for each respective crop year, which is normally one year after the applicable crop year.

For questions regarding the S.U.R.E. program or other programs administered by FSA, contact the Jefferson County FSA office at 472-2558 or visit FSA on-line at www.fsa.usda.gov.