Although it may not affect a great number of producers, a serious deadline – Dec. 1 – is looming for noninsured crop disaster assistance program.Derryl McLaren, state executive director for Iowa Farm Service Agency, announced the application deadline to apply for coverage , which applies to all fall seeded crops and perennial crops, such as: alfalfa, winter wheat, apples, grasses, various fruits and vegetables and ornamental nursery crops, to name just a few. According to Aaron Moore, director of FSA’s Webster County office, in the past, all NAP crops had to be insured. But under new guidelines from the 2008 Farm Bill, fall-seeded crop do not require a policy if they don’t total 10 percent of a farm’s overall revenue stream.”You can probably count on the fingers of one hand how many farmers will be affected in Webster County,” Moore said. However, the NAP deadline will be a high priority for producers in other counties.The application closing dates for these crops was extended to Dec. 1 for the 2009 crop year only, with the exception of honey, which typically has a Dec. 1 closing date. “Although the NAP application closing date was extended to Dec. 1, the coverage period definition has not changed,” McLaren said. “NAP coverage will not begin until the later of 30 days after the NAP application is filed, or the date the crop is planted, as long as it is before our established final planting date.”NAP coverage is vital, as it is a requirement for the SURE program and may affect eligibility for other program benefits.NAP is designed to reduce financial losses that occur when natural disasters cause a catastrophic loss of production or prevented planting of an eligible crop by providing coverage equivalent to catastrophic (CAT) insurance. Statute limits NAP to each commercial crop or agricultural commodity, except livestock, produced for food or fiber, for which CAT is not available.For a complete listing of fall seeded crops covered by this application deadline, and for more information on the NAP program, contact a local FSA office.