Livestock, crop disaster programs available
By Nathan Straus News Reporter

New disaster insurance programs have been announced to help protect crops and livestock in the event of a natural disaster. The three programs were founded September 10 and were announced again November 7 in a press release.

The programs come from the Henderson County Farm Service Agency in response to a period of natural disasters such as drought and fires in 2005 and 2006. Though the wildfires didn't affect must of East Texas, the drought did.

Tammy Bailey, program technician for the Farm Service Agency, said the three new programs concentrate on livestock and crops.

"The livestock compensation program is for reimbursing farmers who had cattle during either 2005 or 2006," Bailey said.

To be eligible for the program, only one year of the two could be chosen. Cattle which went to feed lots could not be covered.

The livestock indemnity program, Bailey said, is a program more suited for the farmers in West Texas. This program is aimed toward awarded money to farmers who lost cattle in the wildfires during the 2005 and 2006 period.

The final program, the crop disaster program, requires recipients to have purchased crop insurance from the agency before needing to be admitted into the program.

"It's too late for those who don't have crop insurance yet," Bailey said.

Crop insurance, Bailey also said, costs farmers $100 per crop, regardless of land space. A farmer with five farms full of blueberries would have to pay the same price as a farmer with two farms full of blueberries.

Bailey said the insurance helps to supplement farmers for times of drought.

The sign-up for both livestock programs began September 10, while the signup for the crop disaster program began October 15. End dates will be announced in the future.

John Reeves, executive director for the agency, said in a press release although the end dates have not been announced, it would still be wise for farmers to sign up as soon as possible.

"Timely applications will ensure that producers receive timely payments," Reeves said.

For more information on FSA disaster assistance, call the agency at 903-675-3259 at extension 2. Information about the programs can be found at www.fsa.usda.gov under Disaster Assistance Programs.