Livestock and minor crop producers who have been left out of disaster programs in the past may find some relief in new permanent disaster programs. But they'll have to act fast to make sure they're included.

The Farm Service Agency has long provided a safety blanket to crop producers through its Noninsured crop disaster assistance or NAP. NAP covers crops that are not covered by private crop insurance providers such as alfalfa, grains for forage, alfalfa seed, grass hay or fruit trees.

But now producers who want to participate in the permanent crop disaster program known as SURE (Supplemental Revenue Assistance Program) will be required to purchase private insurance and NAP where needed to provide at least catastrophic - 50 percent - coverage for all their crop acres.

For example, a producer growing wheat, sugar beets, beans and alfalfa in a rotation will be required to purchase private insurance for the wheat, beets and beans plus NAP for the alfalfa, explained Lance Phillips, FSA county executive director for Twin Falls County.

"If the alfalfa is not insured, the producer will not be eligible for SURE," Phillips said.

Because SURE and the risk management purchase requirement were new to the 2008 Farm Bill, farmers were able to buy NAP coverage during the 2009 growing season. That won't be the case going forward, Phillips said.

"Producers are going to need to be thinking ahead," he added.

Not only will they have to buy NAP coverage for all the crops for which private insurance isn't available and purchase that coverage well before the crop year, producers will also have to wait at least a year after the crop year is completed to get paid through SURE.

That's because SURE covers all farms in all counties throughout the U.S. Before payment is made to any one producer, the U.S. Department of Agriculture must calculate losses and average prices for the entire U.S.

NAP coverage costs $250 per crop up to $750 per farm annually.

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Livestock producers who use federal or state grazing lands will also want to pay attention to the December 1 NAP deadline. That's because the new Livestock Forage Disaster Program will provide compensation when grazing access is lost due to drought or fire, but only if NAP has been purchased for the rangeland. Any private grazing land or crop land is exempt from insurance requirements.

Aquaculture producers are also now eligible for permanent disaster programs through FSA. ELAP (Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees and Farm-Raised Fish) is still being developed but Phillips described it as a catchall program. Details are still being worked out, but Phillips does know that the program will cover any event that causes a producer to lose feed including drought or a flood that ruins a haystack. Participating producers will be required to purchase crop insurance for all crops including grazing land so again, the December 1 NAP deadline is critical.

Producers who livestock to acts of Mother Nature such as blizzards, lightning or fires are eligible for the permanent Livestock Indemnity Program.

Livestock must be part of a farming operation so cattle raised in a backyard for private use or rodeo stock is not eligible.

Producers have until December 10 to report any livestock losses from 2008. After this, producers are required to report all livestock losses within 30 days of the event or when the loss became known. Payment is made on any loss above normal death loss.

For example, if the normal death loss in your county is calculated at 2.5 percent that works out to 25 head per 1,000. Suppose a producer loses 20 head to a blizzard in February. The producer needs to report that loss within 30 days so it can be counted toward the "normal" death loss.

If a lightning strike kills another 10 head in July, the producer will be paid for the five above the normal death loss. If another blizzard in November takes another 15 head, the producer will be paid for the 15.

But had the producer not reported the initial loss in February on time, the producer would not be paid at all for the losses in July and November because the normal death loss hadn't been reached yet.

While the livestock indemnity program provides a safety blanket to livestock producers to cover losses, it also means reporting will be critical, Phillips said.

Livestock or crop producers who have questions about these new programs should consult their county FSA newsletter or contact their local FSA office.