USDA Hurricane Disaster Sign-Up

WASHINGTON - Aug 15/05 - SNS -- The USDA will accept applications for the 2004 Dairy Disaster Assistance Payment (DDAP) Program between August 15 and September 9, 2005.

The scheme provides up to U.S. $10 million to assist dairy producers who experienced losses due to the 2004 hurricanes. It was authorized under the Military Construction Appropriations and Emergency Hurricane Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2005.

To be eligible, the loss must have occurred in a county declared a disaster by the President in 2004 due to hurricanes. Dairy producers in counties contiguous to an approved county are not eligible. Eligible dairy producers must apply for program assistance by Sept. 9, 2005, at local USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices.

Applicants must provide adequate proof of the dairy operation’s commercial production, including any dumped production, from July through October 2004. Applicants must also certify that losses for which compensation is claimed were hurricane-related.

Payments will begin soon after sign-up ends. Each eligible dairy operation’s payment will be calculated by multiplying the eligible pounds by the average price received for commercial milk production during the eligible months. In the event available funds are insufficient to compensate eligible producers, eligible losses above 20% will be paid at the maximum per pound rate and losses below 20% will be made at a rate that will exhaust the available funds that remain following payment of eligible losses at the higher level.