To participate in many USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) programs, including disaster assistance programs like ELAP or NAP, you must file timely Crop Acreage reports with your local USDA Service Center each year by September 30th to be eligible. Don’t delay! You can go to your local Service Center anytime before the deadline to sign-up.

Locate Your Nearest USDA Service Center

What is ELAP?

USDA Farm Service Agency’s Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-raised Fish (ELAP) provides financial relief to aquaculture producers for feed and crop losses caused by eligible natural disasters. ELAP is free! Participation in the program does not require a fee for coverage, however, you must apply for and maintain eligibility.

ELAP Fact Sheet for Aquaculture

ELAP Claims Process

To ensure you, as a farmer, are eligible for ELAP it is important to follow these key steps.

• Meet with your local FSA office and submit initial ELAP paperwork.
• File your farm Acreage Report by Sept 30 every year or you will NOT be eligible for claims the following year.
• File any Notice of Loss within 30-days of mortality event caused by natural disasters.
• Maintain good fish production and sales data. If a claim is denied, data can aide in Appeals and fair market valuation.
• Identify experts that can speak knowledgeably about your systems, species mortality rates and pricing. Contact NAA for help!

On June 28th, ELAP’s national program manager, Seth Cross, presented a great overview of this free disaster relief program and answered specific questions for aquaculture producers.

What is NAP Insurance? 

USDA's Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance program (NAP) is more of a conventional type of insurance program, where producers pay a premium, keep their individual policies current, and make claims if losses arise. NAP is used for more routine weather-related losses.

• You must sign-up for NAP coverage by September 30th.
• Pay-out from a NAP claim varies depending on what level of coverage you purchase.
• For more details about NAP, review the NAP Fact Sheet and consult with your local USDA Service Center.

NAP Fact Sheet

Contact naa@nationalaquaculture.org anytime for more information and resources.