USDA FSA

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has extended its original deadline for Quality Loss Adjustment (QLA) Program applications to April 9. 

This program assists producers who suffered crop quality losses due to qualifying 2018 and 2019 natural disasters. The deadline was initially March 5 and was extended due to recent winter storms and program updates.

“Farmers are still recovering from events like Hurricane Michael in October 2018,” said Carla Hornady, a commodity director with the Alabama Farmers Federation. “In light of that and other natural disasters to hit Alabama, it’s important that our farmers take advantage of this extension.”

About The QLA Program

The QLA program assists producers whose eligible crops suffered quality losses due to qualifying drought, excessive moisture, flooding, hurricanes, snowstorms, tornadoes, typhoons, volcanic activity or wildfires.

Eligible crops include those for which federal crop insurance or Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) coverage is available, except for grazed crops and value loss crops, such as honey, maple sap, aquaculture, floriculture, mushrooms, ginseng root, ornamental nursery, Christmas trees and turfgrass sod. Additionally, crops that were sold or fed to livestock or that are in storage may be eligible.

Assistance is available in counties that received a Presidential Emergency Disaster Declaration or Secretarial Disaster Designation, or for drought, a county rated by the U.S. Drought Monitor as having a D3 (extreme drought) or higher designation. Producers in counties that did not receive a qualifying declaration or designation may still apply but must also provide supporting documentation.

More Information

To apply, contact a local USDA Service Center. Learn more at farmers.gov/quality-loss. Gain one-on-one support by calling (877) 508-8364.