WASHINGTON, WASHINGTON, July 13, 2011 — Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that USDA will issue approximately $15 million in payments for the Asparagus Revenue Market Loss Assistance Payment (ALAP) Program. Payments to asparagus producers approved for ALAP benefits will begin on July 13, 2011

ALAP payments will partially compensate asparagus producers for revenue losses during the 2004 through 2007 crop years,” Vilsack said.

The ALAP program was authorized by the 2008 Farm Bill and provides $15 million in payments to domestic producers of the 2007 crop year of asparagus based on production from the 2003 crop year. The authority for ALAP provides that half of the $15 million is to be disbursed for fresh market asparagus production, and the other half for processed market asparagus production.

The payment rate for fresh market asparagus production is $0.5332566 and the payment rate for processed market asparagus production is $0.4416120. These factored payment rates were determined from all approved applications that were submitted during the sign-up period and were calculated by dividing the funds available for each marketing category ($7.5 million for each), by the total eligible quantity of 2003-crop production for each marketing category submitted for payment. The payment rate for each marketing category cannot exceed the actual rate of revenue loss. ALAP Program payments to asparagus producers will be capped at $100,000 per producer, per marketing category (fresh and processed).

For more information about USDA Farm Service Agency market loss assistance programs, please visit your FSA county office or http://www.fsa.usda.gov.

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