The United State Department of Agriculture reminds producers that January 14^th is Application Deadline for Expanded Protection for Eligible Fruit, Vegetable and Other Specialty Crop Growers.  Greater protection is now available from the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program for crops that traditionally have been ineligible for federal crop insurance.  The new options, created by the 2014 Farm Bill, provide greater coverage for losses when natural disasters affect specialty crops such as vegetables, fruits, mushrooms, floriculture, ornamental nursery, aquaculture, turf grass, ginseng, honey, syrup and energy crops.   Previously, the program offered coverage at 55 percent of the average market price for crop losses that exceed 50 percent of expected production.  Producers can now choose higher levels of coverage, up to 65 percent of their expected production at 100 percent of the average market price.  The expanded protection will be especially helpful to beginning and traditionally underserved producers, as well as farmers with limited resources, who will receive fee waivers and premium reductions for expanded coverage. More crops are now eligible for the program, including expanded aquaculture production practices, and sweet and biomass sorghum.  For the first time, a range of crops used to produce bioenergy will be eligible as well.  To help producers learn more about the NAP and how it can help them, use The Web tool, available at www.fsa.usda.gov/nap, allows producers to determine whether their crops are eligible for coverage.  It also gives them an opportunity to explore a variety of options and levels to determine the best protection level for their operation.  If the application deadline for an eligible crop has already passed, producers will have until January 14, 2015, to choose expanded coverage through NAP.  To learn more, visit the Farm Service Agency website at www.fsa.usda.gov/nap or contact your local FSA office.