Storm rolling in over rural highwayAnnounced by USDA officials a month ago, the Quality Loss Adjustment (QLA) Program is a new source of aid for farmers who experienced losses in eligible crops from natural disasters in 2018 and 2019. The vast majority of eligible aid will come from areas where there was a disaster declaration (from the President or Secretary of Agriculture), but farmers can still be eligible with documentation that shows crop losses from a “qualifying event.” Payments will be based on crop quality losses of at least five percent, and applications must verify that loss; applicants must specify the case of that loss, like test weight, overall yield or reduced crop nutrient quantities. But there are notable exclusions, like lost crop value because of moisture dockage. There are other qualifications for QLA payments, like the subsequent purchase of crop insurance coverage. Farmers can apply for QLA aid at their local USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) office until March 5. Get all the details and see if you’re eligible for a QLA payment.