For the 2008 crop year, the insurance or NAP purchase requirements of § 760.104 (this is referred to as the “purchase” requirement) will be waived for eligible producers for losses during the 2008 crop year if the eligible producer paid a fee (buy-in fee) equal to the applicable NAP service fee or catastrophic risk protection plan fee to the Secretary by September 16, 2008. Payment of a buy-in fee under this section is for the sole purpose of becoming eligible for participation in ELAP, LFP, SURE, and TAP. Payment of a buy-in fee does not provide any actual insurance or NAP coverage or assistance.

For the 2009 crop year, the purchase requirement will be waived for purchases where the closing date for coverage occurred prior to August 14, 2008, so long as the buy-in fee set by the Secretary of Agriculture was paid by January 12, 2009.

Any producer of 2008 commodities who is otherwise ineligible because of the purchase requirement and who did not meet the conditions of paragraph (a) of this section may still be covered for ELAP, SURE, or TAP assistance if the producer paid the applicable fee described in paragraph (d) of this section no later than May 18, 2009, provided that in the case of each:

Insurable commodity, excluding grazing land, the eligible producers on the farm agree to obtain a policy or plan of insurance under FCIA (7 U.S.C. 1501-1524), excluding a crop insurance pilot program under that subtitle, for the next insurance year for which crop insurance is available to the eligible producers on the farm at a level of coverage equal to 70 percent or more of the recorded or appraised average yield indemnified at 100 percent of the expected market price, or an equivalent coverage, and

Noninsurable commodity, the eligible producers on the farm must agree to file the required paperwork, and pay the administrative fee by the applicable State filing deadline, for NAP for the next year for which a policy is available.

For producers seeking eligibility under paragraph (c) of this section, the applicable buy-in fee for the 2008 crop year was the catastrophic risk protection plan fee or the applicable NAP service fee in effect prior to NAP service fee adjustments specified in the 2008 Farm Bill.