From: A & H Farm 

To: AMS - SCP FVIAC 

Subject: [External Email]USDA Fruit & Vegetable Public Comment 

Date: Monday, March 15, 2021 11:01:15 PM 

[External Email] 

If this message comes from an unexpected sender or references a vague/unexpected topic; 

Use caution before clicking links or opening attachments. 

Please send any concerns or suspicious messages to: Spam.Abuse@usda.gov 

I would like to submit a request to speak during the virtual meeting of the Fruit and Vegetable 

Industry Advisory meeting. If that's not possible I would like to submit my written request 

below. 

Thank you so much for your help. 

Andrea DeJesus 

Owner/Operator A & H Farm 

Manhattan, KS 66502 

785-341-7794 

My name is Andrea DeJesus and I'm a small producer in Manhattan, KS. I grew up growing 

fruits and vegetables and now have my own farm. I grow fruits & vegetables, row crops, 

livestock and do agritourism. I have participated in the NAP crop insurance program for many 

years. Since 2015 the program has changed and our state will no longer make payments if we 

have a loss on our fruits and vegetables since we are direct to consumer vs wholesale. They 

have determined that direct to consumer sales which include CSA's, farmers market sales, Upick operations etc. can't provide verifiable or reliable records, therefore payments can't be 

made on your losses. I have provided credit card sales summaries, statements from customers, 

production records, bank statements showing deposits, sales summaries from farmers markets 

showing EBT/SNAP income, production records, tax returns and more, but FSA won't accept 

these as reliable records. I have operated a CSA for over 10 years now. My members 

purchase into the farm before the season even starts and then we provide them with produce 

each week. I have receipts, credit card statements and even signed invoices from my CSA 

members, but our FSA office won't accept them as verifiable or reliable records to support our 

production records. What my CSA members get in their weekly box changes every week and 

it can be different for each member. I have production records showing how much we picked, 

but our FSA office won't accept those. I have even requested an FSA member come out and 

perform an appraisal on my crops to determine my production (Pre-harvest appraisal). 

Previously this was acceptable, but now Kansas won't provide this service for fruits and 

vegetables. I've been told by my state FSA office that I will never be eligible for crop 

insurance payments on any losses that I have since I do direct to consumer sales. I feel small 

farmers who do direct to consumer sales in unique formats are being penalized. I do u-pick 

and I have customers sign a statement on how much they picked, but that's not acceptable. 

While my losses may be small dollars relative to a big grower they are still losses and I should 

be paid for them when I have them. USDA on a national level seems to push farmers markets 

and direct consumer sales, but FSA doesn't allow for these unique methods of sales in the 

handbooks. I understand we are different and we are small, but we are still important. 

Not only do I have my own farm, but I am also President of our farmers market with over 100 

vendors. Currently when speciality crop growers ask for guidance on crop insurance I have to 

recommend that they don't use FSA. It's unfortunate that there is a national program that is 
designed for specialty crop growers like us, but it doesn't function for direct to consumer 

growers. 

Thank you for your time.