The USDA¿s Farm Service Agency (FSA) provides programs to help farmers recover financially from natural disasters. Congress has historically supplemented these programs with ad hoc programs that pay farmers who experienced crop losses. To receive these payments, farmers must purchase coverage under federal crop insurance or the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program, and receive claims payments for losses. This report evaluated: (1) how FSA administered the crop disaster programs for losses from 2001 through 2007 and the results of payments under these programs; and (2) what lessons FSA can learn from the previous crop disaster programs to manage its new crop disaster program. Charts and tables.