Given the current situation surrounding COVID-19, the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) Risk Management Agency (RMA) has announced additional information on the FSA Acreage Reporting Date as well as Manager's Bulletin MGR-20-015 that was issued on May 28, 2020. 

MGR-20-020: COVID-19 FSA Acreage Reporting Date

• Read the full Manager's Bulletin HERE.
• The Risk Management Agency (RMA) issued bulletin MGR-20-015 on May 28, 2020, to authorize additional crop insurance relief following Farm Service Agency (FSA) Notice CP-757, which waived late filing fees for a FSA acreage report (FSA-578) when filed within 30 days of the acreage reporting date (ARD).
• AIPs may consent to revise an acreage report after the acreage reporting date when no cause of loss has occurred or the acreage of the crop being added will produce at least 90 percent of the yield used to determine its guarantee or the amount of insurance, based upon an appraisal of only the added acreage.
• At the AIP’s discretion, modifications for acreage within a field that is the lessor of 10 acres or 10 percent of the total acreage in the field do not require an appraisal. AIPs may also use their discretion as to whether modifications to existing reported acreage, such as a crop type, practice, share, etc., warrants an appraisal, including modified acreage that increases the liability.
• This authority is only authorized for reconciliation to the FSA-578 due to the extenuating circumstances regarding COVID-19 and in accordance with MGR-20-015.

MGR-20-015: FSA Acreage Reporting Date

• Read the full Manager's Bulletin HERE.
• In response to many stay-at-home orders due to COVID-19, RMA issued acreage reporting relief in its Manager’s Bulletin MGR-20-009.

• For the 2020 crop year, ARDs that occur on or after May 15, 2020, RMA is extending the correction time period for an acreage report, or other forms due by the ARD, for an additional 30 days. Likewise, for the 2021 crop year ARDs before August 1, 2020, RMA is extending the correction time period for an acreage report, or other forms due by the ARD, for an additional 30 days. However, RMA is not extending the date by which an insured must provide an initial acreage report.

  • RMA is extending the USDA Reconciliation procedures contained in GSH Paragraph 504 an additional 30 days. If the AIP determines that an error exists or the producer identifies an error on the acreage report, or other forms due by the ARD, the AIP may correct the error up to 60 days following the ARD in the current crop year, provided the correction does not obtain, enhance, or increase the insurance guarantee or indemnity if there is an existing cause of loss for the crop.
  • AIPs must continue to document changes that substantiate the correction.
  • Procedures contained in GSH Paragraph 503 continue to apply.
  • Procedures contained in GSH Paragraph 505 continues to apply which allows AIPs to make conforming correction up to 30 days following the date that FSA corrects its information.

Read the full press release on the RMA website.

Additional Resources

• RMA Update: COVID-19 Additional Deferral of Interest Charges and Acreage Reporting Relief
• RMA Update: Flexibilities for organic certification amid coronavirus pandemic
• Coronavirus and USDA Service Centers.
• RMA Information on COVID-19 and dumped milk on DRP and LGM for Dairy Policies including MGR 20-001.6, MGR 20-009, and MGR 20-010.
• COVID-19 meets NAU Country Crop Insurance - Links to help you serve your farmers while maintaining social distancing guidelines.
• RMA information regarding COVID-19 (20-005, 20-006, 20-007, 20-008).
• See all RMA Manager's Bulletins for more detailed information.