What's New?
As your Approved Insurance Provider (AIP), NAU Country takes pride in keeping you up-to-date on crop insurance changes. The Risk Management Agency (RMA) has issued the following bulletins/memorandums. We have provided a general summary of each change, but for official documentation or to find out more, please click on the link(s) below to be routed directly to the bulletin(s).
RMA Informational Memorandums | RMA Manager's Bulletins | RMA Product Management Bulletins | Policyholder Provision Access
April 30, 2025
The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation Board of Directors approved implementation of the Margin Coverage Option (MCO) program, under section 508(h) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act, on May 23, 2024.
MCO provides a band of insurance from percent up to 95 percent of expected crop value to cover producers' operating margins. MCO will be available as an endorsement for corn, cotton, grain sorghum, soybeans, rice, and spring wheat for 2026 and succeeding crop years.
The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) Board of Directors (Board) approved revisions to the Livestock Risk Protection (LRP), Livestock Gross Margin (LGM), and Dairy Revenue Protection (DRP) plans of insurance under section 508(h) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act. The following revisions are applicable for the 2026 and succeeding crop years.
LRP changes include:
- Modified the termination date to September 30 and the premium billing date to the first day of the second month after the end date.
- Added two new types:
- For Feeder Cattle, Unborn Calves provided coverage for beef or beef/dairy cross calves sold within two weeks after birth; and
- For Fed Cattle, Cull Cows provided coverage for dairy cull cows with a coverage limitation of 13 weeks.
- Allowed coverage based on a forward contract or purchase agreement.
- Additional record requirement includes a copy of the purchase agreement and proof of delivery.
- Added a drought exemption for Feeder Cattle that will be based on the Drought Monitor’s Drought Severity and Coverage Index.
- Updated the correction of errors language in the handbook and added similar language to the policy.
- Added additional record requirements for Feeder Cattle:
- When livestock are purchased and not marketed within 60 days of the end date; and
- The sex of the feeder cattle must be verified in the marketing or purchase records.
- Added language that outlines what is considered subsidy capture and specifies subsidy capture is not allowable.
- Updated the termination/ineligibility language.
- Added single payee changes.
LGM changes include:
- Modified the termination date to August 31 and the premium billing date to the first day of the second month after the SCE ended.
- Updated the correction of errors language in the handbook and added similar language to the policy.
- Added language that outlines what is considered subsidy capture and specifies subsidy capture is not allowable.
- Updated the termination/ineligibility language.
- Added single payee language.
DRP changes include:
- Modified the termination date to January 31st and the premium billing date to the first day of the third month after the end date.
- Updated the correction of errors language in the handbook and added similar language to the policy.
- Added language that outlines what is considered subsidy capture and specifies subsidy capture is not allowable.
- Modified the natural disaster language to include animal disease.
- Increased minimum declarable butterfat test to 4.00 pounds, increased maximum declarable butterfat test to 6.00 pounds and increased minimum declarable protein test to 3.20 pounds.
April 11, 2025
The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) amended the HIP-WI Endorsement for the 2026 and succeeding crop years in all counties with an April 30, 2025, contract change date, or later, with the following changes:
- Clarified the definition of “Underlying Policy” to reflect that this Endorsement is attached to and made part of the Common Crop Insurance Policy, Basic Provisions.
- Clarified in the definition of “Weather Event” that the criteria necessary to meet the County Loss Trigger for a tropical storm includes Weather Events that occur before the insurance attachment date if such events extend into the Insurance Period.
- Added within the definition of “Weather Event” that a Final Rainfall Amount for a tropical storm includes all days during which the tropical storm is present within the county.
- Removed references to the Nursery Field Grown and Container program including the Plant Inventory Value Report and Peak Inventory Report.
- Made non-substantive editorial revisions throughout the policy.
January 17, 2025
On August 22, 2024, the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) Board of Directors approved modifications to the Apple Tree Crop Insurance Program under section 508(h) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act. Beginning with the 2026 crop year, the modifications include the following:
- Allow optional units by type;
- Reduce the number of practices in the actuarial documents by removing tree density and age-based stages to organic practices only; and
- Expand range classes from three to six to add density to the age-based stages.
January 16, 2025
On November 21, 2024, the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) Board of Directors approved modifications to the Nursery Value Select Pilot Crop Insurance Program beginning with the 2026 crop year. The modifications include the following:
- Allow carryover policyholders to submit renewal documents at any time after the sales closing date, resulting in prorated premium for the remainder of the crop year; and
- Add a new Peak Endorsement Pilot, which allows producers to increase coverage during a designated peak period when the inventory value may be higher than the selected value.
As a reminder, beginning with the 2026 crop year, Nursery Value Select will be the only nursery program offered. Nursery Field Grown & Container (FG&C) will no longer be available for purchase. Policyholders who have coverage under Nursery FG&C for the 2025 crop year must submit a new application and required NVS documentation for NVS coverage for the 2026 crop year.
On November 21, 2024, the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) Board of Directors approved modifications to the Controlled Environment Pilot Crop Insurance Program beginning with the 2026 crop year. The modifications include the following:
- Expand to an additional 48 counties in 17 states;
- Increase upper limit of coverage percentage from 75% to 85%;
- and Provide coverage for quarantines, when certain qualifications are met.
November 27, 2024
On November 27, 2024, the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) published a final rule in the Federal Register that amended the Area Risk Protection Insurance (ARPI), Basic Provisions, and various Crop Provisions.
The following changes apply for the 2025 and succeeding crop years for the November 30, 2024, contract change date and for the 2026 and succeeding crop years for crops with earlier contract change dates:
- Expands revenue protection (revenue protection and revenue protection with harvest price exclusion) to flax, matching available coverage for barley, oats, rye, and wheat.
- Allows enterprise and optional units by organic farming practice in the:
- Green Pea Crop Provisions; and
- Processing Sweet Corn Crop Provisions.
- Combines written agreement deadlines in the Dry Bean Crop Provisions to reduce confusion and administrative complexity when a producer requests a written agreement by more than one criteria.
- Makes various clarifications and corrections in the:
- Area Risk Protection Insurance Basic Provisions;
- Central and Southern Potato Crop Provisions;
- Dry Bean Crop Provisions;
- Green Pea Crop Provisions;
- Processing Sweet Corn Crop Provisions; and
- Small Grains Crop Provisions.
November 26, 2024
The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) Board of Directors approved changes to the Weaned Calf Risk Protection crop insurance program, under section 508(h) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act, on August 22, 2024.
The following changes are applicable for the 2025 and succeeding crop years:
- Extending the calving period from 60 days to 90 days;
- Modifying the projected price discovery period end date from January 15th to January 14th to be consistent with other policies;
- Clarifying that only 1 county should be listed on each policy application;
- Clarifying notice and reporting requirements for backgrounding, moving, and weaning calves; and
- Extending the deadline for insurance companies to complete the Pre-Acceptance Inspection Report from 30 days to 60 days.
November 25, 2024
The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) Board of Directors approved changes to the Sesame pilot crop insurance program on November 21, 2024.
The following changes are applicable for the 2025 and succeeding crop years:
- Allow the contract price to be derived from a formula; and
- Make non-substantive editorial revisions throughout the policy.
November 19, 2024
The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation Board of Directors approved the following changes to the Processing Pumpkin crop insurance program on May 23, 2024.
For the 2025 and succeeding crop years:
- Convert the policy from pilot to permanent status;
- Increase the maximum coverage level from 80% to 85%;
- Clarify the establishment of optional units;
- Allow enterprise units and enterprise units by organic practice; and
- Allow written agreements.
November 15, 2024
The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) Board of Directors approved changes to the Hemp crop insurance program, under section 508(h) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act, on August 22, 2024.
The following changes are applicable for the 2025 and succeeding crop years:
- Clarify that smoke damage is not a covered cause of loss; and
- Remove soybeans from the rotation requirement statement(s) for Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. This will allow hemp to be insurable if planted following soybeans in these states.
November 7, 2024
The Risk Management Agency (RMA) revised the Downed Rice Endorsement for the 2025 and succeeding crop years. The changes include updating the formatting for consistency with the Crop Provisions and other plain language and non-substantive editorial revisions.
October 8, 2024
The Risk Management Agency (RMA) issued Product Management Bulletin PM-24-039 on June 27, 2024, announcing changes to several policies under the Expanding Options for Specialty and Organic Growers (EOSOG) Final Rule. The Common Crop Insurance Provisions Basic Provisions, Area Risk Protection Insurance Basic Provisions, and 7 individual Crop Provisions were released at that time. The remaining regulatory Crop Provisions included in the EOSOG Final Rule and conforming changes in non-regulatory Crop Provisions are planned for public release by their respective contract change dates (CCD).
August 30, 2024
On May 23, 2024, the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) Board of Directors approved modifications to the Shellfish Pilot Crop Insurance Program beginning with the 2025 crop year. The modifications include the following:
- Expand to an additional 27 counties in seven states;
- Allow insurance on seeds initially purchased smaller than 4mm once they reach the minimum insurable size of 4mm;
- Allow producers to use existing records for coverage in adjacent program counties; and
- Allow alternative yield procedures to be published in Regional Office Underwriting Guides at the Regional Office’s discretion to exclude actual yields from the calculation of the approved yield for widespread loss events.
The Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018 (Farm Bill) included language to improve the effectiveness of WFRP. The Risk Management Agency (RMA) continues to solicit stakeholder recommendations. In response to feedback from local foods producers, grower organizations, and industry partners including Approved Insurance Providers (AIP) and agent organizations, RMA recommended changes to WFRP and Micro Farm to the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation Board of Directors (Board).
On August 22, 2024, the Board approved the following changes to the WFRP plan of insurance and to the Micro Farm program, applicable for the 2025 and succeeding policy years:
- For WFRP, clarify that for single commodity producers with revenue protection available for their commodity, only the revenue plans under the Common Crop Insurance Policy, Basic Provisions and identified as Revenue Protection or Revenue Protection with Harvest Price Exclusion (plans 02 and 03) in the actuarial documents trigger ineligibility.
- This means if there is another revenue plan (e.g., Production and Revenue History) available other than those listed above, a single commodity producer may be eligible for WFRP.
- For Micro Farm, allow eligible producers that qualify as Beginning Farmers and Ranchers or Veteran Farmers and Ranchers to use another producer’s farm operation records to establish a per acre expected value for an operation they now own or lease.
- The producer must have participated materially in the operation or management of the farm operation.
- The other producer must certify their involvement of the operation and give permission to use their records.
August 29, 2024
On February 22, 2024, the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) Board of Directors approved the Pasture, Rangeland, Forage (PRF) Hawaii pilot insurance program under section 1523 of the Federal Crop Insurance Act. This Rainfall Index (RI) pilot is like the PRF program that currently exists in the contiguous 48 states; however, there are some distinct differences due to the diverse geography and climate found in the state of Hawaii. Features of the program effective for 2025 and succeeding crop years include:
- Coverage is provided for feed losses due to the lack of normal precipitation on perennial forage that is grazed by livestock.
- The RI utilizes the Hawaii Climate Data Portal to determine the monthly precipitation received in comparison to the historical average.
- The precipitation is determined based on 5-kilometer by 5-kilometer grids.
- Producers may choose what grazing acres they want to insure.
- Coverage levels are available from 70 to 90 percent.
- Producers may select a productivity factor of 60 to 120 percent of the county base value.
- Producers must select at least two and up to six intervals.
- The program will be available on the Big Island of Hawaii.
- The first sales closing date is December 1, 2024, for the 2025 crop year.
The Risk Management Agency (RMA) revised the Rainfall Index Plan Common Policy, Basic Provisions for 2025 and succeeding crop years for the August 31, 2024, contract change date and for the 2026 crop year for insurance plans with a contract change date prior to August 31, 2024. The changes include:
- Clarify actions if duplicate policies are discovered in situations where it was unintentional and consequences when it cannot be determined to be unintentional.
- Modify language to match the Common Crop Insurance Policy (CCIP), Basic
Provisions to allow an indemnity to be issued to a single payee if all assignees and the producer agree in writing.
In response to requests for clarification from the industry, the Risk Management Agency (RMA) revised the provisions regarding the annual price for diverted production in the Actual Revenue History (ARH) Tart Cherry for Processing Pilot Crop Provisions. Revisions were also made to the ARH Pilot Endorsement, ARH Sweet Cherry Pilot Crop Provisions, and the ARH Tart Cherry for Processing Crop Provisions to clarify the order of priority in the event of a conflict within the ARH policies and to specify that the Whole Farm unit provisions in the Common Crop Insurance Provisions, Basic Provisions do not apply to the cherry insurance program.
August 28, 2024
The Risk Management Agency (RMA) issued Product Management Bulletin PM-24-039 on June 27, 2024, announcing changes to several policies under the Expanding Options for Specialty and Organic Growers (EOSOG) Final Rule. The Common Crop Insurance Provisions Basic Provisions, Area Risk Protection Insurance Basic Provisions, and 7 individual Crop Provisions were released at that time. The remaining regulatory Crop Provisions included in the EOSOG Final Rule and conforming changes in non-regulatory Crop Provisions are planned for public release by their respective contract change dates (CCD).
August 15, 2024
- PM-24-050: Grapevine Crop Insurance Program Changes Effective for the 2025 and Succeeding Crop Years
The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation Board of Directors approved changes to the Grapevine crop insurance program, under section 508(h) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act, on May 23, 2024.
The following changes are applicable for the 2025 and succeeding crop years:
- Expand grapevine coverage to 29 additional counties in California;
- Reduce the grafting period required for insurance coverage from 12 to 6 months; and
- Clarify that field grafted vines are insurable.
August 12, 2024
On May 23, 2024, the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) Board of Directors approved the Fire Insurance Protection - Smoke Index (FIP-SI) Endorsement. It is available beginning with the 2025 crop year as additional coverage for the Common Crop Insurance Policy, Basic Provisions and the Actual Production History Grape Crop Provisions in counties located in California. The coverage provided by this Endorsement may be combined with the Supplemental Coverage Option (SCO) Endorsement or the Catastrophic Risk Protection Endorsement (CAT).
The FIP-SI Endorsement covers a portion of the deductible of the Grape Crop Provisions when the insured county experiences a minimum number of Smoke Events as determined by the FCIC in accordance with the Smoke Index Data Provisions (SIDP) and identified in the actuarial documents.
At this time, the FIP-SI Endorsement is only available for grapes grown in California, insured under the Grape Crop Provisions, and in those counties listed in the Grape actuarial documents. This Endorsement cannot be added to a policy by written agreement.
An administrative fee and premium for each variety of grapes covered by the FIP-SI Endorsement will be due in addition to any administrative fee(s) and/or premium(s) of the underlying policy. However, the FIP-SI administrative fee(s) may be waived if you qualify as a limited resource farmer, a Beginning Farmer Rancher (BFR) or a Veteran Farmer Rancher (VFR).
June 28, 2024
The Risk Management Agency (RMA) is revising the Margin Protection (MP) Provisions to clarify how first, and second crop rules apply to MP. Terminology in the Provisions are also being updated to be consistent with other area plans.
The following documents will be available by close of business today on the Risk Management Agency (RMA) website at www.rma.usda.gov.
- Margin Protection Plan (25-MP)
- Margin Price Provisions (25-MPP)
- Margin Price Provisions for Wheat (25-MPP-0011)
- Margin Price Provisions for Rice (25-MPP-0018)
- Margin Price Provisions for Corn (25-MPP-0041)
- Margin Price Provisions for Soybeans (25-MPP-0081)
*Please Note: RMA made updates to their website after June 28, 2024. Previous links to their page may not work as intended. To review all RMA Bulletins - utilize the links above, or here. Thank you!
RMA Informational Memorandums | RMA Manager's Bulletins | RMA Product Management Bulletins
June 27, 2024
The Risk Management Agency (RMA) is revising when the Dry Bean and Dry Pea Revenue Endorsements’ additional projected prices are released. The following documents will be available on the RMA website at www.rma.usda.gov.
- Dry Bean Revenue Endorsement (25-0047a)
- Dry Pea Revenue Endorsement (25-0067a)
The Risk Management Agency (RMA) is issuing the following changes to the Fresh Market Bean crop insurance program. For the 2025 and succeeding crop years:
- In Florida, expand insurance coverage to two counties and add a “winter” type.
- In North Carolina, allow producers to use their processing bean history to qualify for fresh market bean insurance coverage.
The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) published a final rule in the Federal Register that amended Subpart J (Appeal Procedure), Common Crop Insurance Policy (CCIP), Basic Provisions and Area Risk Protection Insurance (ARPI), Basic Provisions, and various Crop Provisions. The changes apply for the 2025 and succeeding crop years for the June 30, 2024, contract change date and for the 2026 crop year for crops with a contract change date prior to June 30, 2024. The rule includes the following changes:
Enterprise and Optional Units:
- Authorizes enterprise units (EU) for several specialty and perennial crops, as provided in the actuarial documents.
- Authorizes optional units (OU) by non-contiguous parcels of land to qualify for EU. Allows EUs by organic farming practice.
- Double Cropping and Annual Forage: Clarifies a producer must prove insurance history for the annual forage crop and meet the current double cropping requirements to receive a full prevented planting payment.
New Breaking Acreage:
- Reduces administrative burdens on growers and the delivery system by removing written agreement requirements on new breaking acreage.
- Reduces coverage penalties on perennial specialty crop producers and producers of intensively managed crops, such as alfalfa, when they move to row crop production. This allows for a seamless transition without losing crop insurance coverage.
- Modifies the number of years a crop must be planted and harvested to determine insurable acreage to “one of the four” previous crop years to provide consistency among the new breaking and prevented planting acreage language.
Assignment of Indemnity:
- Provides flexibility for an indemnity payment to be issued via automated clearing house or other electronic means when these methods do not allow for multiple payees.
- Clarifies when an assignee may assume the dispute resolution rights and obligations of the policyholder.
Good Farming Practices:
- Streamlines and shortens the FCIC good farming practice (GFP) reconsideration process by closing the administrative file following FCIC’s initial GFP determination.
Timing and Method of Reduction to Insured Acreage, Amount of Insurance, or Yields:
- Clarifies the timing and method of reductions to insured acreage, amount of insurance, or yields for several perennial crops.
Minimum Acreage, Stand, or Production Requirement:
- Clarifies that the minimum acreage, stand, or production requirement is not waived by a written agreement or in writing, but rather, if “otherwise allowed by the Special Provisions.”
Walnut Quality Adjustment:
- Allows sunburned damaged walnuts to be eligible for indemnity payments through quality adjustment.
Almond Leaf Year:
- Reduces the insurable age requirements for almond trees from the sixth leaf year after being set out to the fifth leaf year after being set out.
Processing Bean End of Insurance Period:
- Removes the end of insurance dates from the Crop Provisions and refer to the actuarial documents or written agreements to set the date.
Canola/Rapeseed Cancellation and Termination Dates:
- Adds a cancellation and termination date of March 15 for South Dakota and August 31 to Michigan.
The following documents will be available by June 30, 2024, on the Risk Management Agency (RMA) website at www.rma.usda.gov:
- Basic Provisions Area Risk Protection Insurance (25-ARPI)
- Common Crop Insurance Policy Basic Provisions (25-BR)
Crop Provisions
- Canola (25-0015)
- Central and Southern Potato (25-0284)
- Dry Pea (25-0067)
- Grass Seed (25-0102)
- Northern Potato (25-0184)
- Small Grains (25-0011)
- Sugarcane (25-0038)
June 26, 2024
The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) Board of Directors approved changes to the Camelina pilot crop insurance program on May 23, 2024. The Camelina Insurance Standards Handbook (FCIC-24410) will be available by June 30 on the RMA website at www.rma.usda.gov. The USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) is expanding coverage allowing camelina producers to better manage their risks. The following expanded coverage options will take effect starting with the 2025 crop year and are contained in the Camelina actuarial documents:
- Allowing enterprise units;
- Increasing the maximum allowable coverage level from 65% to 85%, which may be selected in 5% increments; and
- Revising planting dates in the Southern Plains region to match planting dates for winter wheat.
April 29, 2024
The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) Board of Directors (Board) approved revisions to the Livestock Risk Protection (LRP), Livestock Gross Margin (LGM), Dairy Revenue Protection (DRP) plans of insurance under section 508(h) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act. The following revisions are applicable for the 2025 and succeeding crop years:
LRP changes include:
- Allowed producers to sign application for coverage ahead of sales period;
- For LRP Fed Cattle and Swine, the insured must provide sales records for swine and fed cattle to receive an indemnity;
- Suspension of offers for LRP-Feeder Cattle and LRP-Fed Cattle on dates when USDA releases the Cattle on Feed report, and suspension of LRP-Swine offers on dates when USDA releases the Hogs and Pigs report;
- Removed the definition of “daily price limit” and added the definition of “limit movement” to allow LRP offers on days when livestock prices change more than the regular limit, but less than the expanded price limit; and
- Updated the policy and handbook to be consistent with other FCIC issued policies and handbooks.
LGM changes include:
- Allowed producers to sign application for coverage ahead of sales period;
- For LGM Cattle and Swine, converted the “approved target marketings” and “target marketings report” to “cumulative target marketings”;
- For LGM Cattle, added definitions of “target corn weight,” “target feeder cattle weight,” and “target live cattle weight,” and modified definitions for “actual cost of feed,” “actual gross margin per head,” “expected cost of feed,” and “expected gross margin per head” to provide more flexibility in choosing the cattle weight and the amount of corn fed per head;
- For LGM Swine, modified definitions of “actual corn price,” “actual soybean meal price,” and “actual swine price” to reflect the change in timing and methodology for calculating actual prices, modified definitions of “expected corn price,” “expected soybean meal price,” and “expected swine price” to reflect the change in timing and methodology for calculating expected prices, modified definition of the “marketing report” to provide additional flexibility for swine sold earlier or later than expected, and removed the definition of “expected price measurement period” since that term is no longer used; and
- Updated the policy and handbook to be consistent with other FCIC issued policies and handbooks.
DRP changes include:
- Updated the policy and handbook to be consisted with other FCIC issued policies and handbooks.
DRP Notice:
- Due to reductions in National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) milk reporting, FCIC will not be able to calculate the state yield for the states listed below for quarters 1 through 3 of 2025 for 2024 RY policies. Per section 7(g) of the DRP policy, 2024 policies for those 3 quarters in the below states will have their Yield Adjustment Factors set to 1. The policy and endorsement revisions for 2025 RY will account for NASS’s changes and will resume functioning as normal.
- List of states: AK, AL, AR, CT, DE, HI, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MS, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NC, ND, RI, SC, TN, WV, and WY.
The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) Board of Directors approved changes to the Hybrid Vegetable Seed crop insurance program, under section 508(h) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act, on February 22, 2024.
The following changes are applicable for the 2025 and succeeding crop years:
- Expand the definition of “Minimum Guaranteed Payment” to include any amount, in any contract or payment method issued by the processor or seed company, that is paid regardless of the quantity of seed produced.
- Add stage guarantees to address early season losses.
April 26, 2024
The Rainfall Index (RI) Plan Common Policy, Basic Provisions are being updated for the 2025 crop year. The following revisions are applicable for the 2025 and succeeding crop years:
- Clarified that cover crops are not insurable and added consequences if a cover crop is insured under the policy.
- Clarified that an approved insurance provider (AIP) may only cancel a policy with express written consent from the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC).
April 23, 2024
The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) amended the HIP-WI Endorsement for the 2025 and succeeding crop years in all countries with an April 30, 2024, contract change date, or later, with the following changes:
- Updated the definition of "Adjacent County" to indicate that counties identified as adjacent to an insured's county will be published in the actuarial documents.
- Clarified in the definition of "Weather Event" that the criteria necessary to meet the County Loss Trigger for a tropical storm must occur within the bounds of a county or adjacent county.
- Added the definition of "Wind Extent".
- Added within the definition of "Weather Event" that a Final Rainfall Amount of 5.900 inches and above will be rounded to 6 inches.
- Added that Wind Extent data is a matter of general applicability, are presumed to be accurate, and will not be changed once published unless the criteria set forth in section 8(e) are met.
January 30, 2024
The Risk Management Agency (RMA) periodically receives inquiries from producers who are interested in WFRP and Micro Farm but are unable to find an agent willing to sell and service these policies. In 2022 and 2023, RMA conducted extensive outreach to
directly educate producers, agents, and Approved Insurance Providers (AIPs) about WFRP and Micro Farm. Over 2,000 people attended these events with feedback resulting in meaningful policy updates and an increase in Micro Farm sales.
Despite these efforts, RMA continues to hear from producers who cannot find an agent who will sell and service WFRP or Micro Farm policy.
Pursuant to Section II (a)(3) of the Standard Reinsurance Agreement, WFRP and Micro Farm must be
offered and marketed in all states, and AIPs must accept and approve applications from all eligible producers. AIPs may face penalties and liability if they or their agents knowingly deny service to an eligible producer.
To ensure producers
can find agents willing to sell and service WFRP and Micro Farm, starting for the 2024 crop year, RMA will allow agents to voluntarily identify as a "WFRP and Micro Farm" agent.
January 29, 2024
The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) Board of Directors approved the expansion of the Nursery Value Select (NVS) crop insurance program beginning with the 2025 crop year. In addition, the Crop Provisions are being updated to include small clarifications for consistency with the Basic Provisions.
NVS has two sales closing dates: May 1 in Gulf and Atlantic Coast States and West Virginia; and September 1 in all other states where the program is offered. Producers in "all other states" can transition from the Nursery Field Grown and Container (FG&C) program to NVS without a lapse in coverage by submitting the required NVS documentation by May 1, 2024. This will provide prorated coverage for the 2024 crop year from June 1, 2024, to September 30, 2024. For the 2025 crop year, producers must submit renewal documentation by September 1, 2024, for insurance to attach on October 1, 2025.
November 15, 2023
The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) Board of Directors approved changes to the Sesame pilot crop insurance program on November 16, 2023. The following changes are applicable for the 2024 and succeeding crop years:
- Allow written agreements for sesame without geographical restrictions;
- Update the cancellation and termination dates to be reflective of written agreements being expanded nationwide; and
- Allow enterprise units in the actuarial documents.
The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) amended the Sugar Beet Crop Provisions for the 2024 and succeeding crop years in states with a November 30 contract change date and for the 2025 and succeeding crop years in Imperial County, California, with the following changes:
- Convert Early Harvest Adjustment to an option;
- Increase the acreage threshold to trigger an adjustment for early harvest; and
- Increase the Early Harvest Adjustment cap to accommodate a limited situation where the actual yield from early harvested acreage (prior to any adjustment) was already higher than the previous cap.
The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC)Board of Directors approved expansion of the Hemp crop insurance program, under section 508 (h) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act, on August 17, 2023.
Beginning with the 2024 crop year, the program will be available in 171 new counties in Missouri and South Dakota.
October 18, 2023
The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) amended the Common Crop Insurance Policy (CCIP) Basic Provisions and Area Risk Protection Insurance (ARPI) Basic Provisions. The changes apply for the 2024 and succeeding crop years for the November 30, 2023, contract change date and for the 2025 crop year for crops with a contract change date prior to November 30, 2023.
The changes in the CCIP and ARPI Basic Provisions clarify that an Approved Insurance Provider (AIP) may only cancel a policy with express written consent from FCIC in the CCIP and ARPI Basic Provisions. This change is consistent with the Standard Reinsurance Agreement (SRA) which prohibits any AIP from cancelling an eligible crop insurance policy held by a producer so long as the producer remains eligible and the AIP continues to write eligible crop insurance contracts within the State, except as authorized by FCIC.
A Final Rule with these changes was published in the Federal Register on October 18, 2023. FCIC invites you to submit comments on this rule through the close of business on December 13, 2023, at regulations.gov.
September 29, 2023
Click the RMA Bulletin link above to review the full announcement and additional referenced attachment (IS-23-002 - 2024 Livestock Price Reinsurance Agreement (LPRA) - Revised Appendix II Exhibits V(b) and (c), Appendix IV, and Matrix)
On August 18, 2022, the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation Board of Directors approved the Weaned Calf Protection (WCRP) program under section 508(h) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act. Features of the program effective for the 2024 and succeeding crop years include:
- Actual Production History (APH) coverage for beef cow-calf producers in Colorado, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Texas;
- Coverage for adverse weather, fire, wildlife, earthquake, volcanic eruption, disease (but not damage due to insufficient or improper application of disease control measures), other causes directly damaging pastures and other forms of grazing, calf death due to a covered peril occurring during the insurance period, and for revenue protection a change in harvest price from projected price;
- Coverage levels between 50 and 85 percent, and catastrophic (CAT) coverage will be available; and
- The sales closing date for the 2024 crop year is January 31, 2024.
The following documents will be available by close of business today on the Risk Management Agency (RMA) website at www.usda.gov/Policy-an-Procedure-Plans/Livestock-Insurance-Plans :
- Weaned Calf Risk Protection Commodity Provisions (24-0805)
- Weaned Calf Risk Protection Commodity Exchange Price Provisions (24-CEPP-0805)
- Weaned Calf Risk Protection Insurance Standards Handbook (20805U)
- Weaned Calf Risk Protection Loss Adjustment Standards Handbook (20805L)
- Weaned Calf Risk Protection Regional Factors and Price Adjustment Factor Methodologies
September 1, 2023
Click the RMA Bulletin link above to review the full announcement and referenced attachment.
For the Common Crop Insurance Policy and Area Risk Protection Insurance, the Risk Management Agency (RMA) approved 2023 CY harvest prices for insurance offers with a harvest price discovery period of August 1, 2023, through August 31, 2023. These values may be viewed in the attachment and on RMA’s Price Discovery portal, located here: prodwebnlb.rma.usda.gov/apps/PriceDiscovery.
These values will also be available at the following locations on RMA’s website by September 6, 2023:
- webapp.rma.usda.gov/apps/actuarialinformationbrowser/CropCriteria
- webapp.rma.usda.gov/apps/RIRS/InsuranceOfferPrices
- pubfs-rma.fpac.usda.gov/pub/References/actuarial_data_master/
August 31, 2023
The Risk Management Agency (RMA) issued Product Management Bulletin PM-23-035 on June 29, 2023, announcing changes to several policies under the APHCIT Final Rule. In reviewing the changes made in the APHCIT Final Rule, the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) found some incorrect references and conflicting provisions that were not updated to accurately incorporate the changes, and a grammatical error was included in the amendatory instructions. A Correcting Amendment with these changes was published in the Federal Register on August 30, 2023, at regulations.gov.
Corrections in the Common Crop Insurance Policy (CCIP) Basic Provisions include:
- Alphabetizing the definition of “organic standards”;
- Allowing the Crop Provisions to provide exceptions to the production reporting date;
- Removing references to subpart G; and
- Ensuring the availability of enterprise units and whole farm units is shown only in the actuarial documents.
The Correcting Amendment removed references to subpart G and corrected references from “previous” year production to “current” year for consistency with the CCIP Basic Provisions, in the following Crop Provisions:
- Arizona-California Citrus Crop Provisions;
- California Avocado Crop Provisions;
- Macadamia Nut Crop Provisions; and
- Texas Citrus Fruit Crop Provisions.
Conforming changes were also made in the pilot Fresh Market Caneberry Crop Provisions.
The Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018 (Farm Bill) included language to improve the effectiveness of WFRP. The Risk Management Agency (RMA) continues to solicit stakeholder recommendations. In response to feedback from local foods producers, grower organizations, and industry partners including approved insurance providers and agent organizations, RMA recommended changes to WFRP and Micro Farm to the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) Board of Directors (Board).
On August 17, 2023, the Board approved the following changes to the WFRP plan of insurance and the Micro Farm program, applicable for the 2024 and succeeding policy years:
- Allow all eligible producers to qualify for 80% and 85% coverage levels under WFRP.
- Increase the subsidy for single commodity producers from the Basic Unit premium subsidy to the Enterprise Unit premium subsidy.
- Allow the purchase of other FCIC reinsured policies at the catastrophic (CAT) coverage level.
- Previously, the purchase of CAT policies was not allowed under WFRP.
- The CAT policies will not be considered primary insurance under WFRP for the purposes of premium calculations.
- Provides insureds an option to opt-out of all FCIC reinsured policies from becoming primary insurance for the purposes of premium calculations and claim settlement.
- Previously, the purchase of CAT policies was not allowed under WFRP.
- Revise the 180-day claim deferral for AIPs.
- Move the date to start the 180-day deferral to the end of the insurance period.
- Previously, the start date was the date a claim is submitted.
- Allow for further deferral for commodities stored in a controlled atmosphere storage.
- Move the date to start the 180-day deferral to the end of the insurance period.
- Allow insureds to purchase other FCIC reinsured policies at any coverage level in conjunction with Micro Farm.
- Liability from all FCIC reinsured policies will not be considered for the purposes of premium calculation under Micro Farm.
- Move the sales closing date for Micro Farm to 30 days after the county’s spring sales closing date.
- Allow expanding operation adjustments under Micro Farm
- Only physical expansion (e.g., added acres) will be allowed for adjustment purposes.
- Add an option to Micro Farm that allows an insured to remove the lowest year of historic revenue for the purposes of calculating the expected value.
- Allow vertically integrated entities to be eligible for Micro Farm.
On May 18, 2023, the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation Board of Directors approved revisions to the Pomegranate crop insurance program under section 508(h) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act. Beginning with the 2024 crop year, optional units will be available by early and late types.
The Risk Management Agency (RMA) revised the Rainfall Index (RI) Common Policy and the Pasture, Rangeland, Forage (PRF) Crop Provisions for 2024 and succeeding crop years for the August 31, 2023, contract change date and for the 2025 crop year for insurance plans with a contract change date prior to August 31, 2023. The changes include:
PRF Crop Provisions:
- Add bison to the definition of livestock and clarify livestock must be produced or maintained as part of an agriculture operation;
- Clarify land should be suitable for haying or grazing at acreage reporting time; and
- Add examples of ground cover that would make haying impractical.
RI Basic Provisions
- Update organic provisions to make consistent with the National Organic Program; and
- Modify language to match the Common Crop Insurance Policy (CCIP) Basic Provisions clarifying double cropping records when another policy has different requirements.
August 29, 2023
The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) Board of Directors approved changes to the Florida Citrus Fruit crop insurance program, under section 508(h) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act, on May 19, 2023.
- Revise insurability requirements to reflect a 100-box/acre minimum in at least one of the three previous years for trees eight years and older, unless allowed by a determined yield;
- Replace the term "Adverse Weather" with several named individual perils as insurable causes of loss and further define "wind excess";
- Require notice within 30 days if the insured acreage is damaged by post-bloom fruit drop; and
- Minor modifications were made to price calculations for specialty citrus due to the loss of relied upon data that had come from the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) and the receipt of additional juice type oranges dataset from the Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC).
On February 17, 2023, the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation Board of Directors approved the Kiwifruit Crop Insurance Program under 508(h) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act. Features of the program effective for the 2024 and succeeding crop years include:
- Actual Production History (APH) coverage for irrigated fresh varieties of commercially grown kiwifruit in 12 counties in California: Butte, Fresno, Kings, Madera, Placer, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Santa Clara, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tulare, and Yuba;
- Coverage for adverse weather, fire, earthquake, volcanic eruption, failure of irrigation water supply, insects, plant diseases, and insufficient number of chilling hours;
- Coverage levels between 50 and 85 percent, with optional Catastrophic (CAT) coverage will be available; and
- The sales closing date for the 2024 crop year is November 20, 2023.
On August 18, 2022, the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation Board of Directors approved the Grapevine Crop Insurance program under 508(h) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act. Features of the program effective for the 2024 and succeeding crop
years include:
- Vine-based dollar amount of insurance that provides coverage for specific types of grafted grapevines in select counties in the states of: California, Idaho, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Washington;
- Mortality coverage for vine losses in the event of freeze, hail, flood, fire, failure of irrigation water supply, insects, and plant diseases. No partial damage will be covered;
- Coverage levels between 50 and 75 percent, with optional Catastrophic (CAT) coverage or the Occurrence Loss Option (OLO); and
- The sales closing date for the 2024 crop year is November 1, 2023.
August 4, 2023
On July 21, 2023, the Risk Management Agency (RMA) issued MGR-23-002, Emergency Procedures for Crops Damaged by Excessive Rainfall and Catastrophic Flooding, authorizing emergency procedures for all counties in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
Since the issuance of MGR-23-002, RMA has received requests for emergency procedures for an additional crop (Tobacco) as the impact of the excessive rainfall and catastrophic flooding has evolved.
August 2, 2023
The Risk Management Agency (RMA) revised the Pistachio Crop Provisions for the 2024 and succeeding crop years, with the following changes:
- Allow insurance coverage for acreage with less than four years of production records with the use of new Transitional Yields (T-Yields);
- Clarify simple average approved yield for Actual Production History (APH) databases containing T-Yields;
- Clarify variability adjustments for APH databases; and
- Allow assigned yields and temporary yields if allowed by the Special Provisions.
July 31, 2023
Farmers and ranchers are facing natural disasters in many parts of the nation causing catastrophic damage to crops. Concerns have been expressed about the requirement to pay crop insurance premiums timely to avoid accrual of interest.
The Common Crop Insurance Policy, Area Risk Protection Insurance Policy, Rainfall Index Plan Common Policy, Whole-Farm Revenue Protection Pilot Policy, and Livestock policies’ Basic Provisions state that interest will accrue starting the first day of the month, following issuance of the notice of premium due by the Approved Insurance Provider (AIP), provided that a minimum of 30 days has passed from the premium billing date.
The Risk Management Agency (RMA) recognizes the challenges America’s farmers and ranchers face in light of these natural disasters and will provide flexibilities to help farmers and ranchers throughout these challenging times.
July 21, 2023
Excessive rainfall has caused catastrophic flooding in the Northeast United States. The Risk Management Agency (RMA) recognizes the need for authorizing emergency procedures to streamline certain determinations, including the destruction of adulterated production, to accelerate the adjustment of losses and issuance of indemnity payments to crop insurance policyholders in impacted areas.
June 30, 2023
The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) Board of Directors approved expansion of the Margin Protection (MP) crop insurance program, under section 508(h) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act, on November 17, 2022. The MP Provisions are also being revised to clarify a producer with an MP policy cannot transfer their base policy to another insurance provider or cancel their base policy to obtain insurance from another insurance provider.
June 29, 2023
When provided in the actuarial documents, the HIP-WI Endorsement is available for both Catastrophic (CAT) and additional coverage for Common Crop Insurance Policy Basic Provisions policies.
The following changes
are applicable for the 2024 and succeeding crop years:
- Added that for the initial year the Tropical Storm option is elected, coverage will not begin until the later of 14 days after the sales closing date or the end of the waiting period for the Underlying Policy also requires a similar waiting period.
- Clarified definition of "Weather Event" to indicate the conditions necessary to qualify as a hurricane or tropical storm.
The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) amended the Common Crop Insurance Policy (CCIP) Basic Provisions, Area Risk Protection Insurance (ARPI) Basic Provisions, and the General Administrative Regulations Subpart G - Actual
Production History. The changes apply for the 2024 and succeeding crop years for the June 30, 2023, contract change date, and for the 2025 crop year for crops with a contract change date prior to the June 30, 2023. The changes
include:
CCIP Basic Provisions:
- Allow the Risk Management Agency (RMA) to expand Enterprise Units to specialty crops easily and efficiently in the future.
- Incorporate procedures that exclude acreage and the actual production from acreage that is damaged by an unavoidable uninsured fire and/or a third party when calculating the approved APH yield and production guarantee.
- Incorporate existing guidance on prevented planting into the policy, clarify the added land ratio for prevented planting, and expand the eligible criteria for prevented planting coverage to include "destruction" of a producer's irrigation system from an insured cause of loss.
- Incorporate existing same-year production reporting guidelines into the CCIP Basic Provisions to be consistent with the timing of claims (harvest).
- Incorporate High-Risk Alternate Coverage Endorsement (HR-ACE) into the CCIP Basic Provisions, providing producers with all their high-risk coverage options in the same place.
CCIP and ARPI Basic Provisions:
- Update organic provisions to make them consistent with the National Organic Program.
- Incorporate existing APH requirements from procedural language.
- Clarify double cropping requirements when another policy has different requirements for records of acreage and production.
Subpart G:
- Revised to indicate its applicability expires as this rule becomes effective in the CCIP Basic Provisions.
June 28, 2023
The Risk Management Agency (RMA) revised the Grass Seed Crop Provisions to allow enterprise units and optional units by type beginning with the 2024 crop year. RMA also clarified that a grass seed production contract must be provided by the acreage reporting date.
The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) Board of Directors approved changes to the Camelina pilot crop insurance program on May 18, 2023. The USDA's Risk Management Agency (RMA) is expanding coverage by allowing written agreements
in select counties in Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, and Washington. In addition, to assist expansion by written agreement into the Great Plains, the fall planted practice
will be offered in Harper County, Kansas.
The following changes to the Camelina Crop Provision are applicable for the 2024 and succeeding crop years:
- Allow for both fall-planted and spring-planted types throughout the Crop Provisions.
- Add a June 30 contract change date.
- Add a September 30 cancellation and termination dates for counties with a fall-planted type.
- Allow written agreements in all counties of Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Oregon, and Washington; and select counties of Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas
April 28, 2023
The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) Board of Directors (Board) approved revisions to the Livestock Risk Protection (LRP) - Fed Cattle plan of insurance under section 508(h) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act on February 17, 2022, and April 19, 2023. The FCIC Board also approved revisions to the Livestock Gross Margin (LGM) plans of insurance under section 508(h) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act on May 19, 2022, and April 19, 2023. Updates were also made to the Dairy Revenue Protection (DRP) program. The following revisions are applicable for the 2024 and succeeding crop years:
Livestock Risk Protection changes include:
- Modified the end of the sales period to 8:25 a.m. Central Time
- For LRP-Fed Cattle, modified the price series to "Over 80% Choice".
Gross Margin changes include:
- Allowed producers to sign application for coverage ahead of sales period
- Revised premium billing date to clarify multiple endorsements are purchased
- Clarified policy terms
- For LGM - Dairy, increased requirement for actual marketings from 75% to 85% of cumulative target marketings to match the Dairy Revenue Protection program
- for LGM Cattle & Swine, modified the end of sales period to 8:25 a.m. Central Time.
Dairy Revenue Protection changes include:
- Updated form standards to conform with the required statements contained in the FCIC 24040 Document and Supplemental Standards Handbook (DSSH) required due process/ineligibility notification letters be sent to both the transferee and transferor.
The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation's Board of Directors approved revisions to the Annual Forage plan of insurance under section 508(h) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act on February 17, 2023. The following changes are applicable for the 2024 and succeeding crop years:
- Modified the number of growing seasons in a crop year to 12
- Revised the acreage reporting dates and planting dates for new growing seasons
- Expanded the "50% rule" to all counties in Kansas and Nebraska to allow a producer to have coverage in one of the last growing seasons and also be able to have coverage in one of the first growing seasons of the next crop year
- Allowed producers to insure less than 100% of insurable acres
- Revised the Dual Use Option availability for new growing seasons
- Incorporated FAD-301 into the rainfall Index Basic Provisions
April 24, 2023
- PM-22-042.4 : Crop Insurance Reporting and Other Changes (CIROC) Final Rule Effective for the 2023 and Succeeding Crop Years
The Risk Management Agency (RMA) issued Product Management Bulletin PM-22-042 on June 30, 2022, announcing changes to several policies under the CIROC Final Rule. The Common Crop Insurance Provisions Basic Provisions, Area Risk Protection Insurance Basic Provisions, and 14 individual Crop Provisions were released at that time. The remaining regulatory Crop Provisions included the CIROC Final Rule and conforming changes in non-regulatory Crop Provisions were planned for public release by their respective contract change dates (CCD).
This bulletin announces the final release from the CIROC Final Rule with Crop Provisions with an April 30, 2023, CCD.
February 14, 2022
- PM-23-008: Hurricane Insurance Protection-Wind Index (HIP-WI) Changes Effective for the 2023 and Succeeding Crop Years for Crops with a HIP-WI Sales Closing Date of November 1, 2022, or Later
When provided in the actuarial documents, the Hurricane Insurance Protection-Wind Index (HIP-WI) Endorsement is available for both Catastrophic (CAT) and additional coverage for Common Crop Insurance Policy Basic Provisions policies.
The following changes are applicable for the 2023 and succeeding crop years:
- Added option for coverage for a tropical storm Weather Event.
- Clarified the definition for "County Loss Trigger".
- Added the definitions of "Final Rainfall Amount", "National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Climate Prediction Center", "Sustained Surface Wind", and "Weather Event".
- Revised Section 9 to add that National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration interpolated gridded precipitation data will be used to calculate the Final Rainfall Amount.
November 30, 2022
The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation Board of Directors approved changes to the PACE crop insurance program, under section 508(h) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act, on August 18, 2022.
The following changes are applicable for the 2023 and succeeding crop years:
- PACE insurance option for corn has been expanded to most counties in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin where non-irrigated corn is insurable, in addition to the current select counties in Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, and South Dakota.
- Clarifications were made to the definitions and/or explanations for units, prevented post-application, split application, PACE nitrogen report, total nitrogen application rate, notice of loss, and written agreement, where applicable.
November 29, 2022
The Risk Management Agency (RMA) released provisions implementing contract-based features for the flue-cured tobacco program beginning with the 2021 crop year. These provisions were developed as part of a collaborative process with flue-cured tobacco stakeholders and have been positively received by flue-cured tobacco producers.
Based on feedback from producers and other stakeholders of other types of tobacco, RMA is expanding these contract provisions to the burley, dark air, fire cured, and Maryland tobacco types. These changes will help improve the integrity of the program for the additional tobacco types and make it more sustainable going forward.
The following changes are applicable to the burley, dark air, fire cured, and Maryland types of tobacco for the 2023 and succeeding crop years:
- RMA will issue separate price elections for contracted and non-contracted tobacco, reflecting the additional expected value of tobacco grown under contract.
- Quality adjustment will only be available for the amount of tobacco grown under contract.
November 28, 2022
The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) amended the Small Grains and the Processing Sweet Corn Crop Provisions:
- Small Grains Crop Provisions were revised to expand revenue coverage to oats and rye, matching available coverage for barley and wheat. The changes will be effective for spring oats for the 2023 and succeeding crop years and for winter oats and rye for the 2024 and succeeding crop years.
- Processing Sweet Corn Crop Provisions were revised to extend the end of insurance period from September 20 to September 30 in Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. This will benefit the producers in those states by providing them with an additional 10 days of coverage, consistent with the existing coverage for producers in Iowa. The changes will be effective for the 2023 and succeeding crop years.
The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) amended the Sugar Beet Crop Provisions for the 2023 and succeeding crop years in states with a November 30 contract change date for the 2024 and succeeding crop years in Imperial County, California, with the following changes:
- Incorporate stage guarantees and Stage Removal Option.
The Agricultural Act of 2014 (Farm Bill) instructed the Risk Management Agency (RMA) to offer the Stacked Income Protection Plan of Insurance (STAX) to upland cotton producers. STAX became effective for the 2015 crop year and is offered in all counties where insurance for upland cotton is available.
For the 2023 and succeeding crop years, RMA is updating the STAX provisions to correct a reference in section 4(g) of the policy document.
November 17, 2022
The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) Board of Directors approved changes to the Silage Sorghum Endorsement, under section 508(h) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act on August 18, 2022.
The following changes are applicable for the 2023 and succeeding crop years:
- Convert the policy from pilot to permanent status; and
- Allow written agreements
November 14, 2022
The Risk Management Agency (RMA) issued Product Management Bulletin PM-22-042 on June 30, 2022, announcing changes to several policies under the Crop Insurance Reporting and Other Changes (CIROC) Final Rule. The Common Crop Insurance Provisions, Area Risk Protection Insurance Basic Provisions, and 14 individual Crop Provisions were released at that time. The remaining regulatory Crop Provisions included in the CIROC Final Rule and conforming changes in non-regulatory Crop Provisions are planned for public release by their respective contract change dates (CCD).
This bulletin announces the release of those Crop Provisions and procedures with a November 30, 2022, CCD including:
- Cabbage Crop Provisions (23-0072)
- Fresh Market Sweet Corn Crop Provisions (23-0044)
- Sweet Potato Crop Provisions (23-0156)
- Chile Pepper Crop Provisions (23-045)
- Fresh Market Bean Crop Provisions (23-0105)
October 27, 2022
On August 18, 2022, the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation Board of Directors approved the Pomegranate Crop Insurance Program, under section 508(h) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act. Features of the program effective for the 2023 and succeeding crop years in select California counties include:
- Actual Production History (APH) coverage for irrigated fresh and processing pomegranate production in eight (8) counties in California's Central Valley: Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Merced, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, and Tulare.
- Coverage for adverse weather, fire, earthquake, volcanic eruption, failure of irrigation water supply, insects, and plant diseases.
- Coverage levels between 50 and 85 percent, and catastrophic (CAT) coverage will be available.
- Quality adjustment for fruit not sold as fresh.
- The sales closing date for the 2023 crop year is December 31, 2022. The sales closing date for the subsequent crop years will be November 20, 2023.
The Risk Management Agency (RMA) issued Product Management Bulletin PM-22-042 on June 30, 2022, announcing changes to several policies under the Crop Insurance Reporting and Other Changes (CIROC) Final Rule. The Common Crop Insurance Provisions, Area Risk Protection Insurance Basic Provisions, and 14 individual Crop Provisions were released at that time. The remaining regulatory Crop Provisions included in the CIROC Final Rule and conforming changes in non-regulatory Crop Provisions are planned for public release by their respective contract change dates (CCD).
This bulletin announces the release of those Crop Provisions and procedures with an October 31, 2022, CCD including:
- Olive Crop Provisions (23-OL-0501)
- Pecan Revenue Crop Provisions (23-0020)
- Pecan Revenue Fact Sheet
- Prune Crop Provisions (23-0036)
October 26, 2022
The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) amended the Walnut Crop Provisions for the 2023 and succeeding crop years with the following changes:
- Removed the minimum acreage requirement;
- Clarified the specific method and timing of actions that will be taken if any circumstances occur that may reduce yields from previous levels; and
- Added clarifying changes to match those from the Crop Insurance Reporting and Other Changes (CIROC) Final Rule, published in the Code of Federal Regulations on June 30, 2022.
August 31, 2022
The Risk Management Agency (RMA) revised the Actual Revenue History (ARH) Pilot Endorsement, ARH Sweet Cherry Pilot Crop Provisions, and ARH Tart Cherry for Processing Pilot Crop Provisions. On May 18, 2022, the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation Board of Directors approved the following changes for the 2023 and succeeding crop years:
In the ARH Pilot Endorsement:
- Allowed written agreements if included in the Crop Provisions.
- Removed the Contract Changes section to rely on section 4 of the CCIP Basic Provisions
In the ARH Sweet Cherry Pilot Crop Provisions:
- Allowed written agreements.
- Corrected the notification requirement for any production intended for direct marketing to apply 15 days prior to harvest, rather than 15 days prior to sale.
In the ARH Tart Cherry for Processing Pilot Crop Provisions:
- Allowed written agreements.
- Clarified references to "the Endorsement," replacing it with "the ARH Endorsement".
Throughout all three policies:
- Clarified definitions
- Aligned the section titles with the corresponding sections in the CCIP Basic Provisions.
On February 17, 2022, the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation Board of Directors approved changes to the Actual Production History (APH) Caneberry crop insurance program under section 508(h) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act.
The following changes are applicable for the 2023 and succeeding crop years:
- Removes cut back, grow through, mow down, and new planting practices; and
- Revises the minimum number of plants per acre for container practices.
The Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018 (Farm Bill) included provisions to improve the effectiveness of WFRP. Per the Farm Bill, the Risk Management Agency (RMA) has continued to solicit stakeholder recommendations. In response to stakeholders feedback from approved insurance providers, agent organizations, and producer groups, RMA recommended changes to WFRP to the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) Board of Directors (Board). In addition, RMA worked with stakeholders to identify improvements to the Micro Farm program and recommended a change to that program to the Board.
On August 18, 2022, the Board approved the following changes to the WFRP plan of insurance and the Micro Farm program, applicable for the 2023 and succeeding policy years:
- Increase the maximum insurable revenue for WFRP from $8.5 to $17 million, allowing more producers to participate in the program;
- Replace existing expense reporting procedures with a 40% reduction in expected revenue for commodities which cannot be planted due to insurable causes. This reduction results in a similar value to prevented planting payments for other FCIC reinsured programs the total amount of paperwork required for the policy;
- Adjust yield reporting requirements at the sales closing date to streamline record keeping and reduce overall paperwork; and
- Increase the maximum approved revenue for the Micro Farm program from $100,000 to $350,000, addressing stakeholder concerns that the low maximum approved revenue was limiting access to Micro Farm for local foods producers.
The Risk Management Agency (RMA) revised the Rainfall Index (RI) Common Policy and the Pasture, Rangeland, Forage (PRF) Crop Provisions for the 2023 and succeeding crop years with the following changes:
- Add certified organic and transitional organic irrigated hay practices to PRF;
- Revise and add several definitions to match definitions in the Common Crop Insurance Policy (CCIP) Basic Provisions;
- Clarify definitions of "expected grid index," "final grid index," and "index interval" to state the index intervals are based on a 24-hour period determined by the data;
- Add language to allow corrections to insurance applications with missing social security numbers or employer identification numbers of a person with a substantial beneficial interest to match CCIP Basic Provisions;
- Include the 30-day appeal deadline for good farming practices determinations;
- Clarify the consequences of not providing acceptable records for policies with the intended use of haying or grazing; and
- Clarify livestock records must be maintained
The Risk Management Agency (RMA) issued Product Management Bulletin PM-22-042 on June 30, 2022, announcing changes to several policies under the CIROC Final Rule. The Common Crop Insurance Provisions Basic Provisions, Area Risk Protection Insurance Basics, and 14 individual Crop Provisions were released at that time. The remaining regulatory Crop Provisions included in the CIROC Final Rule and conforming changes in non-regulatory Crop Provisions are planned for public release by their respective contract change dates (CCD).
- Actual Revenue History Citrus Pilot Crop Provisions (24-0227-ARH Citrus)
- Hawaii Tropical Fruit Crop Provisions (23-0255)
- Pistachio Crop Provisions (23-0470)
- Florida Citrus Fruit Crop Provisions Actual Production History (24-FCF)
- Actual Production History Florida Citrus Fruit Crop Insurance Standards Handbook (FCIC-20650U)
- Actual Production History Florida Citrus Fruit Loss Adjustment Standards Handbook (FCIC-20650L)
June 30, 2022
The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) amended the Common Crop Insurance Provisions Basic Provisions, Area Risk Protection Insurance Basic Provisions, and 20 individual Crop Provisions for the 2023 and succeeding crop years
for June 30, 2022, contract change date and for the 2024 crop year for crops with a contract change date prior to June 30, 2022, with the following changes:
- Add a new marketing certification that allows producers to self-identify if they will not have disinterested third party (DTP) records and enables them to use their own supporting production records.
- Allow producers to use their own records, thereby limiting the need for AIP preharvest appraisals as a supporting record.
- Add new definitions for production reporting terms.
- Add a new mid-season type for Florida Avocado Crop Provisions to better align insurance coverage with industry designations for early, mid, and late season growing practices and harvest periods.
- Explain how to adjust the approved APH yield when a producer changes the production method used on the insured acreage.
- Explicitly list the 30-day appeal deadline for good farming practice determinations.
- Clarify where a producer can find information in the policy (e.g., specifying “Special Provisions” versus “actuarial documents”).
- Incorporate general clarifications and corrections throughout Crop Provisions, including updating terminology for consistency, updating dates, states, and prices in examples, clarifying definitions, removing duplications, and correcting grammar or spelling.
June 29, 2022
The Commodity Exchange Price Provisions (CEPP) are used in conjunction with either the Common Crop Insurance Policy Basic Provisions or the Area Risk Protection Insurance Basic Provisions, along with Crop Provisions for the following: barley, canola/rapeseed, corn, cotton, grain sorghum, rice, soybeans, sunflowers, and wheat.
- Section I: General Information. This section contains information relevant for all applicable crops, including definitions and common policy materials.
- Section II: Price Definitions. These sections contain crop-specific projected and harvest price definitions and specifications, including commodity exchanges, contracts, and discovery periods.
June 27, 2022
The Risk Management Agency (RMA) revised the Grass Seed Crop Provisions to clarify how producers can use prices from their production contracts for crop insurance purposes. Specifically, if producers have multiple contracts with different prices, the clarifications illustrate how to calculate a weighted average price. RMA also increased the maximum contract price factor from 1.20 to 1.60 and moved the factor to the actuarial documents so that it can be updated more easily in the future.
When provided in the actuarial documents, the Hurricane Insurance Protection - Wind Index (HIP-WI) Endorsement is available for both Catastrophic (CAT) and additional coverage for Common Crop Insurance Policy Basic Provisions policies in counties near the Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic Ocean, and Hawaii.
The following changes are applicable for the 2023 and succeeding crop years:
- Revision of the definition of “Hurricane coverage range”;
- Clarification that the coverage provided by the Endorsement may be combined with other endorsements that do not duplicate the coverage of HIP-WI, and is not limited to the Supplemental Coverage Option (SCO) Endorsement and the Stacked Income Protection Plan (STAX); and
- Revision to clarify that other endorsements not limited to SCO and STAX may be used to calculate the Hurricane Protection Amount.
The Risk Management Agency (RMA revised the Malting Barley Endorsement to make the following clarifications for the 2023 and succeeding crop years:
- Throughout Crop Provisions, changed “fall” to “winter” to be consistent with terminology in the Small Grains Crop Provisions.
- Clarified the definition of “local market price” to ensure the local market price applies to malting barley accepted at a reduced price (in addition to rejections) for failing to meet contract or Special Provisions specifications, as applicable; and
- Limited minimum calculated indemnity to zero in section 8(a)(6).
April 29, 2022
The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation's Board of Directors (Board) approved revisions to the Dairy Revenue Protection (DRP) plan of insurance, under section 508(h) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act, on February 17, 2022. The following
revisions are applicable for the 2023 and succeeding crop years:
- Allow sales to be suspended during the sales period for situations that arise during the sales period in which market conditions adversely change after the fact.
- Add flexibility to continue coverage when producers experience a disaster at their dairy operation. The insured can use the milk marketing records as of the date of the disaster to determine the milk produced for the rest of the insurance period or use prior milk marketing records if the disaster occurs prior to the start of the insurance period.
- Revised the policy to clarify that the termination date is June 30. Cancellation during a crop year to submit an application for another DRP policy with a different insurance provider within the same crop year is not allowed.
- Clarify that an insured cannot have other livestock insurance on the same milk in the same quarterly insurance period.
The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation’s Board of Directors (Board) approved revisions to the Livestock Risk Protection (LRP) plans of insurance, under section 508(h) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act, on August 25, 2021, November 19, 2021, and February 17, 2022. The following revisions are applicable for the 2023 and succeeding crop years:
- Increase head limits:
- Fed Cattle: 12,000 head per endorsement and 25,000 head per crop year.
- Feeder Cattle: 12,000 head per endorsement and 25,000 head per crop year.
- Swine: 70,000 head per endorsement and 750,000 head per crop year.
- Allow an insured to have both an LRP and Livestock Gross Margin (LGM) policy; however, an insured may not insure the same class of livestock with the same end month or have the same insured livestock insured under multiple policies. Modify the premium offset language to allow an insured the choice to receive indemnities without a reduction to offset premium on any endorsements that have not ended.
- Clarify head limits are tracked by substantial beneficial interest (SBI).
- Extend the termination date from June 30 to August 31.
- Require proof of ownership before indemnity is issued.
- Clarify that livestock must be marketable by the end of the Supplemental Coverage Endorsement (SCE).
- Require insurance companies to pay indemnities within 30 days. Previously, insurance companies had 60 days to pay indemnities following the receipt of the claim form.
- Allow unborn swine coverage for operations with multiple entity structures.
- Modify the endorsement length for swine to a minimum of 30 weeks for unborn swine and a maximum of 30 weeks for all other swine.
The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation’s Board of Directors (Board) approved revisions to the Livestock Gross Margin (LGM) plans of insurance, under section 508(h) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act, on February 17, 2022.
The following revisions are applicable for the 2023 and succeeding crop years:
- Expand LGM Cattle, Dairy, and Swine coverage availability to all 50 states.
- Allow an insured to have both an LRP and LGM policy; however, an insured may not insure the same class of livestock with the same end month or have the same insured livestock insured under multiple policies.
- Modify the premium offset language to allow an insured the choice to receive indemnities without a reduction to offset premium on any endorsements that have not ended.
April 28, 2022
The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation's (FCIC) Board of Directors (Board) approved the revisions to the Hybrid Vegetable Seed plan of insurance, under section 508(h) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act, on February 17, 2022. The policy was revised to determine the amount of insurance in terms of gross acres instead of female acres.
February 10, 2022
The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) announced the Pandemic Cover Crop Program (PCCP) for 2022. The program functions the same as PCCP for 2021 with the following changes:
- Cover crops planted after June 15, 2021, and cultivated over the summer for fall-planted insureds crops now trigger the benefit.
- Whole-Farm Revenue Protection (WFRP) is now eligible for PCCP benefits in addition to any benefit applied to underlying policies.
- State that maintain their own cover crop program now include a supplemental, dollar-for-dollar Federal match in addition to any base PCCP eligibility. Therefore, a producer in a participating state may receive up to $5/acre in base PCCP, an amount per acre established by the state, and an additional amount of PCCP equal to the amount established by the state.
A Final Rule with these changes will be published in the Federal Register on February 11, 2022.
January 20, 2022
The Risk Management Agency (RMA) issued Manager’s Bulletins to provide program flexibilities recognizing the potential impact and challenges due to COVID-19. Previously issued Manager’s Bulletins providing
COVID-19 relief continue to apply through the effective dates as provided.
Electronic
Notification and Signature Relief for Sales Closing (SCD), Production Reporting
(PRD), and Acreage Reporting (ARD) Deadlines:
Notifications may be sent electronically between the policyholder and their Approved Insurance Provider (AIP)/agent. Policyholders may provide policy-related information
over the phone or by electronic methods to select policy elections by SCD, PRD, and ARD. Policyholders and AIP/agents should retain appropriate documentation of the call or electronic communication. This authority also extends
to options, endorsements, and other forms with SCD, PRD, or ARD deadlines.
If the policyholder sends their reports in such a manner, they will be required to either sign digitally at the time of their report submission or follow up with a properly signed form(s) no later than 60 calendar days after the
initial reporting deadline provided in the actuarial documents. The policyholder agrees to be bound by their initial certification and cannot make changes, other than those authorized by RMA procedure, after the applicable
deadline.
Producer Submission Deadlines for Written Agreement
Requests:
In accordance with Section 18(e)(1) of the Common Crop Insurance Policy, Basic Provisions, producers may be able to submit a request for a written agreement after the SCD (but on or before the ARD), if they are able to demonstrate
the physical inability, including self-certification of COVID-19 related issues. Producers must submit the written agreement extension request (and any required additional documentation) on or before the SCD.
Producer Signature Deadline for Written Agreement Offers:
If a written agreement offer is provided to the producer, but the producer fails to sign the offer by the expiration date identified
on the offer, the producer’s signature after the expiration date may still be accepted.
If the signature and date are executed after the expiration date of the written agreement offer, the producer must provide a self-certification, or other documentation, showing that COVID-19 caused a physical inability to sign
the offer by the expiration date. This self-certification, or other documentation, must include a brief explanation of the circumstances surrounding the situation (such as, producer was quarantined, etc.) and must be included
with the signed and accepted written agreement offer when returned to RMA.
Only written agreement offers issued by RMA for the 2022 crop year (2023 crop year for citrus) on or before June 30, 2022, with an expiration date on or before July 30, 2022, allow producer signatures to be accepted after the expiration
date with proper self-certification or documentation. All documentation and signatures for these offers must be completed no later than August 1, 2022. In lieu of paragraphs 54 and 56 of the 2022 Written Agreement Handbook
(WAH), written agreement offers signed after the expiration date due to COVID-19 must be electronically submitted to RMA through the Regional Office Exception system no later than 15 business days after the producer signed
the written agreement offer.
Any written agreement offers with an expiration date after July 30, 2022, must be signed by the expiration date identified in the written agreement offer and follow the procedures provided in the 2022 Written Agreement Handbook
(WAH) for submission to RMA.
If a written agreement offer is issued requiring a crop inspection per paragraph 42 of the 2022 WAH, the crop inspection is subject to the same submission dates required for the written agreement offer (that is, a crop inspection
must be submitted no later than 15 business days after a written agreement offer is signed by the producer after the expiration date due to COVID-19), unless RMA specifies otherwise in the written agreement offer.
AIP Submission Deadlines for Category B Determined Yield
and Master Yield Requests:
AIPs are allowed additional time to accept Regional Office (RO) Determined Yield, Master Yield, and Irrigated Determined Yield requests for Category B (annual) crops. The completed requests can be accepted
by the AIP by the earlier of the ARD or applicable deadline plus 30 calendar days. Requests required to be submitted to RMA for review must be submitted to the RO no later than the earlier of the ARD or applicable deadline
plus 30 calendar days. For example, a RO Determined Yield request must be completed and submitted to the RO no later than 20 calendar days after the PRD; however, with this relief, the request could be accepted by the
AIP and submitted to the RO by the earlier of the ARD or 50 calendar days after the applicable PRD.
AIP Submission Deadlines for Category C Determined Yield
and Pre-Acceptance Inspection Reports (PAIRs):
If, due to COVID-19 impacts, additional time is needed for submission of Category C (perennial) crop(s) RO Determined Yield requests, AIPs can request an additional 30-day extension from
deadlines specified in the 2022 CIH paragraph 2212, and for PAIRs, CIH paragraph 1840.
The request for extension must be submitted to the applicable RO and include documentation or self-certification of the physical inability to meet the established deadlines due to COVID-19. RO Underwriting Guidelines may be issued
for subsequent COVID-19 relief, as warranted.
Assignment of Indemnity (Assignments):
AIPs are authorized to waive the witness signature requirement for approval of Assignments. The policyholder’s and creditor’s signatures
continue to be required. Pen-and-ink signatures must be in the handwriting of the person whose signature is required. Electronic (digital) signatures must be in accordance with the AIPs established Electronic Business Implementation
Plan and requirements in the Document and Supplemental Standards Handbook.
Since the witness requirement is waived, AIPs must obtain and maintain documentation for proof of debt or other pecuniary obligation before an Assignment is accepted.
January 5, 2022
On August 25, 2021, the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) Board of Directors approved the implementation of PACE, under section 508(h) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act. PACE will be available beginning with the 2022 crop year.
- Available in select counties in the following states: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Michigan, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.
- Applies to non-irrigated corn with a Sales Closing Date (SCD) of March 15, 2022, or later.
- PACE provides coverage for producers who “split-apply” nitrogen. To “split-apply” nitrogen, the producer makes multiple fertilizer applications during the growing season rather than providing all of the crop’s nitrogen requirements with a single treatment before or during planting. This climate-smart practice allows for less total nitrogen to be applied, decreased nitrogen run-off and leaching, and can help reduce the producer’s overall nitrogen application costs. PACE will provide payments for the projected yield lost when producers are unable to apply the post-application of nitrogen during the V3-V10 corn growth stages due to field conditions created by weather.
The following changes are applicable for the 2022 and succeeding crop years:
- Add flexibility to insurability requirements for hemp under contract;
- Clarify how the amount of insurable acreage is determined if the processor contract specifies both an acreage and a production amount;
- Update reference to the Agriculture Marketing Service final rule, which took effect March 22, 2021; and
- Add insurability requirement for producers who grow direct-seeded hemp to have acreage inspected and have a minimum of 1,200 live plants per acre two inches or taller with the first true leaf pair after cotyledon emergence.
November 29, 2021
The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) amended the Machine Harvested Pickling Cucumber Crop Provisions for the 2022 and succeeding crop years. The crop provisions were revised to clarify the maximum contract price can be found in the actuarial documents and not in the Special Provisions.
Micro Farm is available for the 2022 crop year. Sales closing dates are January 31, February 28, or March 15 depending on the producer’s county. The Micro Farm policy is offered through Whole-Farm Revenue Protection (WFRP) and is enhanced to better meet the needs of small-scale farms. This includes:
- Eligibility: Micro Farm is available to producers who have a farm operation that earns an average allowable revenue of $100,000 or less, or for carryover insureds, an average allowable revenue of $125,000 or less.
- Coverage Levels: All coverage levels will be available to producers using Micro Farm. This will enable producers to purchase the 80% and 85% coverage levels without providing additional paperwork.
- Underwriting and Recordkeeping Requirements: Micro Farm minimizes underwriting and recordkeeping requirements, and producers will not have to report expenses and individual commodities.
- Post-production Revenue: Producers can include post-production costs activities as revenue, such as washing and packaging commodities or value-added products like jam.
November 24, 2021
The Agricultural Act of 2014 (Farm Bill) instructed the Risk Management Agency (RMA) to offer the Stacked Income Protection Plan of Insurance (STAX) to upland cotton producers, which became effective for the 2015 insurance year
and was available in all counties where insurance for upland cotton was available. In order to provide clarity for determining insurable acres, RMA is making the following modification to the STAX program:
- Providing a set date of March 15, for determining enrollment status in Agriculture Risk Coverage or Price Loss Coverage for STAX insurability purposes.
The following changes are applicable for the 2022 and succeeding crop years:
- Convert the policy from pilot to permanent status.
- Apply the overplanting factor to production to count to ensure claims are calculated on the same basis as the guarantee.
November 23, 2021
The following changes are applicable for the 2022 and succeeding crop years:
- Modify the weighted average contract price calculation to ensure the producer’s choice of coverage level does not impact their contract price;
- Update the indemnity calculation and example to account for cases where a minimum stand payment is included in the contract; and,
- Make small clarifications and correct references to other sections throughout the policy.
November 22, 2021
These revisions were prompted by feedback from producer groups and other industry stakeholders regarding the contracted tobacco features added for crop year 2021. Based on that feedback, RMA is improving the weighted average price
calculations and incorporating clarifications regarding acreage reporting and spousal entities. Specific changes include:
- Modify the weighted average contract price calculation to ensure the producer’s choice of coverage level does not impact their price for insurance purposes;
- Clarify the deadline to submit contracts is the acreage reporting date;
- Allow production agreements to be in the name of either spouse for spousal entities; and
- Allow 10% tolerance for over-planting in excess of the contracted production amount and remain eligible for the weighted average price.
The following changes are applicable for the 2022 and succeeding crop years:
- Expanding the hybrid sweet corn policy to Umatilla County, Oregon and Yakima County, Washington.
- Making minor clarifying and editorial changes in the policy, such as specifying amounts are “per acre.”
September, 27, 2021
September 17, 2021
September 15, 2021
August 31, 2021
On August 25, 2021, the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation Board of Directors approved the following changes to the Apiculture (API) and Pasture, Rangeland, Forage (PRF) crop insurance programs for the 2022 crop year.
- Modify the sales closing date, API colony reporting date, PRF acreage reporting date, termination date, and cancellation date from November 15 to December 1;
- Allow the Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) form FSA-578 to be used in conjunction with other documentation in determining shares;
- Revise the definition of “veteran farmer or rancher” to allow a legal entity, comprised only of the veteran and their spouse, to qualify as a veteran farmer or rancher when a qualifying veteran has a non-veteran spouse;
- Allow a producer to report acreage as certified organic, or as acreage in transition to certified organic, when the producer has requested an organic certification by the acreage reporting date; and
- Clarify the responsibility is on the producer to start dispute resolution through arbitration when the producer disagrees with an approved insurance provider determination.
On August 25, 2021, the FCIC Board approved the following changes to the WFRP plan of insurance, applicable for the 2022 and succeeding policy years:
- Increase the expansion limits for organic producers to the higher of $500,000 or 35 percent from the current limit of 35 percent for all operations;
- Increase the limit of insurance for aquaculture producers to $8.5 million, allowing more aquaculture producers to participate in the program;
- Allow producers to report acreage as certified organic when the producers have requested an organic certification by the date the Revised Farm Operation Report is due; and
- Provide flexibility to report a partial yield history for producers lacking records by inserting a zero yield for missing years.
The following changes are applicable for the 2023 and succeeding crop years:
- Expand coverage for lemons to Highlands and Charlotte counties in Florida;
- Move the deadline for a revised acreage report and the date insurance attaches following a revised acreage report from March 1 to May 15 in order to allow additional time for ownership and lease changes;
- Remove the acreage limitation for contract pricing (producers with both contracted and non-contracted production will have the ability to use a weighted average price for their production);
- Allow state required detailed trip tickets to be considered as acceptable production records; and
- Provide quality adjustment for low juice content due to an insurable cause of loss to fruit production insured as fresh but sold as juice. This will make the policy more consistent with the Florida Citrus Fruit Dollar Plan, providing for an easier transition from the Dollar Plan to the APH plan.
Actual policy changes impact the following states for 2022: ID, MI, NY, OR, WA, and WI. New crop provisions will apply to those states, as wells as the states of CA, MT, and UT, but none of the policy changes noted in the bulletin
will directly impact policyholders in CA, MT, or UT.
The Risk Management Agency (RMA) is implementing changes to the Pistachio Crop Provisions variability adjustment factor (VAF). The following changes are applicable for the 2022 and succeeding crop years:
- Revise the calculation for VAF to utilize the policyholder’s actual yields; and
- Establish VAF minimums and maximums to be used when the calculated VAF is outside an established range.
August 27, 2021
The Risk Management Agency (RMA) revised the Grape crop insurance program in California, Idaho, Oregon, Texas, and Washington. The following changes are applicable for the 2022 and succeeding crop years:
- Allow producers with both contracted and non-contracted production the ability to use a weighted average price for their production;
- Extend the acreage reporting date from January 15 to May 15 to allow producers additional time to finalize their contracts (Idaho, Oregon, and Washington); and
- Clarify how to convert a contract price expressed in dollars per acre to dollars per ton.
August 2, 2021
July 27, 2021
THE FCIC has expanded the number of counties where certain crops are insurable for the 2022 crop year having a June 30 contract change date. The 2022 Expansion of Existing Fall Crop Programs include:
- Barley | Indiana | Ripley County
- Barley | Ohio | Medina County
July 13, 2021
July 6, 2021
June 30, 2021
The following changes are applicable for the 2022 and succeeding crop years:
- Revision of the definitions of "Adjacent County " and "County Loss Trigger ";
- Added the definition of "County ";
- Clarification of the impact of changing your coverage in subsequent crop years, and limitations imposed on coverage resulting from said changes;
- Revision to determine eligible areas where a loss is not triggered for your county before you report your acreage for the underlying policy;
- Clarification that only one administrative fee per crop, per county, is owed for the HIP-WI, and;
- Revisions to the methodology for establishing triggered counties in the Hurricane Data Provisions.
The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) amended the ARPI and CCIP Basic Provisions for the 2022 and succeeding crop years for crops with a contract date on or after June 30, 2021, and for all other crops the changes are applicable for the 2023 and succeeding crop years with the following changes:
- CCIP and ARPI Basic Provisions
- Revise the definition of "veteran farmer or rancher " to allow legal entity, comprised only of the veteran and their spouse, to qualify as a veteran farmer or rancher when a qualifying veteran has a non-veteran spouse.
- CCIP Basic Provisions
- Clarify that the notice of loss provisions apply for Quality Loss Option eligibility.
- Allow Crop Provisions to have enterprise units (EU) if allowed by the Crop Provisions. This change will allow separate EUs by type for wheat, dry beans, and dry peas through the Crop Provisions.
- Allow a producer to report acreage as certified organic or as acreage in transition to organic, when the producer certifies that they have requested, in writing, a written certification or other written documentation from a certifying agent on or before the acreage reporting date.
June 25, 2021
The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation Board of Directors amended the Small Grains Crop Provisions for the 2022 and succeeding crop years. These provisions were revised to allow for additional unit divisions for wheat and to
make discretionary changes to clarify provisions for counties with spring-planted acreage, fall-planted acreage, or both.
June 24, 2021
The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation Board of Directors approved changes to the Malting Barley Endorsement, under section 508(h) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act, on May 21, 2021.
The following changes are applicable for the 2022 and succeeding crop years:
- Expand to Decatur and Ripley counties in Indiana and Medina county in Ohio.
- Clarify and align claim-related date specifications with other procedure and policy.
The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) amended the Dry Bean and Dry Pean Crop Provisions for the 2022 and succeeding crop years, with the following changes:
- Allowed enterprise unit division by type for producers to be indemnified separately by type.
- Allowed Dry Bean "Types " to include crops that are insured by written agreement.
- Clarified which Dry Pea sales closing date applies in dual counties when (insurable) fall planted acreage exists.
June 16, 2021
The following changes are applicable for the 2022 and succeeding crop years:
- Expand the program to an additional 128 counties in 21 states, and,
- Revise the maximum contract price factor from 1.4 to 2.27 times the established price for the crop year.
June 1, 2021
- MGR-21-003 and information on COVID-19 Pandemic Cover Crop Program (PCCP)
The Risk Management Agency (RMA) announced the availability of funding under the Pandemic Cover Crop Program (PCCP) to assist agricultural producers impacted by the effects of COVID-19. Cover crop maintenance was challenging due to the economic impacts of the pandemic. For the 2021 crop year, PCCP premium support is available to eligible producers for eligible insured acres on a spring crop insurance policy.
Press Release - Published June 1, 2021 - Producers with Crop Insurance to receive premium benefit for cover crops
Read more in the Pandemic Cover Crop Program National Fact Sheet at https://www.rma.usda.gov/en/Fact-Sheets/National-Fact-Sheets/Pandemic-Cover-Crop-Program
Please see the bulletin released by the RMA: MGR-21-003: COVID-19 Pandemic Cover Crop Program (PCCP)
Additional resources attached regarding PCCP:
- Pandemic Cover Crop Program FAQ | PCCP FAQ 2021-06-01.pdf
- Notice of Funding Availability PCCP 2021-11603.pdf
May 13, 2021
April 30, 2021
April 29, 2021
April 28, 2021
- PM-21-022: Hybrid Vegetable Seed Crop Insurance Changes Effective for the 2022 and Succeeding Crop Years
- PM-21-021: Dairy Revenue Protection and Livestock Gross Margin Revisions for the 2022 and Succeeding Crop Years
April 22, 2021
July 31, 2020
- Informational Memorandum: COM-20-003: 1st crop CCIP / 2nd crop RIVI - Annual Forage Double Cropping
- Read the full RMA Bulletin HERE.
July 27, 2020
- Informational Memorandum OA-20-002: Customer Survey
- Read the full RMA bulletin HERE.
2020 Provision Updates
- PM-20-088 - Flue Cured and Burley Tobacco Changes
- For flue cured tobacco, RMA will issue separate price elections for contracted and non-contracted tobacco. In addition, quality adjustment will only be available for tobacco grown under contract.
- For burley tobacco, RMA will be adjusting the price per pound and transitional yields for organic burley tobacco in accordance with recent data and contract pricing will no longer be allowed.
- PM-20-087 - Hemp Actual Production History (APH) Insurance Program Changes
- PM-20-086 - Area Risk Protection Insurance Basic Provisions, Common Crop Insurance Policy Basic Provisions, Sunflower Seed Crop Provisions, and Dry Pea Crop Provisions Changes
- PM-20-085 - Sweet Potato Crop Provisions Changes
- PM-20-084 - Hybrid Rice Seed Crop Provisions Changes
- PM-20-083 - Silage Sorghum Pilot Endorsement Changes
- PM-20 081 - Hybrid Sweet Corn Seed Program Changes
- PM-20-080 - Sesame Crop Insurance Provisions
- PM-20-045 - Area Risk Protection Insurance Basic Provisions, Common Crop Insurance Policy Basic Provisions, and Coarse Grains Crop Provisions Changes
- The following changes to provisions and regulations listed below are for the 2021 and succeeding crop years with a contract change date after June 30, 2020.
- Area Risk Protection Insurance (ARPI) Regulations
- Common Crop Insurance Policy (CCIP)
- Basic Provisions
- Coarse Grains Crop Provisions
- PM-20-044 - Multi County Enterprise Unit (MCEU) Changes
- The following documents are available on the RMA's website:
- MCEU Pilot Endorsement (21-MCEU)
- MCEU Frequently Asked Questions
- MCEU Fact Sheet
- The following documents are available on the RMA's website:
- PM-20-041 - Dry Pea Crop Provisions Changes
- Changes are effective for the 2021 and succeeding crop years to the following:
- Allow insurance on Fava/Faba beans;
- Add program dates for AZ and CA;
- Add a moisture adjustment to gross production;
- Update the policy for consistency with other crops with coverage on both fall and spring-planted acreage in the same county; and
- Clarify policy provisions.
- Changes are effective for the 2021 and succeeding crop years to the following:
- PM-20-040 - Malting Barley Endorsement (MBE) Changes
- The following changes to MBE are effective for the 2021 and succeeding crop years:
- Expansion to 35 Ohio counties (listed in bulletin);
- Quality adjustment will now be determined using Local Market Price; and
- Quality adjustment will now impact barley actual production history.
- The following changes to MBE are effective for the 2021 and succeeding crop years:
- PM-20-038 - Sugarcane Actual Production History (APH) Plan of Insurance and Sugarcane Crop Replacement Endorsement (CRE) Changes
- Changes are being made for the 2021 and succeeding crop years to the Sugarcane Policy and Sugarcane CRE. Some of the changes being made are below:
- Policy Changes:
- Account for APH determination for acreage cut for seed when 100 percent of the unit if cut for seed; and
- Clarify the date by which acreage cut for seed must be reported;
- CRE Changes:
- Add option B to provide crop replacement coverage without depreciation; and
- Specify the default coverage option when election is not made.
- PM-20-034 - Margin Protection Plan of Insurance
- The Margin Protection Plan of Insurance changes are effective for the 2021 and succeeding crop years.
- The RMA uses fertilizer prices posted by the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) group to establish guarantees and determine indemnities under the Margin Protection (MP) Plan of Insurance. The CME has recently discontinued posting swaps prices for Urea (as of January 2020) and Diammonium Phosphate (DAP) (following the March 2020 contract). As a result of the change in available price data, RMA is updating the MP price provisions to utilize futures prices for Urea and DAP.
- PM-20-033 - Canola and Rapeseed Crop Provisions
- The FCIC revised the Canola and Rapeseed Crop Provisions for 2021 and succeeding crop years. These provisions were revised to clarify policy provisions and for consistency with other crop provisions that offer coverage on both fall and spring-planted acreage of the crop in the same county.
- PM-20-029 - Forage Seeding and Forage Production Crop Insurance Changes
- Changes are being made for the 2021 and succeeding crop years to the Forage Seeding and Forage Production insurance policies.
- PM-20-021 - Dairy Revenue Protection (DRP) Provisions
- FCIC approved revisions to the Dairy Revenue Protection (DRP) plan of insurance, under section 508(h) of the Federal Crop Insurance act. The following revisions are applicable for the 2021 and succeeding crop years.
- Add a Weighting Factor Option and Nonfat Solids Price to the Component Pricing Option;
- Modify the policy to allow Class B milk to be insured;
- Modify the minimum declared protein from 4.00 to 4.50 making the range 2.75 - 4.50;
- Modify declared Butterfat from 5.00 to 5.50 making the range 3.25 - 5.50 pounds;
- Other minor editorial changes.
- FCIC approved revisions to the Dairy Revenue Protection (DRP) plan of insurance, under section 508(h) of the Federal Crop Insurance act. The following revisions are applicable for the 2021 and succeeding crop years.
- PM-20-005 - Pecan Trees
- FCIC approved modifications to the Pecan Tree Crop Insurance Program under section 508(h) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act. The following changes are applicable for the 2021 and succeeding crop years:
- Increasing the Occurrence Loss Option trigger to 10 percent, with corresponding adjustments to rates;
- Adding an additional method to qualify for optional units when orchards on contiguous land are separated by the minimum distance specified in the Special Provisions; and
- Allowing different coverage level and percentage of price election to be elected for each type.
- FCIC approved modifications to the Pecan Tree Crop Insurance Program under section 508(h) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act. The following changes are applicable for the 2021 and succeeding crop years:
- PM-20-004 - Florida Fruit Trees
- FCIC revised the Florida Fruit Tree Crop Provisions and Insurance Standards Handbook to clarify the optional unit structure provisions and procedure. The changes are applicable for the 2021 and succeeding crop years.
2019 Provision Updates
- PM-19-071 - Sugar Beets
- The FCIC amended the Sugar Beet Crop Provisions for the 2020 and succeeding crop years in all counties with a November 30 contract change date and 2021 and succeeding crop years for all other counties, with the following changes:
- Revised the maximum early harvest adjustment to the higher of the producer’s approved actual production history yield or the actual yield of the sugar beets harvested after full maturity from the unit;
- Replaced the definition of “processor contract” with “production agreement,” which does not require a price or formula based on third party data;
- Revised the production agreement deadline from the time of loss to the acreage reporting date;
- Clarified when to apply the early harvest adjustment;
- Added procedures allowing third parties to test raw sugar content in addition to the processor; and
- Added salvage value procedures for damaged production.
- The FCIC amended the Sugar Beet Crop Provisions for the 2020 and succeeding crop years in all counties with a November 30 contract change date and 2021 and succeeding crop years for all other counties, with the following changes:
- PM-19-070 - Coarse Grains
- The FCIC revised the Coarse Grains Crop Provisions to allow separate enterprise or optional units by following another crop (FAC) and not following another crop (NFAC) cropping practices for grain sorghum and soybeans when allowed by the actuarial documents, and to make other technical edits. The changes will be effective for the 2020 and succeeding crop years.
- PM-19-068 - Hybrid Seed Rice
- The FCIC revised the Hybrid Seed Rice Crop Provisions to remove the definition of “adjusted yield” and clarify definitions for “amount of insurance per acre” and “county yield”. The changes are applicable for the 2020 and succeeding crop years..
- PM-19-067 - Sweet Potatoes
- The FCIC Board of Directors approved changes to the Sweet Potato crop insurance program, under section 508(h) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act, on September 20, 2019. The following changes are applicable for the 2020 and succeeding crop years:
- Allowance of optional units;
- Removal of the 4-year production requirement for insurance;
- Increase in the allowable acreage expansion from 110 to 115 percent of historical acreage;
- Revision to loss adjustment procedures for irregularly-shaped fields.
- The FCIC Board of Directors approved changes to the Sweet Potato crop insurance program, under section 508(h) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act, on September 20, 2019. The following changes are applicable for the 2020 and succeeding crop years:
- PM-19-066 - Hybrid Sweet Corn
- The FCIC revised the Hybrid Sweet Corn Seed Crop Provisions to clarify the definitions of hybrid sweet corn seed processor contract and amount of insurance per acre. The changes are applicable for the 2020 and succeeding crop years.
- PM-19-061 - Fresh Market Beans
- FCIC revised the Fresh Market Bean Crop Provisions to allow separate coverage levels by type (planting period) and to make other policy clarifications. The changes are applicable for the 2020 crop year.
You can access your policy provisions at any time by going to https://www.naucountry.com/myprovisions.
Please contact your NAU Country Agent with any questions.