The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) Board of Directors (Board) approved the following modifications to the Apiculture (API) pilot program beginning with the 2018 crop year:

• Replace the Vegetation Index (VI)-API with the Rainfall Index (RI)-API program in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming;
• Expand RI-API to 19 states;
• Remove the RI capping process for API program.

Any Vegetation Index Apiculture (VI-API) policies in force for the 2017 insurance year must be cancelled by the cancellation/termination date specified in the policy for 2017. Approved Insurance Providers (AIPs) are encouraged to cancel these policies in a timely manner to provide producers adequate time to consider the RI-API plan of insurance and to make appropriate decisions.

Producers currently enrolled in the VI-API pilot may be eligible for the RI-API pilot if they meet the “Insurable Interest” definition found in the Apiculture Crop Provisions. Qualified producers who were enrolled in the VI-API pilot program in 2017 and who enroll in the RI-API pilot for 2018 will be considered carry-over insureds and will not have been considered to have a break in continuity for insurance coverage purposes. Producers who had VI-API must complete a new application prior to the SCD if they wish to obtain RI-API. Producers must use the Grid ID Locator found on the RMA web site at: http://maps.agforceusa.com/api/ri/ to establish the grid id for the RI-API program.

Interested producers should contact a crop insurance agent for further information. A list of agents can be found on the RMA web site: www.rma.usda.gov/.

Questions regarding these modifications may be directed to rma.kcviri@rma.usda.gov.

DISPOSAL DATE:
December 31, 2017