Specialty Crops

Specialty crops include fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, and horticulture nursery crops. Individual crop insurance programs are currently available for the following specialty crops:

In addition, Whole-Farm Revenue Protection provides a risk management safety net to all commodities, including specialty crops, under one insurance policy and is the first Federal crop insurance program to be available in every state and county in the United States. It is tailored for any farm with up to $8.5 million in insured revenue and includes farms with specialty or organic commodities (both crops and livestock), or those marketing to local, regional, farm-identity preserved, specialty, or direct markets.

Specialty crops are a priority at RMA, and federal crop insurance coverage for specialty crops has grown steadily over the past 15 years. In 2021, the amount of insurance for specialty crops totaled around $22 billion.

RMA continues to communicate with producers and other interested parties to identify where there is a need to expand the availability of risk management products to producers. Expansion of products is generally made to growing areas where RMA is aware the crop exists, there is some history or experience of the crops’ performance, and there is significant grower interest in the product. See details on Expansions of Specialty Crops Programs.

RMA is also always looking for ways to streamline processes and reporting requirements to make it easier for specialty crop producers and others who sell through direct marketing channels to obtain insurance, report their annual production, and file a claim. Recent updates now enable specialty crop producers can now benefit from greater flexibility to use their own records to meet crop insurance reporting requirements. Read more in the June 30, 2022 news release.

If you have feedback on how we can improve coverage for specialty crops, please let us know at SpecialtyCrops@usda.gov.

If you are interested in learning more about insuring your specialty crops, please contact your local RMA specialty crop insurance liaison from the list below:

Regional Office - Liaison

• Billings, MT – Marni Walter
• Davis, CA – Thalia Barajas
• Jackson, MS – Derrick Johnson
• Oklahoma City, OK – Devin Lolles
• Raleigh, NC – William Barnes
• Spokane, WA – Nick Gans
• Springfield, IL – Adrienne Steinacher
• St. Paul, MN – Michael Greene
• Topeka, KS – Amanda Whitehurst
• Valdosta, GA – Matthew Wilkin

Join the Risk Management Agency (RMA) for virtual workshops covering the ins and outs of the Whole-Farm Revenue Protection and Micro Farm, which are great insurance options for specialty crop, organic, urban and other producers with diverse operations. RMA subject matter experts will provide an in-depth look at these policies and answer questions.

• Tuesday, Nov. 15 at 8 p.m. PT - Join the event Add to your calendar: iCalendar, Outlook and Google Calendar
• Tuesday, Dec. 13 at 11 a.m. ET - Join the event

RSVP is not required. These events are part of a broader roadshow, and there will be additional in-person and virtual events across the country. Details on additional event dates and locations will be announced soon on the RMA Roadshow webpage.

November 17-18 - The Spokane Regional Office will attend and present at the 2022 Washington State Grape Society Annual Meeting in Grandview, Washington. The presentation will focus on recent changes and updates made to the grape policy that include contract pricing clarifications, a change to the acreage report date, and an increase in the maximum contract price factor. Topics of discussion at the meeting will include field grafting, cover crop alternatives, and an update on how to deal with Japanese Beetles.

Past Events

• Production and Revenue History Plan
• Specialty Crops
• WFRP

• Feasibility of Insuring Local Food Production
• Research of Nursery Greenhouse Policy
• 2021 Specialty Crop Report | Appendix 
• 2020 Specialty Crop Report
• 2019 Specialty Crop Report
• Archived Annual Specialty Crop Reports