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. 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. The Risk Management Agency is inviting interested parties to participate in a listening session to discuss the proposed changes to the apple crop insurance program.  Information for participating in the sessions can be found here

• Saturday, February 25
  In-person event: at the Michigan Family Farms Conference
  Location: Kalamazoo Valley Community College (Texas Township Campus), 6767 W O Avenue
  Conference information: www.miffs.org/mffc2023
  Hosted by: RMA Springfield Regional Office

In addition, the Risk Management Agency is inviting interested parties to participate in a listening session to discuss the proposed changes to the apple crop insurance program. Information for participating in the sessions can be found here.

Other Events

• January 30-31 – The St. Paul Regional Office will host a booth at the trade show and attend educational events at the 2023 Wisconsin Fruit and Vegetable Conference in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin. Staff will network with attendees and promote changes to the Whole-Farm Revenue Protection program that improve it as a risk management tool for growers, especially those farms with specialty or organic commodities (both crops and livestock), or those marketing to local, regional, farm-identity preserved, specialty, or direct markets. Staff will collect feedback on crop insurance programs important to attendees to apply toward current and future program improvement efforts. 

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
• 2015 Specialty Crop Report
• 2010 Specialty Crop Report
• 2004 Specialty Crop Report
• 2002 Specialty Crops Report
• 2001 Specialty Crops Report | Executive Summary
• 1999 Specialty Crops Report | Executive Summary, Tables | Charts