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 2019, the amount of insurance for specialty crops totaled more than $18 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.

If you have feedback on how we can improve coverage for specialty crops, please let us know at SpecialtyCrops@rma.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 – Steve Junghans
• Davis, CA – Thalia Barajas
• Jackson, MS – Derrick Johnson
• Oklahoma City, OK – Devin Lolles
• Raleigh, NC – William Barnes
• Spokane, WA – Nick Gans
• Springfield, IL – Adrienne McTaggart
• St. Paul, MN – Craig Christianson
• Topeka, KS – Amanda Whitehurst
• Valdosta, VA – Matthew Wilkin

• September 30 – Agralytica, under contract with RMA, will be conducting a virtual listening session to solicit feedback about improved crop insurance coverage options for farmers and ranchers selling to local food markets (including but not limited to farmers markets, Community Supported Agriculture (CSAs), road-side stands, restaurants, retailers, schools, and institutions). This includes discussing how existing crop insurance programs can be improved, as well as exploring the possibility of a new crop insurance program. Feedback received will aid in identifying potential changes and/or additions to insurance options for producers supplying local markets. This session is a supplemental offering to the previous listening sessions conducted from mid-August through early September and is primarily for farmers and ranchers who sell to local food markets and their representatives in the federal crop insurance industry. To view the formal announcement, which includes details on how to attend the sessions online or by phone, please click here.
• September 28 & 29 – Agralytica, working under contract with RMA, will conduct two in-person listening sessions to gain feedback about potential insurance coverage options for guar. The sessions are for guar growers, industry members, and regional insurance representatives. To receive further details regarding time and location, please contact your local RMA Regional Office specialty crop liaison from the list above.

Past Events

• Specialty Crops
• WFRP

• 2020 Specialty Crop Report
• 2019 Specialty Crop Report
• Archived Annual Specialty Crop Reports