News
WASHINGTON, May 22, 2019 – USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) today announced new benefits available to military veterans with farms or ranches who are seeking federal crop insurance coverage, including exemptions from fees and additional coverage options provided by the 2018 Farm Bill and effective for the 2019 crop year.
For veterans seeking crop insurance, the 2018 Farm Bill provides:
- An exemption from paying the administrative fee for catastrophic and additional coverage policies;
- An additional 10 percent premium subsidy for additional coverage policies that have premium subsidy;
- The ability to use another person’s production history for the specific acreage transferred to veterans who previously…
WASHINGTON, May 7, 2019 – USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) announced updates to Annual Forage insurance for the 2020 Crop Year. Because of the 2018 Farm Bill, the Annual Forage pilot program now offers a Dual Use Option in select counties of six Great Plains states. Producers who select this option can insure their small grains crop with both an Annual Forage Policy for grazing and a multi-peril Small Grains Policy for grain.
“These changes allow crop insurance to provide coverage and recognize a practice that farmers and ranchers have used for years in certain parts of the country,” said RMA Administrator Martin Barbre. “This is another key step in ensuring RMA is meeting the risk management needs of U.S. agriculture.”
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WASHINGTON, April 22, 2019 – USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) announced today several enhancements to insurance programs that will provide a more efficient level of coverage for livestock and dairy producers. These program improvements to the Dairy Revenue Protection (DRP), Livestock Gross Margin (LGM) and Livestock Risk Protection (LRP) programs take effect July 1, 2019.
“These changes to livestock and dairy programs strengthen risk management options and provide peace of mind in times of unpredictable market fluctuations,” said RMA Administrator Martin Barbre.
Livestock Gross Margin:
LGM provides protection against loss of gross margin or the market value of livestock minus feed costs. The Bipartisan Budget Act…
WASHINGTON, March 22, 2019 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced that dairy producers who elected to participate in the Livestock Gross Margin for Dairy Cattle Program (LGM-Dairy) now have the opportunity to participate in the Margin Protection Program for Dairy (MPP-Dairy) for 2018 coverage. Sign-up will take place March 25 through May 10, 2019.
Producers enrolled in 2018 LGM-Dairy, administered by USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA), previously were determined by the 2014 Farm Bill to be ineligible for coverage under MPP-Dairy, a safety net program available through USDA’s…
WASHINGTON, March 13, 2019 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) announced this week that producers who purchased or plan to purchase the 2019 Supplemental Coverage Option (SCO) policy should report Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) or Price Loss Coverage (PLC) election intentions to their crop insurance agent by March 15, 2019, or the acreage reporting date, whichever is later.
Producers have the option to elect either ARC or PLC through the Farm Service Agency (FSA) to receive benefits. The 2018 Farm Bill allows producers to make an election in 2019, which covers the 2019 and 2020 crop years.
The Federal Crop…
WASHINGTON, March 4, 2019 - U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Under Secretary Bill Northey today announced that David M. Warner was sworn in to serve as the Director of External Affairs for USDA’s Farm Production and Conservation (FPAC) mission area.
As Director, Warner will oversee public communications efforts, as well as legislative and stakeholder engagement for FPAC agencies, which include the Farm Service Agency, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the Risk Management Agency.
“I’m excited to have David join the USDA family as part of the Business Center,” said FPAC Under Secretary Bill Northey. “His extensive experience will be a tremendous asset as he directs communications in a…
WASHINGTON, FEB. 25, 2019 – U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Risk Management Agency (RMA) urges farmers to sign up for crop insurance before the sales closing dates for eligible 2019 spring crops. Last year’s hurricanes, wildfires, and droughts across the country are a stark reminder that agriculture is an inherently risky business. The sales closing dates for most spring-planted crops is February 28 or March 15. These are also the last dates for insured producers to make changes to their crop insurance coverage for the 2019 crop year, including increasing coverage levels or adding options.
“Crop insurance is central to a strong farm safety net and producers should talk with their crop insurance agents now to understand options and purchase crop insurance,”…
WASHINGTON, Feb. 12, 2019 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation Bill Northey announced that USDA is hosting a listening session for initial input on the 2018 Farm Bill. USDA is seeking public input on the changes to existing programs implemented by the Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Risk Management Agency. Each agency will take into account stakeholder input when making discretionary decisions on program implementation.
“The 2018 Farm Bill is intended to provide support, certainty and stability to our Nation’s farmers, ranchers and land stewards by enhancing farm support programs, improving crop insurance, maintaining disaster programs, and promoting and supporting…
BILLINGS, Mont., Dec. 13, 2018 — USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) has announced expanded availability for Dry Pea Revenue coverage in South Dakota for the 2019 Crop Year.
South Dakota dry pea policy holders will have three insurance plan options for the 2019 Crop Year: Yield Protection Plan 01, Revenue Protection Plan 02 or Revenue Protection with Harvest Price Exclusion Plan 03. These new plan options replace the Actual Production History (APH) Plan 90 which provided protection only for yield losses.
“This change will give South Dakota producers the same coverage choices as dry pea producers in Montana and North Dakota,” according to Eric Bashore, Director of the Billings Regional Office serving Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming.…
WASHINGTON, Dec. 13, 2018 – Farmers now have a low-cost option for insuring small parcels of land in one county by combining them into a single enterprise unit with land in a neighboring county under their crop insurance. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) is offering the new endorsement known as the Multi-County Enterprise Unit for farmers interested in covering two counties in the same state under their crop insurance policy.
“Today’s farmers and ranchers face tremendous challenges. Access to affordable, flexible crop insurance options shouldn’t be one of them.” said RMA Administrator Martin Barbre. “This simple policy change will help producers manage their overall production risk by combining acreage into a larger unit, which could also lead to…