News
WASHINGTON, May 31, 2016 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced that farmers and ranchers filing crop acreage reports with the Farm Service Agency (FSA) and participating insurance providers approved by the Risk Management Agency (RMA) now can provide the common information from their acreage reports at one office and the information will be electronically shared with the other location.
This new process is part of the USDA Acreage Crop Reporting Streamlining Initiative (ACRSI). This interagency collaboration also includes participating private crop insurance agents and insurance companies, all working to streamline the information collected from farmers and ranchers who participate in USDA programs.
"If you file your report at one…
WASHINGTON, May 5, 2016 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Risk Management Agency (RMA) today announced $8.7 million in cooperative agreements for risk management education and training programs. The funding would give organizations needed resources to develop training and education tools to help farmers and ranchers, especially those traditionally underserved or with limited resources, learn how to effectively managing long-term risks and challenges.
Through these partnerships, producers will receive assistance in understanding and using crop insurance programs and other tools so they can make the best risk management decisions for their agricultural operations. Past award recipients have included universities, county cooperative extension offices and…
WASHINGTON, Feb. 18, 2016 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced a new step to support farmers transitioning to certified organic production, by expanding a crop insurance option to allow producers to purchase insurance coverage that better reflects their product's actual value. The expanded coverage is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) continued commitment to provide farmers with resources and tools to meet the growing demand for certified organic products. The Secretary made the announcement at the White House during remarks to participants at the USDA Market Summit.
"Consumer demand for organic products continues to increase and the industry has experienced remarkable growth, representing more than $39 billion in U.S. retail sales…
RALEIGH, N.C., Nov. 5, 2015 - USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) reminds New Jersey apple, blueberry, cranberry, and peach growers that the final date to apply for crop insurance on next year’s crop is November 20. Current policyholders who wish to make changes to their existing policies also have until November 20 to do so.
Price elections for 2016 are $17.30 per bushel for fresh apples, $4.25 per bushel for processing apples, $50.50 per bushel for Varietal Group A apples, $15.95 for Varietal Group B apples, and $11.65 for Varietal Group C apples. The blueberry price election is $0.91 per pound, cranberry price election is $31.80 per barrel, and peach price elections are $21.25 per bushel for fresh peaches and $7.25 for processing peaches. Crop insurance provides…
LOUISVILLE, October 29, 2015 — Agriculture Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden today announced a commitment by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to prioritize $5.6 billion over the next two years within USDA programs and services that serve new and beginning farmers and ranchers. Deputy Secretary Harden also announced a new, tailored web tool designed to connect burgeoning farm entrepreneurs with programs and resources available to help them get started.
"Today's announcement is symbolic of the evolution of USDA's efforts to better serve the next generation of farmers and ranchers. What began seven years ago with the recognition that the rapid aging of the American farmer was an emerging challenge, has transformed into a robust, transparent, tech-based strategy…
WASHINGTON, Oct. 20, 2015 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) today announced an additional expansion of crop insurance increasing the safety net for vegetable and other commodity producers in select counties beginning with the 2016 crop year.
Supplemental Coverage Option (SCO) and Actual Production History (APH) Yield Exclusion expansion, which RMA previously announced in July, will include more than 25 additional commodities.
“Expanding these farm safety-net programs will help ensure those most at risk have policies available that work for them,” said Brandon Willis, RMA administrator.
SCO will now be available for buckwheat, sweet corn, extra-long staple cotton, cucumbers, processing beans, dry beans, flax, silage…
WASHINGTON, Sept. 9, 2015 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Risk Management Agency (RMA) today announced additional options for organic producers to protect their operations from losses due to severe weather or price declines. RMA will expand the availability of premium price elections for crop insurance coverage on organic crops in 2016.
RMA was able to better collect and evaluate price and yield data with assistance from USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service and National Agricultural Statistics Service agencies. This resulted in expanded options for organic producers and a variety of new organic price elections for 2016. By increasing the number of crops with organic price premiums, and expansion of the contract price option, organic producers have new…
WASHINGTON, Aug. 31, 2015 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Risk Management Agency (RMA) is expanding crop insurance coverage for ranchers to help them protect against loss of forage produced for feeding livestock. The Rainfall Index Pasture, Rangeland, Forage pilot program (PRF) will now be available in all 48 contiguous states beginning with the 2016 crop year. Livestock producers have until Nov. 15, 2015, to sign up for coverage.
“This program has a proven history of helping ranchers. I am pleased that we are able to expand this tool,” said RMA Administrator Brandon Willis. “Providing these options to ranchers gives them the stronger safety net they need to continue ranching, even after particularly bad years.”
PRF is an area-…
WASHINGTON, Aug. 27, 2015 – Agriculture Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden today announced that Whole-Farm Revenue Protection insurance will be available in every county in the nation in 2016. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is also making changes to the policy to help farmers and ranchers with diversified crops including beginning, organic, and fruit and vegetable growers, better access Whole-Farm Revenue Protection.
"Whole-Farm Revenue Protection insurance allows producers who have previously had limited access to a risk management safety net, to insure all of the commodities on their farm at once instead of one commodity at a time," said Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden. "That gives them the option of embracing more crop diversity on their farm and…
WASHINGTON, July 23, 2015 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced the expansion of crop insurance to provide additional options for fruit and nut producers. The Supplemental Coverage Option (SCO) and the Actual Production History (APH) Yield Exclusion are now available to cover fresh fruit and nuts in select counties beginning with the 2016 crop year.
"USDA remains committed to making new crop insurance options outlined in the 2014 Farm Bill available to as many types of producers as possible. Providing these options for our producers of fresh fruit and nuts gives them the stronger safety net they need to continue farming, even after particularly bad years," said Secretary Vilsack. "USDA will continue to work toward implementing risk…