Crop Insurance Deadline Near in Alaska

SPOKANE, Wash., Jan. 29, 2016 – USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) reminds Alaska producers that the final date to apply for Whole-Farm Revenue Protection (WFRP) and insurance coverage on barley, cabbage, oats, potatoes, and wheat is March 15. Current policyholders who wish to make changes to their existing coverage also have until the sales closing date to do so. Crop insurance provides protection against a loss in production due to natural perils, such as drought or excessive moisture.

RMA revised the WFRP policy for the 2016 crop year to include improvements for beginning farmers and ranchers, livestock producers, and producers whose operations are expanding. More beginning farmers and ranchers can participate in the program because WFRP now requires only three historical years instead of five (2012-2014 for crop year 2016) and farming records from the past year (2015 for the 2016 crop year) for those producers who qualify as a beginning farmer or rancher under the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Procedures.

Any beginning farmer or rancher may qualify for WFRP by using a former farm operator's federal farm tax records if they assume at least 90 percent of the farm operation. Producers can now insure up to $1 million worth of animals and animal products. RMA also increased the cap on historical revenue for expanding operations to 35 percent so growing farms can better cover their growth in the insurance guarantee.

Producers are encouraged to visit their crop insurance agent soon to learn specific details for the 2016 crop year. Crop insurance is sold and delivered solely through private crop insurance agents. A list of crop insurance agents is available at all USDA Service Centers and online at the RMA Agent Locator. Producers can use the RMA Cost Estimator to get a premium amount estimate of their insurance needs online.