USDA Strengthens Crop Insurance Policy for Grass Seed in Minnesota

ST. PAUL, MN, June 30, 2023 – Agricultural producers in Minnesota may now benefit from new crop insurance improvements by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to better manage risk on their operations. Specifically, USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) is revising the Grass Seed Crop Provisions to allow enterprise units and optional units by type for the 2024 and succeeding crop years. This revision is in direct response to producer feedback.

“Our ultimate goal at RMA has always been to serve America’s producers the best we can and give the best tools they need and want to manage their operational risks,” said Pamela Stahlke, Director of RMA St. Paul Regional Office, which covers Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin. “The benefit that enterprise units bring to producers is the ability to receive a reduced premium to recognize the lower risk associated with the geographic diversification.”

An enterprise unit is an insurance unit structure that consists of all insurable acreage of the same insured crop in one county. Enterprise units by type allow a producer to insure all acres of a type in a county as one unit, whereas optional units by type allow multiple units for the acreage of the type in the county for an additional premium cost. Giving producers a wider choice with both enterprise units and optional units broadens and strengthens their risk management options.

After seeing success for other crops in their region with similar enterprise and optional unit updates by type, producers and the Minnesota Turf Seed Council support RMA’s revision to the Grass Seed Crop Provisions.

More Information

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. Learn more about crop insurance and the modern farm safety net at rma.usda.gov or by contacting your RMA Regional Office.

USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. Under the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit usda.gov.

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