WASHINGTON, Aug. 15, 2024 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced policy enhancements to the grapevine insurance program, starting for the 2025 crop year. USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) is expanding coverage to vines grafted between six and 12 months, by reducing the grafting period from 12 months to six months. RMA is also expanding coverage to 29 additional counties in California.
“In response to industry feedback, the Risk Management Agency is improving crop insurance for grapevines that will fill a previous gap in coverage for grafted vines,” said RMA Administrator Marcia Bunger. “The grapevine program was first made available for the 2024 crop year in 91 counties across nine states, and we’re excited to expand coverage to all counties in California where grape coverage is currently available.”
The program is also available in select counties in Idaho, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas and Washington. The sales closing date for the 2025 crop year is Nov. 1, 2024.
Grapevine crop insurance pays losses when the vine is dead or so badly damaged it will not recover in the following 12 months. It covers freeze, fire, hail, flood, and failure of the irrigation water supply caused by an unavoidable, naturally occurring event. The program is designed to complement the grape crop insurance program that covers the fruit growing on the vine.
RMA collaborated with stakeholders to expand this program. In crop year 2024, producers insured $129 million in covered liabilities on 12 million grapevines.
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. Producers can learn more about crop insurance and the modern farm safety net at rma.usda.gov or by contacting their RMA Regional Office.
Within the past month, RMA made insurance improvements for specialty crop producers by expanding coverage options to additional crops, like almonds, apples, blueberries, grapes, and walnuts through the Enhanced Coverage Option as well as increasing premium support to make the policy more affordable for producers. RMA also announced the availability of the new Fire Insurance Protection-Smoke Index endorsement that’s available for grapes grown in California starting with the 2025 crop year.
RMA secures the future of agriculture by providing world class risk management tools to rural America through Federal crop insurance and risk management education programs. RMA provides policies for more than 130 crops and is constantly working to adjust and create new policies based on producer needs and feedback.
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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