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WASHINGTON, Nov. 13, 2024 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack appointed three new members of the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) Board of Directors, which oversees the Federal crop insurance program available through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The FCIC Board of Directors provides guidance to USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) on administering crop insurance.
“RMA’s commitment to representing farmers of all backgrounds who grow a wide variety of crops is reflected by our Federal Crop Insurance Corporation Board of Directors who each represent a certain sector of agriculture and insurance and use their expertise to ensure that all farmers have risk management options to protect their operations,” said RMA Administrator…
USDA to Issue More than $235 Million to Farmers Hit by Natural Disasters, Including Hurricane Milton
WASHINGTON, Oct. 30, 2024 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is issuing payments this week to agricultural producers impacted by natural disasters, including $143 million in crop insurance indemnities for Florida producers impacted by Hurricane Milton and about $92 million for livestock producers, nationwide, who faced increased supplemental feed costs as a result of forage losses due to 2022 qualifying drought and wildfire. The payments for Milton-impacted Florida producers are for those who have Federal crop insurance coverage through the Hurricane Insurance Protection-Wind Index (HIP-WI) endorsement and the Tropical Storm (TS) option. These crop insurance payments are part of USDA’s broader support to help producers after Hurricane Milton. The payments for livestock…
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WASHINGTON, Oct. 15, 2024 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced additional assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to help producers impacted by Hurricane Helene in the recovery process. USDA is announcing the counties that have triggered for payment under the Hurricane Insurance Protection-Wind Index (HIP-WI) endorsement for Hurricane Helene. As a result, Approved Insurance Providers (AIP) have 30 days to issue payments to producers, but AIPs typically issue payments much sooner.
USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) first offered HIP-WI for the 2020 hurricane season, and last year, the endorsement was expanded to include the Tropical Storm Option (TS). Under HIP-WI and TS, producers with the endorsement will receive over $233…
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WASHINGTON, Oct. 4, 2024 – In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, which devastated communities, homes, farms and businesses across parts of the Southeast, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has deployed staff to assist with response and recovery efforts. USDA is also putting in place contingency plans and program flexibilities to ensure farmers, and foresters and communities are able to get the support they need. USDA is sharing information today to help impacted people learn about resources that may be available to them.
On Thursday, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Farm Service Agency Administrator Zach Ducheneaux traveled to Florida and Georgia with President Biden to assess damage and meet with farmers and residents in the wake of the storm. In…
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WASHINGTON, Sept. 9, 2024 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reminds producers in Hawaii that the sales closing date to purchase Pasture, Rangeland, and Forage (PRF) rainfall index insurance is Dec. 1, 2024, for the 2025 crop year. The PRF program protects livestock producers against feed loss due to lack of precipitation, providing producers on the Big Island of Hawaii with coverage for grazing acres. This expansion was announced earlier this year and is part of USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) efforts to increase and enhance insurance options in Hawaii. Policy documents are now available for the PRF Hawaii program on the RMA website.
“Producers in Hawaii now have the option to purchase coverage to protect their operation against feed losses due to…
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Columbus, Ohio, Sept. 5, 2024 – Agricultural operations in Ohio have been significantly impacted by recent drought. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has technical and financial assistance available to help farmers and livestock producers recover from these adverse weather events. Impacted producers should contact their local USDA Service Center to report losses and learn more about program options available to assist in their recovery from crop, land, infrastructure, and livestock losses and damages.
USDA Disaster Assistance
Livestock producers who suffered grazing losses for covered livestock due to drought on privately owned or cash leased land may be eligible for the 2024 Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP). To participate in LFP producers…
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WASHINGTON, Aug. 30, 2024 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is expanding the Shellfish insurance program beginning with the 2025 crop year. USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) is expanding coverage to an additional 27 counties in Delaware, Florida, Louisiana, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and North Carolina. Additionally, RMA is modifying the program to allow insurance on seeds initially purchased smaller than 4 mm once they reach the minimum insurable size of 4 mm, allowing producers to use existing records for coverage in adjacent program counties, and allowing alternative yield procedures. RMA worked with stakeholders on these program enhancements.
“In the shellfish program’s first year as a pilot, the Risk Management Agency…
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WASHINGTON, Aug. 23, 2024 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the counties that have triggered for payment under the Hurricane Insurance Protection-Wind Index (HIP-WI) endorsement for Hurricane Debby. Approved Insurance Providers (AIP) have 30 days to issue payments to producers. USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) first offered HIP-WI for the 2020 hurricane season, and last year, the endorsement was expanded to include the Tropical Storm Option. Under HIP-WI, producers will receive over $200 million in indemnities for hurricane-related losses from Hurricane Debby. These payments will directly help farmers and rural communities recover.
“Hurricane Debby caused devastating damage across the southeast impacting many agricultural operations…
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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…
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WASHINGTON, August 8, 2024 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced it is awarding nearly $4.1 million to organizations and outreach efforts to educate underserved, small-scale, and organic producers on farm risk management and climate-smart farm practices. The funding from USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) provides assistance through its Risk Management Education Partnerships for organizations, such as nonprofits and land grant universities, to develop training and resources for producers about risk management options.
“This funding and these partnerships are key to the success of our outreach and education efforts in communities that historically have not had access to training about risk management options. Our Risk…