All Risk Management Agency Field Offices
All Other Interested Parties
Background
The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) Board of Directors (Board) approved the following modifications to the Pasture, Rangeland, Forage (PRF) pilot program beginning with the 2016 crop year:
- Replace the Vegetation Index-PRF with the Rainfall Index (RI)-PRF program in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming;
- Expand RI-PRF to 19 states;
- Revise the pricing methodology for both haying and grazing practices;
- Add an irrigated practice for haying in specific states to address added irrigation costs;
- Add an irrigated and non-irrigated practice reporting requirements on the acreage report; and
- Remove the RI capping process for PRF only. The capping process remains for Apiculture (API) and Annual Forage
In addition to the FCIC Board approved modifications, the Ineligibility Amendment (15- Ineligibility) and Farm Bill Amendment (15-RIVI-Farm Bill) have been incorporated into the Rainfall and Vegetation Index Common Policy applicable to the PRF and API.
Action
The following materials will be available by close of business today on the RMA website at www.rma.usda.gov/policies/ri-vi/
- Rainfall and Vegetation Index Plan Common Policy (16-RIVI)
- RI-PRF Crop Provisions (16-RI-PRF)
- Rainfall and Vegetation Insurance Standards Handbook (18150)
Any Vegetation Index Pasture, Rangeland, Forage (VI-PRF) policies in force for the 2015 insurance year must be cancelled by the cancellation/termination date specified in the policy for 2015. Approved Insurance Providers (AIPs) are encouraged to cancel these policies in a timely manner to provide producers adequate time to consider the RI-PRF plan on insurance and to make appropriate decisions.
Producers currently enrolled in the VI-PRF pilot are eligible for the RI-PRF pilot. Qualified producers who were enrolled in the VI-PRF pilot programs in 2015 and who enroll in the RI-PRF pilot for 2015 will be considered carry-over insureds and will not have a break in continuity for insurance coverage purposes. Producers who had VI-PRF must complete a new application prior to the sales closing date if they wish to obtain RI-PRF. Producers must use the Grid ID Locator found on the RMA web site at: www.rma.usda.gov/policy-procedure/general-policies/rainfall-index to establish the grid id for the RI-PRF program.
Interested producers should contact a crop insurance agent for further information. A list of agents can be found on the RMA web site: www.rma.usda.gov/.
Questions regarding these modifications may be directed to rma.kcviri@rma.usda.gov.
DISPOSAL DATE:
December 31, 2015