Crop insurance for specialty and organic crops grows as options improve and expand

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is beefing up crop insurance options for specialty crop and organic producers, including rolling out new and expanded options based on feedback from America’s agricultural producers. To achieve this, USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) accelerated its outreach efforts to hear directly from producers across the country by hosting in-person and virtual roadshows and making investments in risk management education. These improvements are part of a comprehensive effort to improve risk management tools and other programs for a wide variety of producers as well as expand access to organic markets.

“We’re committed to working with specialty crop and organic producers to develop crop insurance options that fit their needs,” RMA Administrator Marcia Bunger said. “We’ve listened, and we’re proud of our efforts to deliver crop insurance options that meet the needs of producers as well as to share information on available crop insurance options. This is part of USDA’s commitment to reach underserved and underreached producers and to help producers access new and better markets.”

From 1990 to 2022, liabilities for insured specialty crops rose from $1 billion to more than $23 billion. Over the past 20 years, the number of individual specialty crops insured under crop insurance programs increased by 27%. Currently, there are over 70 individual specialty crops insured under crop insurance programs.

New Insurance Option:

• Transitional and Organic Grower Assistance Program (TOGA):For 2022, RMA offered this new program reduce a producer’s overall crop insurance premium bill allowing them to continue using organic agricultural systems. Premium benefits for TOGA included: 10 percentage points of premium subsidy for all crops in transition, $5 per acre premium benefit for certified organic grain and feed crops, and 10 percentage points of premium subsidy for all Whole-Farm Revenue Protection (WFRP) policies covering any number of crops in transition to organic or crops with the certified organic practice.

More Information

Specialty crop producers can learn more on RMA’s Specialty Crop Page or by contacting one of RMA’s specialty crop liaisons, who serve as points of contact for local specialty crop producers. Organic producers can learn more at RMA’s Organic webpage. Producers can receive the most up to date information about RMA insurance options for specialty crops by subscribing to GovDelivery.

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.

Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture

To view source article, visit:
https://www.rma.usda.gov/en/News-Room/Press/Press-Releases/2023-News/Crop-Insurance-for-Specialty-and-Organic-Crops-Grow-as-Options-Improve-and-Expand

Organic & Non-GMO Insights December 2023