USDA Risk Management Agency

Announcing improvements to the Actual Revenue History (ARH) Sweet Cherry and ARH Tart Cherry for Processing crop insurance programs! The ARH Sweet Cherry pilot program is now available in California, Idaho, Michigan, Montana, Oregon, Utah, and Washington. The ARH Tart Cherry for Processing pilot program is now available in Michigan, New York, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin. As part of a larger initiative to expand coverage options for perennial and specialty crop producers, RMA will expand Enterprise Units (EU) and EUs by organic farming practice (EO) to Sweet and Tart Cherry producers beginning with the 2025 crop year. The sales closing date is November 20, 2024, for the 2025 crop year in all states except California where the sales closing date is January 31, 2025, for the 2025 crop year. If you are a cherry producer interested in these programs, contact a crop insurance agent. Use RMA’s Agent Locator Tool to find an agent near you. https://lnkd.in/dzBYpKsY

Announcing updates to the Shellfish insurance program as a result of stakeholder feedback. Shellfish coverage is expanding to an additional 27 counties in Delaware, Florida, Louisiana, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and North Carolina. Additionally, the program has been modified to allow insurance on seeds initially purchased smaller than 4 mm. Producers are allowed to use existing records for coverage in adjacent program counties and allowed to use alternative yield procedures. Read more about these program updates:  https://lnkd.in/gcmwtumf For more information about the Shellfish insurance program:  https://lnkd.in/drgCbxpF To find a crop insurance agent near you:  https://lnkd.in/dzBYpKsY

On this Labor Day, we are grateful for all the employees who make crop insurance happen. There are so many people who contribute. There is an army of crop insurance agents and adjusters in the field. Then there are the many professionals working for insurance providers. Let’s not forget the over 400 strong working for the Risk Management Agency to administer Federal crop insurance. We’re a strong and diverse group working to help farmers across the country. We stand on the shoulders of those who came before, who fought to ensure safe and productive work for all. Happy Labor Day!

RMA celebrates Women’s Equality Day today (August 26)! Today we celebrate the progress made towards eliminating gender-based barriers and towards creating a future where women have equal opportunities in all areas of life.  We should all consider ways that we can continue to support women in the workplace. Thank you to all the hardworking women across the country!  

Indemnity payments are on the way for producers impacted by Hurricane Debby. There are counties that have triggered for payment under the Hurricane Insurance Protection - Wind Index (HIP-WI) endorsement due to Hurricane Debby. Approved Insurance Providers (AIP) have 30 days to issue payments to producers. Under the HIP-WI endorsement, 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.  Read more about Indemnity Payments to Producers Impacted by Hurricane Debby: https://lnkd.in/gHxjQY-2 Learn more about the Hurricane Insurance Protection-Wind Index (HIP-WI) endorsement and coverage areas: https://lnkd.in/g_rNMrGs

Calling all grape growers! RMA is releasing a new endorsement for the grape policy as well as changes to the grapevine policy. These crop insurance changes are in response to feedback from growers, and RMA is excited to deliver on their requests. The Fire Insurance Protection-Smoke Index (FIP-SI) is an endorsement that can be attached to a grape policy to provide additional insurance protection if an area experiences significant smoke events. Learn more about FIP-SI: https://lnkd.in/e5p2y2Cq For the grapevine policy, insurance coverage has been expanded to vines grafted between six and 12 months, by reducing the grafting period from 12 months to six months. We are also expanding coverage to 29 additional counties in California. Learn more about the grapevine policy: https://lnkd.in/eiKSYrmT Cheers! 🍷

We are launching a new and improved website (rma.usda.gov), which will have a new look and feel, but will still be easy to navigate to find insurance resources for your operation. In addition to the fresh and updated look of the website, navigation on the site is streamlined. This means finding useful information will be easier and more intuitive. Frequent users of the webpage won’t notice huge changes, only that finding and accessing information will be faster and easier. You can still access the RMA website using rma.usda.gov. If you have any feedback to share, click the “feedback” button at the bottom of the RMA homepage.

RMA's 2024 Risk Management Education partnership awardees have been announced. Our agency has invested nearly $4.1 million in partnerships that will assist RMA in outreach efforts to educate underserved, small-scale, and organic producers about farm risk management and climate-smart farm practices. This year’s partnership projects will reach every state in the nation, including eight state-specific, four regional, and three national programs. Watch the event recording here: https://lnkd.in/gpFkhjhS Learn more about RME partnerships and see the full list of awardees: https://lnkd.in/gtYVT3ub

Announcing Changes to the Enhanced Coverage Option Insurance Program! Beginning crop year 2025, RMA is expanding the Enhanced Coverage Option (ECO) to additional crops and increasing premium support, making policy’s more affordable for producers. ECO provides additional area-based coverage for a portion of a producers underlying crop insurance policy deductible and can be purchased as an endorsement to Yield Protection, Revenue Protection Revenue Protection with Harvest Price Exclusion, or Actual Production History. Learn more about changes to the Enhanced Coverage Option here:   https://lnkd.in/gdVJQ6q8

2024 Risk Management Education Partnership Awards Announcement! Join us on Thursday, August 8, 2024, at 2 p.m. ET as we announce the 2024 Risk Management Education Partnership awards. Risk Management Agency Administrator, Marcia Bunger, will announce the recipients of the 2024 RME partnerships during this live virtual event. Each of the 12 awardees will share about their projects. Don’t miss out, add this event to your calendar to attend and learn more about the innovative risk management education happening across the country. Visit RMA's Outreach and Education website to add this live event to your calendar: https://lnkd.in/gkt7uZzz