(FDACS) — Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried held a town hall meeting on crop insurance issues at Chipola College in Marianna, Florida. Fried was joined via Zoom by Acting Administrator Richard Flournoy of the USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) and other RMA senior and regional leaders to answer questions from agriculture producers on crop insurance and risk management. Photos/Video: A video recording and high-res …
Flexibilities Added for Crop Insurance to Support America’s Farmers and Ranchers
RMA Offering Remote Assistance and Authorizing Additional Flexibility for Producers (USDA/RMA) — USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) is authorizing additional flexibilities due to coronavirus while continuing to support producers, working through Approved Insurance Providers (AIPs) to deliver services, including processing policies, claims and agreements. These flexibilities include: enabling producers to send notifications and reports electronically, extending the date for production …
USDA Offers New Hurricane Insurance Endorsement for Crop Year 2020
(USDA/RMA) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Risk Management Agency (RMA) announced a new crop insurance endorsement, Hurricane Insurance Protection – Wind Index (HIP-WI). HIP-WI covers a portion of the deductible of the underlying crop insurance policy when a county, or county adjacent, is within the area of sustained hurricane-force winds. The coverage provided by HIP-WI can be combined …
Crop Insurance Deadlines Near in Florida
Avocado, Blueberry, and Pasture, Rangeland, Forage and Apiculture Producers Need to Make Insurance Decisions Soon The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency (USDA RMA) are reminding Florida avocado, blueberry, pasture, rangeland, and forage (PRF) and apiculture producers that deadlines to apply for crop insurance coverage for the 2020 crop …
Crop Insurance Deadline Nears in Florida
Oats, Potato, Sugarcane, and Wheat Growers Need to Make Insurance Decisions Soon Tallahassee, FL (FDACS) – The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency (USDA RMA) reminds Florida oats, potato, sugarcane, and wheat growers that September 30 is the final date to apply for crop insurance coverage for the 2020 …
Hemp Crop Insurance Coverage Available for 2020
(NAFB) — Certain industrial hemp growers will be able to obtain insurance coverage under the Whole-Farm Revenue Protection program for crop year 2020. The Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency Tuesday announced coverage for hemp grown for fiber, flower or seeds. The coverage will be available to producers who are in areas covered by USDA-approved hemp plans or who are …
RMA Changes Haying and Grazing Date
It was recently announced those who planted cover crops on prevented planted acres can hay, graze or chop those fields earlier than November this year. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Risk Management Agency (RMA) adjusted the 2019 final haying and grazing date from November 1 to September 1 to help farmers. Here is RMA Administrator Martin Barbre. He explains …
Farm Bill Implementation Listening Session Open to Producers
Register by February 22! The U.S. Department of Agriculture is hosting a listening session for initial input on the 2018 Farm Bill. USDA is seeking public input on the changes to existing programs implemented by the Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service and Risk Management Agency. Each agency will take into account stakeholder input when making discretionary decisions on …
Keith Gray Named USDA Risk Management Agency Chief of Staff
Alabama native Keith Gray has been appointed chief of staff for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Risk Management Agency (RMA) by the Trump administration and Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue. Gray has decades of political experience on and off Capitol Hill and formerly served as National Affairs director for the Alabama Farmers Federation and Alfa Insurance. Previously, he was …
Sales Closing Dates Near for Most Crops
Expanded Options available to enhance Farm Safety Net Last year’s hurricanes, wildfires, and droughts, devastated parts of the South, Midwest, Northern Plains, and California, and were a stark reminder that agriculture is an inherently risky business. Federal crop insurance indemnities for these disasters totaled more than $1 billion in 2017. “The prosperity of the rural economy depends on our farmers …