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Shining Light on Farm & Food Policy for 20 Years.
Monday, July 22, 2024
USDA is expanding and enhancing crop insurance product for fruits, vegetables and other specialty crops and considering some additional steps that could help address the sector’s priorities. But some additional funding and statutory authority may be needed in the next farm bill to make changes sought by growers, according to the Risk Management Agency.
Fresh from visiting members of the House and Senate Ag Committee and their staffs, former House Ag Committee Chairman Collin Peterson says everyone seems to be working very well together, drafting each title, working through the issues “and that’s a good thing. The non-controversial stuff is well in hand.”
Specialty crop producers are looking to the next farm bill to expand crop insurance options and provide increased funding to address a number of challenges facing the sector, including needs for automation and development of new, safer pesticides.
USDA is promoting new crop insurance choices this year, even as strong commodity prices and elevated production costs are making existing coverage even more vital to farmers, says Marcia Bunger, administrator of the Risk Management Agency.
Fruit and vegetable growers are debating potential options for expanding crop insurance coverage in the next farm bill, including reforms to the lightly used Whole Farm Revenue Protection policies.
USDA officials are looking to educate crop insurance agents and farmers about the Whole Farm Revenue Protection and Micro Farm policies, products aimed at diversified operations and small-scale farms.
The top Republican on the House Ag Committee is making clear he wants nothing to do with some proposals by fellow conservatives to slash farm bill programs.
A crop insurance product that allows farmers to insure their entire operation under one policy has seen ups and downs since it became available under the 2014 farm bill. Whole Farm Revenue Protection (WFRP) grew out of the former Adjusted Growth Revenue and AGR-lite pilot programs that date back to 2008.
An insurance policy created to help diversified operations, specialty crop growers and small farms better manage their risk has slipped in popularity over the past two years, but advocates say a series of changes USDA is making in the program could reverse the decline.
WASHINGTON, Mar. 1, 2017 - As Congress prepares to write a new farm bill, the new Whole Farm Revenue Protection (WFRP) policies that USDA is offering under a pilot program authorized by the 2014 farm law are showing signs of catching on with the diversified farms they were designed to serve.
