Ag Policy Blog

USDA wants comments from producers and will be holding public listening sessions this summer on possible changes to prevented-planting crop insurance coverage.

"We truly care what our customers – the nation's agricultural producers – have to say. That's why we're hosting listening sessions in 11 states in addition to accepting written comments," said RMA Administrator Marcia Bunger. "We listen to their needs so that we can adapt, improve, and help them manage their risks and provide better opportunities to protect their operations."

USDA wants information on topics such as:

-Harvest Price Option – Feedback on whether to allow the prevented planting payment calculations to be based on the higher of projected price or harvest price under the revenue protection plan of insurance.

-The "1 in 4" Rule – Input on the challenges or experiences since the rule (to be eligible for a prevented planting coverage acreage must have been planted to a crop, insured, and harvested in at least 1 out of the previous 4 crop years) was implemented nationwide.

- 10% additional coverage option – Input on if RMA should reinstate the option to buy-up prevented planting coverage by 10%.

- Contract price – Whether prevented planting costs are higher for contracted crops and how prevented planting payments should be calculated for contract crops.

- General – Willingness to pay additional premium for expanded prevented planting benefits, recommendations on other prevented planting limitations, etc.

RMA will start with a virtual listening session on June 8 at 1 p.m. Central. In-person meetings will begin June 13 in El Campo, Texas, and run to Aug. 24. More information about specific listening sessions can be found at https://www.rma.usda.gov/…

More background material and details for providing written feedback can be found in the Federal Register notice: https://www.federalregister.gov/…

AG CENSUS DEADLINE

USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is informing farmers and ranchers they have until May 31 to return their 2022 ag census form. The data collection for the ag census ends on May 31.

USDA stated, " Landowners who lease land to producers, those solely involved in conservation programs, and even those who may not have farmed in 2022 are still required to respond. Producers who received the ag census but do not fit the definition of a farm, are no longer farming, never farmed, or have another update for NASS should write their status on the form and mail it back. Every response matters!"

More details on the ag census can be found at https://www.nass.usda.gov/…

Chris Clayton can be reached at Chris.Clayton@dtn.com

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