The Center for Rural Affairs applauds expansions to federal crop insurance recently announced by USDA’s Risk Management Agency. The changes signal encouraging opportunities for farmers practicing conservation on their operations, according to the organization. This month, RMA announced it will be offering the Pandemic Cover Crop Program for a second year. The program offers a $5 per acre discount on a producer’s crop insurance premium if they planted a qualifying cover crop ahead of their 2022 crop. If a cover crop variety is reportable to the Farm Service Agency, it is eligible for the program. To receive the benefit, producers must have a Report of Acreage form filed for their cover crops by March 15, also the crop insurance sales closing date for most spring crops. Kate Hansen with the Center for Rural Affairs says, “Producers across the country are implementing new conservation practices to better steward their land,” adding, “These recent developments from RMA to support these efforts are encouraging.”
