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USDA expands insurance coverage options for specialty crops

The USDA is expanding its insurance coverage options for specialty crops.

Risk Management Agency administrator Marcia Bunger says enterprise units, which allow a producer to insure all acres of an insured crop in the county together, will be available to more crops, including alfalfa seed, cultivated wild rice, forage production, onions, and potatoes.

Minnesota Farm Service Agency director Whitney Place tells Brownfield FSA currently offers non-insured crop disaster assistance, but she suggests it’s not farmer friendly because it requires a lot of record keeping.

“All of our specialty growers have been looking for a solution through crop insurance coverage, via kind of that whole farm perspective so that they can cover those specialty crops kind of on a smaller scale. So this is exciting progress.”

Bunger says the expansion of enterprise units provides more producers the same options for discounted insurance coverage as row crops.

The change goes into effect beginning with the 2024 crop year.