RMA Expands Pasture, Rangeland, Forage Insurance

September 26, 2008 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Risk Management Agency (RMA) administrator this week announced the expansion of the availability of pasture, rangeland and forage crop insurance to additional states and counties over the next two years.

"Ranchers across the country have responded positively to this crop insurance program from the beginning," said RMA Administrator Eldon Gould. "With this expansion, livestock producers in additional geographic areas -- including drought-impacted land -- will have this valuable risk protection tool available."

The expansion of the pasture, rangeland and forage (PRF) crop insurance program is scheduled to be phased in over a two-year period. Beginning with the 2008 crop year, the program will expand to encompass the entire states of Alabama and Wyoming as well as selected counties in South Dakota and the southern tier of counties in New York. In the 2009 crop year, the coverage will be further extended to include all counties of Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina and Virginia.

PRF began in the 2007 crop year in selected counties in Colorado, Idaho, North Dakota, Oklahoma Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota and Texas. When the incremental increase is complete in 2009, approximately 450 million acres of grazing and forage land will be eligible for coverage.

Additional information is available at www.rma.usda.gov/policies/pasturerangeforage/. To find an agent, visit www3.rma.usda.gov/tools/agents/companies.

<< Back