The USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) revised the insurance options to reach more producers, offer greater flexibility for protecting their operations and better meet the needs of the country’s livestock producers. The updates were published in late April for the 2023 crop year, which begins July 1, 2022.
“Great and sound customer service is the most important thing we can provide our nation’s producers, making sure the programs and products we offer give them the most useful tools for covering their risks,” said RMA administrator Marcia Bunger. “Agriculture is not a static industry, and these updates reflect the importance we place on always knowing the evolving needs of producers and offering the most people the best risk management tools we can.”
Dairy-RP insures against unexpected declines in the quarterly revenue from milk sales relative to a guaranteed coverage level, LGM protects against the loss of gross margin (or livestock’s market value minus feed costs), and LRP provides protection against price declines.
Producers will now have more flexibility for Dairy-RP, LGM and LRP when indemnities are used to pay premiums, which can help producers manage their operations’ cash flows. With these updates, producers can now have both LGM and LRP policies, although they cannot insure the same class of livestock for the same time period or have the same livestock insured under multiple policies.
Additional updates include:
Dairy Revenue Protection
- Dairy producers are now able to continue coverage even if they experience a disaster, such as a barn fire, at their operation.
Livestock Gross Margin
- Cattle, dairy and swine coverage has been expanded, making it available in all counties in all 50 states.
Livestock Risk Protection
- Insurance companies are now required to pay indemnities within 30 days, rather than the previous 60 days, following the receipt of the claim form.
- Head limits have been increased:
o Fed cattle: 12,000 head per endorsement and 25,000 head per crop year
o Feeder cattle: 12,000 head per endorsement and 25,000 head per crop year
o Swine: 70,000 head per endorsement and 750,000 head per crop year
- The termination date under LRP has been extended from June 30 to Aug. 31.
- Location reporting requirements have been relaxed to list only state and county, instead of the precise legal location.
More information is available at USDA - Risk Management Agency.
