The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) Board of Directors (Board) recently approved the following modifications to the Pasture, Rangeland, Forage (PRF) pilot program beginning with the 2016 crop year:
• Replace the Vegetation Index-PRF (VI-PRF) with the Rainfall Index (RI-PRF) program in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming;
• Expand RI-PRF to 19 states;
• Revise the pricing methodology for both haying and grazing practices;
• Add an irrigated practice for haying in specific states to address added irrigation costs;
• Add an irrigated and non-irrigated practice reporting requirements on the acreage report; and
• Remove the RI capping process for PRF only. The capping process remains for Apiculture (API) and Annual Forage.
Producers currently enrolled in the VI-PRF pilot are eligible for the RI-PRF pilot. Qualified producers who were enrolled in the VI-PRF pilot programs in 2015 and who enroll in the RI-PRF pilot for 2015 will be considered carry-over insureds and will not have a break in continuity for insurance coverage purposes.
Producers who previously purchased VI-PRF must complete a new application prior to the sales closing date if they wish to obtain RI-PRF. Producers must use the Grid ID Locator found on the RMA web site at: http://www.rma.usda.gov/policies/pasturerangeforage to establish the grid id for the RI-PRF program.
Sign up for RI-PRF ends with the sales closing date: November 15, 2015. The coverage period follows over the 2016 calendar year.
To learn more about programs offered by the Risk Management Agency see: Risk Management Agency, or contact a local crop insurance agent.
