Producers with Crop Insurance to Receive Premium Benefit for Cover
Crops
Send a link to a friend
[June 06, 2021]
Agricultural producers who have coverage under
most crop insurance policies are eligible for a premium benefit from
the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) if they planted cover
crops during this crop year. The Pandemic Cover Crop Program (PCCP),
offered by USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA), helps farmers
maintain their cover crop systems, despite the financial challenges
posed by the pandemic.
|
The PCCP is part of USDA’s Pandemic Assistance for Producers
initiative, a bundle of programs to bring financial assistance
to farmers, ranchers and producers who felt the impact of
COVID-19 market disruptions.
About the Premium Benefit
PCCP provides premium support to producers who insured their
spring crop with most insurance policies and planted a
qualifying cover crop during the 2021 crop year. The premium
support is $5 per acre, but no more than the full premium owed.
Illinois, Indiana and Iowa have existing programs for producers
to receive a premium benefit for planting cover crops. In these
states, participating producers will receive an additional
benefit.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2021/Jun/04/images/ads/current/humanesociety_sda022411.png)
All cover crops reportable to FSA are eligible and include
cereals and other grasses, legumes, brassicas and other
non-legume broadleaves, and mixtures of two or more cover crop
species planted at the same time.
To receive the benefit for this program, producers must file a
Report of Acreage form (FSA-578) for cover crops with USDA’s
Farm Service Agency (FSA) by June 15, 2021, which is distinct
from the normal acreage reporting date. The normal acreage
reporting deadline with FSA has not changed, but to receive the
premium benefit, producers must file by June 15, 2021. The cover
crop fields reported on the Report of Acreage form must match
what the producer reported to their insurance company for crop
insurance policies. To file the form, producers must contact and
make an appointment with their local USDA Service Center.
Program Details
Certain policies are not eligible because they have underlying
coverage, which would already receive the benefit or are not
designed to be reported in a manner consistent with the Report
of Acreage form (FSA-578). PCCP is not available for Whole-Farm
Revenue Protection, Enhanced Coverage Option, Hurricane
Insurance Protection – Wind Index, and Supplemental Coverage
Option. Stacked Income Protection (STAX) and Margin Protection
(MP) policies are only eligible for PCCP when insured as a
standalone policy. STAX and MP endorsements to underlying
policies are not eligible for PCCP.
[to top of second column] |
![](../images/ads/current/LLM_lda_RURALREVIEW_2021.png)
PCCP does not change acreage reporting dates,
reporting requirements, or any other terms of the crop insurance
policy.
Cover Crop Conservation Practice Standard
Meanwhile, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has
made the determination not to update its conservation practice
standard for cover crops. NRCS originally proposed restricting
mechanical harvest of cover crops, but after reviewing input from
agricultural producers and groups, NRCS recognizes this could
present challenges for producers who use this important conservation
practice. The latest version of the conservation practice standard
can be found in the Field Office Technical Guide under Section IV,
Conservation Practices and Supporting Documents, by State.
More Information
A Notice of Funding Availability was posted on the Federal Register
today. Additional information on PCCP, including frequently asked
questions, can be found at farmers.gov/pandemic-assistance/cover-crops.
RMA is authorizing additional flexibilities due to coronavirus while
continuing to support producers, working through AIPs to deliver
services, including processing policies, claims and agreements. RMA
staff are working with AIPs and other customers by phone, mail and
electronically to continue supporting crop insurance coverage for
producers. Farmers with crop insurance questions or needs should
continue to contact their insurance agents about conducting business
remotely (by telephone or email). More information can be found at
farmers.gov/coronavirus.
[Farmers.gov]
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2021/Jun/04/images/ads/current/Culligan_lda_HOMETOWNHEROES_2021.png) |