Blueberry Crop Program Continues to Expand

SPOKANE, Wash., Oct. 12 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Risk Management Agency's Spokane Regional Office issued the following news release:

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Risk Management Agency (RMA) has announced the expanded availability of the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation's (FCIC) blueberry crop insurance coverage in Morrow County, Oregon.

Federal crop insurance is critical to the farm safety net. It helps producers and owners manage revenue risks and strengthens the rural economy. Information on available coverage for blueberries can found on the RMA Information Browser.

Approved counties with Blueberry Multiple Peril Crop Insurance (MPCI) coverage include: Oregon: Benton, Clackamas, Columbia, Linn, Marion, Morrow, Washington, and Yamhill counties and Washington state: Benton, Clark, Cowlitz, Franklin, Grant, Lewis, Pierce, Skagit, Snohomish, Thurston, Walla Walla, Whatcom, and Yakima counties. The 2018 sales closing date for blueberries is Monday, November 20, 2017.

Current policyholders who wish to make changes to their existing coverage also have until the sales closing date to do so. Producers, including those in Morrow County, Oregon are encouraged to visit their crop insurance agent soon to learn specific details for 2018 crop year.

Crop insurance is sold and delivered solely through private crop insurance agents. A list of crop insurance agents is available at all USDA Service Centers and online at the RMA Agent Locator. Growers can use the RMA Cost Estimator to get a premium amount estimate of their insurance needs online.

For more information about crop insurance and the modern farm safety net, visit www.rma.usda.gov.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (866) 632-9992 (Toll-free Customer Service), (800) 877-8339 (Local or Federal relay), (866) 377-8642 (Relay voice users).