Crop Insurance Deadline Nears in Florida for Pasture, Rangeland, Forage and Apiculture Producers

VALDOSTA, Ga., Nov. 2 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Risk Management Agency's Valdosta Regional Office issued the following news release:

USDA's Risk Management Agency (RMA) reminds Florida forage, livestock, and honey producers that the final date to apply for crop insurance coverage is November 15. Current policyholders who wish to make changes to their existing coverage also have until the November 15 sales closing date to do so.

Federal crop insurance is critical to the farm safety net. It helps producers and owners manage revenue risks and strengthens the rural economy. Acreage intended for grazing and haying is insurable under the Pasture, Rangeland and Forage (PRF) program, and colonies of bees are insurable under the Apiculture program. The PRF and Apiculture programs for 2018 are under the Rainfall Index insurance plan. Coverage is available for PRF and apiculture in select Florida counties.

Producers are encouraged to visit their crop insurance agent soon to learn specific details for the 2018 crop year. A list of crop insurance agents is available at all USDA Service Centers and online at the RMA Agent Locator (http://www.rma.usda.gov/tools/agent.html). Producers can use the RMA Cost Estimator (https://ewebapp.rma.usda.gov/apps/costestimator/) 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.