Pandemic Cover Crop Program Offers Insurance Discounts

Agricultural producers who have coverage under most crop insurance policies are eligible for a premium benefit from U.S. Department of Agriculture cover crops were planted during 2022. To receive the benefit from this year's pandemic cover crop program, producers must report acreage by March 15, 2022.

The program provides a discount of $5 per acre on a farmer's 2022 crop insurance premium, but no more than the full premium price. Offered by USDA's Risk Management Agency, the program helps farmers maintain cover crop systems, despite the financial challenges posed by the pandemic and 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 market disruptions during the COVID-19 period.

"Cultivating cover crops requires a sustained, long-term investment, and the economic challenges of the pandemic made it financially challenging for many producers to maintain cover crop systems," said Marcia Bunger, RMA administrator. "Producers use cover crops to improve soil health and gain other agronomic benefits, and this program will reduce producers' overall premium bill to help ensure producers can continue this climate-smart agricultural practice."

The pandemic cover crop program was offered beginning in 2021, and producers with crop insurance received $59.5 million in premium subsidies for 12.2 million acres of cover crops.

Producers will automatically receive the benefit by filing the Report of Acreage form (FSA-578) by March 15, 2022, at their local Farm Service Agency county office. To file the report, contact your local USDA service center to make an appointment. Link to locations: bit.ly/3hrQnIr.

As part of filing the report of acreage, you will need to provide the following:

Cover crop type or variety.

Number of acres of the cover crop.

Map with approximate boundaries for the cover crop.

Planting dates.

Planting pattern, when applicable.

Producer shares.

Irrigation practices.

The cover crop fields that are reported on the Report of Acreage form must match what is reported to the insurance company for crop insurance policies.

For additional information about the program, visit Pandemic Cover Crop Program site, bit.ly/3C6DBZK.