UNL webinar set for Jan. 4

Fremont Tribune (NE)

The new Weaned Calf Risk Protection insurance option will be covered during a webinar presented by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Center for Agricultural Profitability at noon on Jan. 4.

The USDA Risk Management Agency recently released the new pilot insurance product relevant for cattle producers in Nebraska, Texas, South Dakota, and Colorado. Its focus is on protecting total weight gain of feeder cattle post-weaning. It is available to be purchased but has a one-time sign-up deadline of Jan. 31, to purchase the insurance product.

This webinar will review what the product is, how it works, things to consider when choosing coverage levels, and how it fits within the broader portfolio of livestock insurance products publicly and privately available to producers. It will be led by Elliott Dennis, assistant professor in the university's Department of Agricultural Economics.

"There are many variables and pressures involved in running a cow/ calf operation, making it even more important that ranchers have a variety of insurance options available similar to the wide range of options available to crop growers," said Risk Management Agency Administrator Marcia Bunger in a USDA news release. "The introduction of Weaned Calf Risk Protection reflects our priority to always pay attention to the evolving needs of producers and create options that can meet their unique situation."

APH policies insure producers against yield losses due to natural causes such as drought, excessive moisture, hail, wind, frost, insects, and disease. In the case of the new Weaned Calf Risk Protection, coverage is provided for a decline in price and loss of yield due to a decrease of overall weaning weight like revenue coverage offered for other crops.

The program will be available in Colorado, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Texas, beginning with the Jan. 31, 2024, sales closing date for the 2024 crop year. Coverage levels between 50% and 85% will be available along with catastrophic coverage.