BILLINGS, Mont., Dec. 13, 2018 — USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) has announced expanded availability for Dry Pea Revenue coverage in South Dakota for the 2019 Crop Year.

South Dakota dry pea policy holders will have three insurance plan options for the 2019 Crop Year: Yield Protection Plan 01, Revenue Protection Plan 02 or Revenue Protection with Harvest Price Exclusion Plan 03. These new plan options replace the Actual Production History (APH) Plan 90 which provided protection only for yield losses.

“This change will give South Dakota producers the same coverage choices as dry pea producers in Montana and North Dakota,” according to Eric Bashore, Director of the Billings Regional Office serving Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming.

Approved Insurance Providers may automatically transition policyholders who insured dry peas in the 2018 crop year under the APH Plan 90 to the Yield Protection Plan 01 for the 2019 crop year. However, if a carry-over policyholder wishes to select revenue protection, or cancel Yield Protection coverage, the change must be made on a contract change form by the sales closing date of March 15, 2019 or must be canceled by the cancellation date (also March 15, 2019).

Policyholders insured under the APH Plan of insurance in the 2018 crop year who remain insured under the new Yield Protection Plan of insurance for the 2019 crop year will be considered carry-over policyholders and will not have a break in continuity for insurance coverage purposes.

The South Dakota counties eligible for the new revenue plan options were filed prior to the November 30 contract change date. Interested producers should contact a crop insurance agent for further information. Policy materials and a list of agents can be found on the Risk Management Agency website.

Crop insurance is sold and delivered solely through private crop insurance agents. Learn more about crop insurance and the modern farm safety net at www.rma.usda.gov.

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