OKLAHOMA CITY, OK, September 1, 2021 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is enhancing crop insurance for grapes, expanding contract price eligibility, and clarifying calculations for contract pricing for grape crops beginning in crop year 2022. USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) will also extend the acreage reporting date for grapes from January 15 to May 15 to allow producers additional time to finalize their contracts.

“We are excited to give grape producers enhancements they have been asking for,” said RMA Acting Administrator Richard Flournoy. “We work diligently to ensure crop insurance works well for all producers, including growers of specialty crops like grapes.”

Specific changes include:

• Expanding contract price eligibility to grape growers with both contracted and non-contracted acres through a weighted average contract price.
• Clarifying how to calculate contract pricing when the contract is written in dollars per acre rather than dollars per ton, including calculations for using a weighted average price based on the approved yield for the contracted acres.
• Extending the acreage reporting date in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington from January 15 to May 15 due to contract finalization dates in those states.

The grape program’s producers purchased more than 5,000 policies to protect nearly $1.75 billion in liabilities in 2020.

More Information

The number of agricultural producers who purchase crop insurance for their specialty and organic crops continues to climb, which USDA attributes to its work with producers and agricultural groups in recent years to create new crop insurance options, to expand and improve current options like grape insurance. Learn more in our August 26, 2021 news release.

RMA staff are working with crop insurance companies and other customers to support crop insurance coverage for producers. Farmers with crop insurance questions or needs should contact their insurance agents about conducting business remotely (by telephone or email). More information can be found at farmers.gov/coronavirus.

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. Learn more about crop insurance and the modern farm safety net at rma.usda.gov.

USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov. 

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