SPRINGFIELD, Ill. Oct. 27, 2016 ― USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) reminds livestock producers in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio the final date to apply for insurance coverage on pasture, rangeland, or forage acres for 2017 is November 15. The Rainfall Index Pasture, Rangeland, Forage (PRF) pilot program provides coverage to protect livestock operations from the risks of forage losses on acreage being grazed or harvested for hay. Current policyholders who want to make a change to an existing policy can do so until the November 15, 2016, sales closing date.

PRF is an area-based plan of insurance that uses a rainfall index to determine losses and trigger indemnities. It is important for ranchers and farmers to understand that payments are not based on individual rain gauges on their farm or a single weather station. Online tools are available to assist producers to determine how well the program correlated with their past forage production on the RMA PRF webpage.

RMA Springfield Regional Office Director Brian Frieden urges producers to contact a crop insurance agent for details. Crop insurance is sold and delivered solely through private crop insurance agents.

More information about the program is available on the PRF webpage. A list of insurance agents is available at all USDA Service Centers and online at the RMA agent locator. Producers can also use the RMA cost estimator to get a premium amount estimate of their insurance needs online. Learn more about crop insurance and the modern farm safety net at the RMA website.