VALDOSTA, Ga., Oct. 14, 2022 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is authorizing emergency procedures to better assist agricultural producers with crop insurance in Florida and South Carolina who were impacted by Hurricane Ian. USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) enabling crop insurance companies to accept later notices of loss and streamlining the loss adjustment process to expedite indemnity payments.

“Crop insurance and other USDA risk management options are there to help producers manage risk because we never know what nature has in store for the future. These program flexibilities allow impacted producers much-needed time to assess agricultural damages and losses while tending to the many competing priorities in their post-hurricane lives,” said Davina Lee, Director of RMA’s Valdosta Regional Office that covers Florida and South Carolina. “The crop insurance companies, loss adjusters and agents are experienced and well trained in handling these types of events.”

Specifically, RMA is authorizing insurance companies to:

• Accept delayed notices of loss because of destroyed communication infrastructure, inability to travel or return after evacuation.
• Use reported acres as determined acres.
• Waive appraisals in situations where the crop will not be harvested due to extensive hurricane damage.
• Settle claims prior to destruction of the crops when the edible portion of an insured crop has been exposed to floodwaters.

“Policyholders should contact their crop insurance agent as soon as possible any time crop damage is suspected that may adversely affect yield or crop value,” Lee said. “The crop insurance company will arrange for a loss adjuster to inspect the crop.”

More details are available in an Oct. 11 manager’s bulletin.

More Information

 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.

In addition to crop insurance, USDA offers a full suite of disaster assistance programs to help producers. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) offers technical and financial assistance programs to help farmers and livestock producers rebound from disaster. On farmers.gov, the Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool, Disaster-at-a-Glance fact sheet and Farm Loan Discovery Tool can help producers and landowners determine program or loan options that meet their specific needs. For FSA and NRCS programs, producers should contact their local USDA Service Center.

USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. Under 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 safe, 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 usda.gov.

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