USDA’s Risk Management Agency announced a new crop insurance option for hemp growers in select counties of 21 states beginning in 2020. The pilot insurance program will provide Actual Production History coverage under 508(h) Multi-Peril Crop Insurance (MPCI) for eligible producers in certain counties in Alabama, California, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
The coverage is for hemp grown fiber, grain, or CBD oil for the 2020 crop year. The coverage is in addition to the Whole-Farm Revenue Protection coverage made available to hemp growers.
RMA Administrator, Martin Barbre told AgDaily, “We are excited to offer coverage to certain hemp producers in this pilot program. Since this is a pilot program, we look forward to feedback from producers on the program in the coming crop year.”
To be eligible for the program a hemp grower must comply with applicable state, tribal. or federal regulations for hemp production, have at least one year of history producing the crop and have a contract for the sale of the insured hemp among other qualifications. The provisions of the insurance also note that hemp having above the federal statutory compliance level of THC will not constitute as insurable cause of loss.
More information on the pilot program will be made available in 2020.
For more information, visit rma.usda.gov
