USDA Crop Insurance Provision Being Implemented

Jul 31, 2014

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently provided an update on the process of implementing certain provisions outlined in the 2014 Farm Bill that aim to strengthen and expand insurance coverage options for American growers.

For example, the Supplemental Coverage Option, also known as SCO, which is available through the new federal crop insurance program, is set to start at the beginning of the 2015 crop year. SCO helps protect farmers from potential yield losses and price volatility.

"It's critical that they have crop insurance options to effectively manage risks and ensure that they do not lose everything due to events beyond their control. Following the 2014 Farm Bill signing, the USDA has made it a priority to ensure the Supplemental Coverage Option was available to help farmers in this upcoming crop year,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a release.

The SCO program is open to farmers who grow corn, cotton, rice, soybeans, barley and wheat. Growers who are considering this option should investigate whether or not their location (county) is on the list for eligibility for the program. According to the Risk Management Agency that administers the program, there are plans to make the program more accessible by adding more counties and crops on its eligibility list.

Farmers who cannot find their counties and or crops listed under the SCO program, are asked to wait until those details are made available by the USDA later this summer. Participating growers are also encouraged to become familiar with the new crop insurance options before locking in with a particular program.

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.