The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced plans to reduce the economic risk of raising two crops on the same land in one year. Citing “continuing challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic, supply chain disruptions, and the invasion of Ukraine by Russia,” USDA in a statement said it aims to support farmers as they work to stabilize food prices and better feed populations both domestically and abroad.
USDA’s Risk Management Agency is expanding double crop insurance opportunities in over 1,500 counties where double cropping is an option, a move the American Soybean Association supports and for which it thanks the administration. ASA has urged RMA to adjust the geographic line northward for producers to be eligible to insure double cropped soybeans.
ASA President Brad Doyle of Arkansas said, “This announcement provides farmers greater access to crop insurance, an important risk management tool. We are pleased USDA is moving forward with next steps to expand availability for the 2023 crop year after receiving input directly from farmers and throughout our soy states.”
The latest double-crop announcement is in follow-up to a broader set of commitments made earlier this year by the administration to increase domestic food production amid potential global food shortages related to the invasion of Ukraine.
For soybeans, double crop coverage will be expanded to or streamlined in at least 681 counties, including all that were initially targeted for review. While some additional counties were permanently added to be double crop counties, USDA in its release stated a majority of expansion removed barriers such as requiring production records and streamlined the process to get personalized coverage through a written agreement.
USDA stated it may add additional counties as it explores additional options with farmers this summer.
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