RMA Adds Flexibility for Sugar Beet Crop Insurance

Dec 02, 2022

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Risk Management Agency (RMA) is adding flexibility to the Sugar Beet Crop Provisions with new options for the 2023 and succeeding crop years. These new options are effective in most states as of November 28, 2022 and published in the Federal Register.

“In response to feedback from the American Sugar Beet Growers Association (ASGA), with the issuance of a final rule RMA is making changes to the Sugar Beet Crop Provisions for the 2023 crop year,” said Billings Regional Office Director Eric Bashore. “These changes will give sugar beet producers better options for determining their preferred level of crop insurance coverage and help manage the cost of insurance.”

The new options give farmers the opportunity to include stage guarantees in their policy if they prefer lower coverage for a reduced premium or incorporate a stage guarantee removal option in their policy if they wish to maintain or increase their coverage from last year.

These changes for sugar beets will impact producers in California (except in Imperial County where the changes will be effective for the 2024 crop year), Colorado, Idaho, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming.

Producers should ask their crop insurance agent for further details on the new options.

Source : usda.gov

Video: Residue Management

Residue Management conservation practice manages the amount, orientation, and distribution of crop and other plant residue on the soil surface year-round while limiting soil-disturbing activities used to grow and harvest crops in systems where the field surface is tilled prior to planting. This video explores how Ryan McKenzie implemented this conservation practice on his farm in Samson, Alabama.

Practice benefits:

• Increases organic matter

• Improves air quality

• Decreases energy costs

• Reduces erosion

• Improves soil health

The Conservation at Work video series was created to increase producer awareness of common conservation practices and was filmed at various locations throughout the country. Because conservation plans are specific to the unique resource needs on each farm and also soil type, weather conditions, etc., these videos were designed to serve as a general guide to the benefits of soil and water conservation and landowners should contact their local USDA office for individual consultation.