USDA Reminds Hawaii Producers of Pasture, Rangeland, and Forage Crop Insurance Sales Closing Date

Sep 10, 2024

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reminds producers in Hawaii that the sales closing date to purchase Pasture, Rangeland, and Forage (PRF) rainfall index insurance is Dec. 1, 2024, for the 2025 crop year. The PRF program protects livestock producers against feed loss due to lack of precipitation, providing producers on the Big Island of Hawaii with coverage for grazing acres. This expansion was announced earlier this year and is part of USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) efforts to increase and enhance insurance options in Hawaii. Policy documents are now available for the PRF Hawaii program on the RMA website.

“Producers in Hawaii now have the option to purchase coverage to protect their operation against feed losses due to a lack of precipitation,” said RMA Administrator Marcia Bunger. “The Risk Management Agency is proud to offer this program that is tailored to the unique needs of our producers in Hawaii.”

PRF is designed to provide insurance coverage on perennial forage acres. The program uses a rainfall index to determine precipitation for coverage purposes and does not measure production or product loss.

The PRF Hawaii program will use Hawaii Climate Data Portal information and will utilize a five-kilometer by five-kilometer grid. The program will also use a new county base value methodology due to minimal hay production on the island and limited data on grazing lease rates of the Hawaiian cattle industry.

Pasture, rangeland, and forage covers approximately 55% of U.S. land. Forage grows differently in various areas, so farmers and ranchers need to know which types and techniques work best in their region. The program helps protect a producer’s operation from forage loss risks due to the lack of precipitation. It does not insure against ongoing or severe drought, as the coverage is based on expected precipitation during specific intervals.

Similar to PRF in the contiguous 48 states, producers on Hawaii’s Big Island must select at least two and up to six intervals to insure their acres.

To find additional information about the policy, including policy documents, a PRF decision tool, and fact sheet, please visit the PRF-Hawaii webpage.

Source : usda.gov

Video: A chain harrow is a game changer

Utilizing a rotational grazing method on our farmstead with our sheep helps to let the pasture/paddocks rest. We also just invested in a chain harrow to allow us to drag the paddocks our sheep just left to break up and spread their manure around, dethatch thicker grass areas, and to rough up bare dirt areas to all for a better seed to soil contact if we overseed that paddock. This was our first time really using the chain harrow besides initially testing it out. We are very impressed with the work it did and how and area that was majority dirt, could be roughed up before reseeding.

Did you know we also operate a small business on the homestead. We make homemade, handcrafted soaps, shampoo bars, hair and beard products in addition to offering our pasture raised pork, lamb, and 100% raw honey. You can find out more about our products and ingredients by visiting our website at www.mimiandpoppysplace.com. There you can shop our products and sign up for our monthly newsletter that highlights a soap or ingredient, gives monthly updates about the homestead, and also lists the markets, festivals, and events we’ll be attending that month.