Jane Dotson
Crop insurance reporting is a critical aspect of risk management for farmers and ranchers, and it has become increasingly flexible and accessible. The process involves meeting specific requirements, such as providing production records and complying with acreage reporting. The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) and the Risk Management Agency (RMA) under the USDA play pivotal roles in streamlining the process. They offer various programs and flexibility in reporting, such as allowing producers to use their own records and providing alternative reporting options. Additionally, crop insurance agents are available to assist with reporting needs, and deadlines vary based on crop types and regions. This evolving system ensures that farmers can effectively manage risks and access support in the face of challenges and natural disasters.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Who | Specialty crop producers, farmers, and ranchers |
| What | Crop insurance reporting requirements |
| Where | USDA Service Centers, online at the RMA Agent Locator, and on the farmers.gov website |
| When | Reporting deadlines vary by crop and region, with major deadlines on July 15 and December 15 |
| Why | To streamline processes and requirements for farmers and ranchers, and to make insurance more accessible |
| How | By allowing producers to use their own records and providing alternative reporting options |
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What You'll Learn
How to report crops planted
To report crops planted as part of crop insurance reporting, there are several key steps and deadlines to keep in mind. Firstly, it is important to understand that the deadlines to file crop acreage reports vary by crop and by state and county. Therefore, it is essential to check with your local USDA Service Center to obtain accurate information on reporting deadlines and requirements specific to your location.
The next step is to accurately report the number of acres of each insured crop that has been planted. This must be done within three days of abandoning the intention to plant, and the number of acres planted after the final planting date must be reported for each day. All acres of an insurable crop in which the producer has an interest must be reported, regardless of whether they are actually insured or not. This includes failed acreage and prevented planted acreage.
Additionally, producers must generally certify acreage reports after each planting, as some crops have multiple plantings, and each planting must be reported. However, some crops are eligible for continuous certification, which means that once a crop is reported, the certification remains in effect. It is worth noting that specialty crop producers can now use their own records to meet crop insurance reporting requirements, thanks to revisions made by the USDA.
To facilitate the reporting process, producers can utilise digital tools to view, print, and export farm/tract maps, which can then be provided to relevant parties, including lenders, chemical or fertilizer providers, and the FSA. These maps can include planting boundaries with calculated acreage and crop information. Furthermore, acreage reports using precision agriculture planting boundaries can be filed electronically with an approved insurance provider or an authorized third-party provider, who will then share the file with the FSA staff.
Finally, it is important to be mindful of other relevant dates and deadlines, such as billing dates, the end of the insurance period, the date to file notice of crop damage, cancellation dates, and production reporting dates. These dates can vary based on the crop and location, so consulting with your local USDA Service Center and insurance agent is crucial to ensure timely and accurate reporting.
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Reporting natural disaster losses
If you are a producer who purchases federal crop insurance and your crop is impacted by a natural disaster, there are steps you can take to ensure your claim is processed efficiently and accurately. Firstly, review your policy annually for any changes or updates, as the policy contains important information such as eligible causes of loss, key dates, and your duties in the event of loss. Verify the information in your Summary of Coverage, which includes specific details such as the amount of insurance you selected and the number of acres insured. Ensure your farm records, including production records, are in order and easily accessible. It is also important to have the contact information for your crop insurance agent and crop insurance company/approved insurance provider (AIP).
In the event of crop damage due to a natural disaster, contact your crop insurance agent to file a Notice of Loss. Report the damage within 72 hours of discovery and follow up with a written report within 15 days. If you intend to replant your crop, switch to another crop, or destroy the crop, inform your AIP immediately. They must inspect the crop and release the acres before you take any action. If your crop sustains further damage from a subsequent loss event, report this additional damage to your crop insurance agent within 72 hours of discovery.
For crops that are not insured under the federal crop insurance program, the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) provides financial assistance in the event of low yields, loss of inventory, or prevented planting due to natural disasters. NAP is administered by the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) and offers coverage for crops grown for food, feed, fiber, seed, biofuels, and bio-based products. To receive NAP benefits, producers must fill out Form CCC-576 "Notice of Loss and Application for Payment" within 60 days of the end of the coverage period for the particular NAP-covered crop.
In addition to the federal crop insurance program and NAP, other forms of disaster assistance include the Tree Assistance Program (TAP), the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP), the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP), and the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP). These programs provide financial assistance to offset costs associated with natural disasters, such as replanting eligible trees, bushes, and vines damaged by disasters, and livestock deaths above normal mortality rates.
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Using your own records
The USDA's Risk Management Agency (RMA) has announced greater flexibility for crop insurance reporting, allowing specialty crop producers to use their own records to meet crop insurance reporting requirements. This is a significant change from previous requirements, where the RMA generally asked for disinterested third-party records and Approved Insurance Providers (AIP) may have needed to conduct pre-harvest appraisals.
If you are a specialty crop producer, you can now use your own records for crop insurance reporting. This means that you can self-identify if you do not have third-party records and instead use your supporting production records. This is especially beneficial for direct marketers and vertically integrated producers, who often lack the necessary third-party documentation.
- Keep detailed and organised records: This includes recording planting dates, spray records, receipts, yield maps, acreage information, field locations, and yield estimates. You can use tools like FarmLogs to easily export a PDF of your fields, crop types, and acres.
- Utilise technology: Take advantage of satellite imagery, scouting with geotagged notes and photos, and automatic recording of rainfall amounts, wind speed, and equipment activity. These can provide valuable evidence when filing insurance claims.
- Notify your insurance provider promptly: In case of crop damage, document the damage and contact your insurance agent within 72 hours. Follow up with a letter and keep a copy for your records.
- Leave damaged crops untouched: It is important to wait for the adjuster to visit your farm and assess the crop damage before making any changes or replanting.
- Prepare your documents in advance: Before the adjuster's visit, gather all the necessary documents, including acreage reports, field locations of damaged crops, proven yield estimates, photos of the damage, and weather data.
- Comply with conservation requirements: To be eligible for USDA programs and crop insurance, ensure you meet conservation compliance by having the Highly Erodible Land Conservation and Wetland Conservation Certification (AD-1026) on file.
- Submit acreage reports: File timely and accurate acreage reports for all crops, locations, and land uses to remain eligible for USDA program benefits. You can submit these reports electronically or through your local USDA Service Center.
- Stay informed: Keep up to date with any changes or updates to crop insurance reporting requirements by visiting the RMA website and staying connected with your local USDA Service Center.
By following these steps and utilising your own records effectively, you can streamline the crop insurance reporting process and ensure you are prepared in case of any issues or disputes.
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Meeting conservation compliance
Conservation Compliance is a set of requirements that link eligibility for farm program benefits to soil and wetland conservation. The 2014 Farm Bill, also known as the Agriculture Act of 2014, links crop insurance premium assistance with compliance to wetlands and highly erodible lands conservation provisions.
To meet Conservation Compliance, an agricultural commodity is defined as a crop planted and produced by annual tilling of the soil, including tilling by one-trip planters, or sugarcane. Vegetable crops that are annually tilled are also considered agricultural commodities.
The Highly Erodible Land Conservation (HELC) provisions require persons seeking certain USDA benefits to use a Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)-approved conservation plan if they plant annually tilled crops or sugarcane on fields determined to be highly erodible.
The Wetland Conservation (WC) provisions make producers ineligible for certain USDA benefits if they produce an annually tilled crop or sugarcane or make such production possible on a converted wetland.
Violations of HELC or WC provisions on any acreage will result in ineligibility for premium subsidy for all crop insurance policies under the federal crop insurance program, unless an exemption is met. Producers may remain eligible for federal crop insurance premium subsidies if they are taking the required steps to remedy a violation within certain timeframes.
To certify compliance, the 2014 Farm Bill requires those seeking crop insurance premium subsidies to certify to the USDA that they are in compliance. This can be done using form AD-1026.
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Important crop insurance deadlines
When it comes to crop insurance, there are several important deadlines that farmers need to be aware of to effectively manage their coverage. These deadlines vary depending on the crop and the region, so it's essential to check the specific dates applicable to your location and the type of crop you're dealing with. Here are some key crop insurance deadlines to keep in mind:
Sales Closing Date (SCD)
The Sales Closing Date is the deadline to apply for crop insurance coverage, make changes to your existing coverage, or take out a new policy for the upcoming crop year. This date varies by crop and state. For crops planted in the fall, such as winter wheat and oats, the SCD is typically September 30. For spring-planted crops like corn and soybeans, the SCD is generally March 15. Specialty crops like fruits, nuts, and vegetables have different SCDs depending on the state or county.
Acreage Reporting Date (ARD)
The Acreage Reporting Date is when producers must report the number of acres of each insured crop they have planted. This includes acres not yet planted as of the final planting date. For fall-planted crops, the ARD is usually December 15, while for spring-planted crops, it's July 15.
Premium Billing Date
The Premium Billing Date is when you will be billed for your crop insurance premiums. This date can vary, but for many specialty crops, it falls on August 15.
End of Insurance Period
The end of the insurance period is the date when the farmer's production or revenue guarantee on the crop ends. This date is determined by the earliest of the following: the date the crop is harvested, abandoned, or destroyed; the date the final adjustment on losses is made; or a specified calendar date for each crop. After this date, any production or quality losses must be reported within 72 hours of discovery but no later than 15 days.
Production Reporting Date
The Production Reporting Date is when you must submit your crop production records to recalculate the actual production history (APH) yield. This date is typically 45 days after the policy cancellation date or the acreage reporting date for the following year, whichever comes first.
To ensure you don't miss any important deadlines, it's recommended to mark your calendar and consult with your local crop insurance specialist or agent for specific dates and requirements applicable to your situation.
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Frequently asked questions
To fill out crop insurance reporting, you must meet conservation compliance, which is done by having a Highly Erodible Land Conservation and Wetland Conservation Certification (AD-1026) on file. You will also need to report crops planted through your Approved Insurance Provider.
Deadlines to file crop insurance reports vary by crop and by state and county. For crops planted in the fall, the sales closing date (SCD) is generally September 30, with an acreage reporting date (ARD) of December 15. For crops planted in the spring, the SCD is generally March 15, with an ARD of July 15.
You can fill out the Average Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) Certification and Consent to Disclosure of Tax Information (CCC-941) form. You will also need to fill out the Report of Acreage (FSA-578) form for both spring- and fall-seeded crops.
RMA procedures outline criteria that would allow the producer to request an appraisal to supplement their records. Producers who direct market their crop may request a pre-harvest appraisal to use in conjunction with their acceptable production records.
