Crop Insurance Benefits for Vegetable Producers Under New SRA

While the new Standard Reinsurance Agreement (SRA) for federal crop insurance programs has been controversial, vegetable growers may find more benefits and options available under the new SRA, according to Growing Produce.  For more information on the new SRA, click here and here to read past US Ag&Food Law and Policy blog posts on the topic.

Tom Sell, with the Crop Insurance Professionals Association (CIPA), said that "crop insurance availability to vegetable growers has grown within the last 10 years, and in part, the design of the new SRA is to move money from large, profitable row crops to less served areas of agriculture, such as vegetables."  Some have raised concerns about the unavailability of catastrophic insurance policies, but Sell says that the new SRA offers new options.

Sell also mentioned that the new "combination crop insurance policy and land identification program" will require "new training and extensive new requirements for agents and growers."  The plan will increase efficiency in 4-5 years, but it will cause producers to incur more cost and paperwork in the short-term.

To read the Growing Produce story, click here.

Posted: 08/12/2010