FEDERAL CROP 

INSURANCE

Specialty Crops

Tara Ponds

Specialty Crops Coordinator
About the

Risk Management 

Agency

 RMA strives to provide a safety net for farmers 

and ranchers through the Federal crop 

insurance program.

 RMA is working to extend the Federal safety net 

to new farmers and ranchers.

 RMA has appreciated industry input and 

encourages additional engagement.

2
Overall Program Growth

0

100

200

300

400

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

198919911993199519971999200120032005200720092011201320152017

Acres (Millions)

Liability (Billions)

Growth in Liability and Acres Insured

Liability Acres
0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

22

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Liability ($Billion)

Program Growth for Specialty Crops

Fruits/Nuts/Trees Nursery Vegetables AGR / WFRP
• Whole Farm Revenue Protection

• Available nationwide

• Targeted to farms with specialty or organic commodities (crops and livestock), or those marketing 

to local, regional, farm-identity preserved, specialty, or direct markets

• Covers all revenue from all commodities on the farm

• To be eligible, you must have 5 years of filed IRS Schedule F tax forms for your operation

• Loss occurs when revenue from your crop is less than your insured revenue

• Hurricane Insurance Protection – Wind Index

• Endorsement that attaches to underlying crop policy

• Provides coverage for over 70 crops, including specialty crops

• Available in states and counties located in the vicinity of the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean

• Covers a portion of the deductible, up to 95 percent of the expected crop value, of the underlying 

crop insurance policy when the county, or adjacent county, is within the area of sustained 

hurricane-force winds

• Indemnity is due when the county loss trigger is identified for the insured county or adjacent county

• 7 hurricane events triggered payment under endorsement

• Production and Revenue History plan

• Targeted to specialty crops

• Offers yield and revenue protection

• Insurance guarantee is based on the producer’s personal production and revenue history

• First offered for strawberries in Florida, but RMA plans to expand to additional crops/areas, as 

appropriate

Broad-Based Products
Crop-Specific Products

 Hemp

 2020 crop year and available in 25 states

 Covers against loss of yield for hemp grown for fiber, grain or cannabidiol oi

 Hybrid Vegetable Seed

 Available 2020 crop year in Oregon and Washington counties

 Insures hybrid carrot seed 

 Apple Tree

 Available 2021 crop year in ID, MI, NY, OR, PA, and WA

 Covers replacement of the dead or destroyed trees

 California Citrus Tree

 2021 crop year 

 Covers grapefruit, lemons, mandarins, oranges, tangelos, tangerines, and any other citrus trees 

designated in the actuarial documents

 Nursery Value Select

 2021 crop year in 9 states

 More customizable to nursery producers’ specific insurance needs with less paperwork and fewer 

restrictions than nursery program

 APH Florida Citrus

 2022 crop year 

 More comprehensive coverage and simpler loss adjustment process
Specialty Crop Liaisons
TARA PONDS

USDA/RMA

SPECIALTY CROPS COORDINATOR

tara.ponds@usda.gov

816-823-4693

Thank you