Risk Management Agency Program Announcement

USDA ANNOUNCES PILOT STRAWBERRY CROP INSURANCE PLAN, ENHANCED FLORIDA FRUIT TREE PROTECTION

Contact: Eric Edgington (202) 690-2539
Eric.Edgington@rma.usda.gov

WASHINGTON, Jun 17, 1999 - Risk Management Agency (RMA) Administrator, Ken Ackerman, announced today the development of a new strawberry insurance plan and an increase in benefits for growers using the Florida fruit tree policy.

"The strawberry pilot program will provide farmers with protection based on pre-harvest production cost schedules developed by the Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service," said Ackerman. "This is the first time that crop insurance will be available on this important crop. This approach simplifies the insurance process for farmers by eliminating the need to keep production records. Further, to make sure that all growers have equal access to the program, policies will also be translated into Spanish and Hmong."

The sales closing date for strawberry protection is September 30, 1999. Where acreage has already been planted, a crop inspection will be required before coverage begins. The program will be available in:

• California: Fresno, Merced, Santa Barbara, and Ventura
• Florida: Hillsborough and Manatee
• Louisiana: Livingston and Tangipahoa
• North Carolina: Brunswick, Buncombe, Columbus, Cumberland, Duplin, Guilford, Haywood, Henderson, Johnston, New Hanover, Pender, Robeson, and Wake

The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) will also enhance the pilot Florida fruit tree policy by insuring against losses due to Asiatic Canker, if sufficient disease control measures are used. Growers will be allowed to divide their citrus acreage into smaller "units" that may be more representative of how they farm.

RMA also announced tentative plans to expand the availability of the Florida fruit tree pilot should Congress pass USDA proposed legislation prior to the November 15, 1999, sales closing date. Producers would then be eligible for fruit tree coverage in the following counties: Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Citrus, Collier, DeSoto, Glades, Hardee, Hernando, Hendry, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lake, Lee, Manatee, Marion, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Pasco, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Lucie, and Volusia counties. The program is currently available in five counties--Dade, Highlands, Martin, Palm Beach, and Polk--where, in 1998, the program insured approximately 16 million trees through 1,415 policies.