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United States
Department of Agriculture

Risk Management Agency Fact Sheet

2018 Crop Year

Springfield Regional Office — Springfield,IL

March 2018

Blueberries

Michigan

Crop Insured

You can insure blueberries if:

  • They are grown on insurable acreage;
  • They are an insurable type; and
  • They have produced a minimum of 1,000 pounds per acre within the base period.
Counties Available
Blueberries are insurable in Allegan, Berrien, Muskegon, Ottawa, and Van Buren counties.
Causes of Loss

You are protected against the following:

  • Adverse weather;
  • Earthquake;
  • Failure of irrigation water supply;
  • Fire, unless you have not controlled weeds and other undergrowth or if you have not removed pruning debris from the area;
  • Insect damage and/or plant disease, unless you have insufficiently or improperly applied pest or disease control measures;
  • Insufficient number of chilling hours to break dormancy;
  • Volcanic eruption; or
  • Wildlife.
Insurance Period

For the first crop year, coverage begins the later of:

  • Twenty days after your application is received; or
  • November 21, 2017.

For carryover policies, coverage begins:

  • the day immediately following the end of the insurance period for the prior crop year.

Coverage ends at the earliest of:

  • Total destruction of the crop;
  • Harvest of the crop;
  • Final adjustment of a loss;
  • Abandonment of the crop; or
  • September 30, 2018.
Important Dates
  • Sales Closing Date ………… November 20, 2017
  • Cancellation Date ………… November 20, 2017
  • Acreage Report………… January 15, 2018
  • Production Report………… January 15, 2018
Reporting Requirements
You must report all of your blueberry acreage, production, and losses, when evident, to your insurance agent.
Coverage Levels and Premium Subsidies

Crop insurance premiums are subsidized as shown in the table below. For example, if you choose the 75 percent coverage level, the premium subsidy is 55 percent and your premium share is 45 percent of the base premium.

Item Percent
Coverage Level
 50 55 60 65 70 75
Premium Subsidy
 67 64 64 59 59 55
Your Premium Share
 33 36 36 41 41 45
Price Elections
A price election is the price you are paid per pound if you have a loss. This is based on the percentage of the established price you chose.
Production Guarantees
Your Production Guarantee is the approved yield per acre multiplied by the coverage level percentage you chose. Yields are based on actual production history (APH) records reported to your insurance agent.
Loss Example

Assume 65 percent coverage level, a 100 percent price election of $0.89, and an approved APH yield of 3,500 pounds per acre with 0.667 share.
3,500 Pound approved APH yield
0.65 Coverage level
2,275 Pound per acre guarantee
 $0.89 Price election
$2,024 Unit guarantee
$890 1,000lbs production x $0.89
1,134 Unit payment
0.667 Share
$757.00 Final payment
                                   
Where to Buy Crop Insurance
You can buy a crop insurance policy from approved participating insurance agents. A list of crop insurance agents is available at all USDA service centers and on the RMA website at Agent Locator

  Regional Office Visit

  • Brian Frieden, Director
    3500 Wabash Ave.
    Springfield, IL 62711-8287
  • Phone: 217-241-6600
  • Fax: 217-241-6618
  • Email: rsoil@usda.gov
This fact sheet gives only a general overview of the crop insurance program and is not a complete policy. For further information and an evaluation of your risk management needs, contact a crop insurance agent
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or a part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, complete, sign and mail a program discrimination complaint form, (available at any USDA office location or online at www.ascr.usda.gov), to: United States Department of Agriculture; Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights; 1400 Independence Ave., SW; Washington, DC 20250-9410. Or call toll free at (866) 632- 9992 (voice) to obtain additional information, the appropriate office or to request documents. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay service at (800) 877-8339 or (800) 845-6136.