1.  
United States
Department of Agriculture

Risk Management Agency Fact Sheet

2018 Crop Year

Spokane Regional Office — Spokane,WA

September 2017

Blueberries

Oregon,  Washington

Crop Insured

Blueberries are insurable if:

  • They are the Highbush or Rabbiteye types (irrigated and non-irrigated); and
  • They have produced an average of 4,000 pounds per acre in either of the two most recent crop years.

We may require a field inspection to determine insurability. To insure any acreage that does not meet the minimum yield requirement, you may request a determined yield analysis from your regional office.

Counties Available

Oregon - Benton, Clackamas, Columbia, Linn, Marion, Morrow, Washington, and Yamhill counties.

Washington - Benton, Clark, Cowlitz, Franklin, Grant, Lewis, Pierce, Skagit, Snohomish, Thurston, Walla Walla, Whatcom, and Yakima counties.

Coverage may be available by written agreement if certain criteria are met. Submit requests to your crop insurance agent.

Causes of Loss

You are protected against the following:

  • Adverse weather conditions;
  • Earthquake;
  • Failure of the irrigation water supply, if caused by an insured cause of loss that occurs during the insurance period;
  • Fire;
  • Insects, but not damage due to insufficient or improper application of control measures;
  • Insufficient chilling hours;
  • Plant disease, but not damage due to insufficient or improper application of control measures;
  • Volcanic eruption; or
  • Wildlife.

Losses are not covered if due to:

  • Failure to install and maintain proper drainage;
  • Failure to harvest timely;
  • Inability to market the fruit for any reason other than physical damage from a covered cause of loss; or
  • Mechanical damage.
Insurance Period

Coverage begins on November 21, and ends with the earliest occurrence of one of the following:

  • Total destruction of the crop;
  • Harvest of the crop;
  • Final adjustment of a loss;
  • Abandonment of the crop;
  • September 15 for the early to late Highbush type; or
  • October 15 for the very late Highbush and Rabbiteye types.
Important Dates
  • Sales Closing …………November 20, 2017
  • Production Reporting…………January 15, 2018
  • Acreage Report …………January 15, 2018
Reporting Requirements
Acreage Report - You must report timely to your insurance company all acreage of the insured crop in the county in which you have a share.
Production Guarantees
Your crop yields are based on actual production records you report to your crop insurance agent and/or your insurance company. There is also an optional adjustment of low yields in your actual production history available.
Coverage Levels and Premium Subsidies

Crop insurance premiums are subsidized, as shown in the table below. For example, if you chose the 65 percent coverage level, your premium share would be 41 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
Guarantee Options
You can choose 50 to 75 percent of your approved average yield (5 percent increments) in all counties where crop insurance is available.
Catastrophic Coverage
Catastrophic Risk Protection (CAT) coverage is available at the 50 percent coverage level and 55 percent of maximum price election. See your crop insurance agent for more information.
Administrative Fees

CAT Coverage $300 per crop per county.

Additional Coverage $30 per crop per county.

Loss Example

Assume an average yield of 5,000 pounds per acre, 50 percent coverage level, and an irrigated practice.
5,000 Pounds per acre average yield
0.50 Coverage level percentage
 2,500 Pounds per acre guarantee
1,000 Pounds per acre actually produced
1,500 Pounds per acre loss
0.88 Price election
$1,320 Indemnity per acre (less insurance premium due)
                           
Where to Buy Crop Insurance
All insurance policies, including CAT policies, are available from private crop insurance agents. A list of crop insurance agents is available at any USDA service center or on the RMA website.

  Regional Office Visit

  • 11707 E Sprague Ave
    Suite 304
    Spokane, WA 99206-6125
  • Phone: 509-228-6320
  • Fax: 509-228-6320
  • Email: rsowa@rma.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.