DAVIS, Calif., Jan. 27, 2015 – The USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) reminds producers that the final dates to apply for crop insurance on most insurable spring-planted crops are fast approaching. Producers need to purchase, review, or modify their crop insurance policies before these sales closing dates have passed. Crop insurance provides protection against crop production losses due to natural perils such as drought, hail, and excessive moisture.

The last day to buy or change a policy for apples, cherries, fresh apricots, fresh freestone peaches, fresh market tomatoes, fresh nectarines, grapes, olives, pears, pecans, plums, processing apricots, processing cling peaches, processing freestone peaches, prunes, table grapes, processing tomatoes, and walnuts in all eligible California counties is January 31, 2015. This is also the last date to purchase or modify coverage for spring-planted potatoes San Joaquin County.

The last day to buy or change a policy for onions in Modoc and Siskiyou counties is February 1, 2015.  

The last day to buy or change a policy for corn, cotton, extra long staple cotton, dry beans, figs, grain sorghum, rice, and wild rice in all eligible California counties is February 28, 2015.

The last day to buy or change a policy for barley in Lassen, Modoc, Shasta, and Siskiyou counties, mint, oats in Lassen, Modoc, Shasta and Siskiyou counties, potatoes in Modoc and Siskiyou counties, and wheat (spring) in Lassen, Modoc, Shasta, and Siskiyou counties is March 15, 2015.

Crop insurance is sold and delivered solely through private crop insurance agents. A list of crop insurance agents is available at all USDA Service Centers and online at the RMA Agent Locator. Producers can use the RMA Cost Estimator to get a premium amount estimate of their insurance needs online.