USDA is revising its sugarbeet crop insurance policy to make the early harvest adjustment feature optional for producers.
The flexibility from USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) will begin with the 2024 crop year for most program areas.
The update is published in the Federal Register, and comes in “direct response to feedback” from sugarbeet growers, according to RMA Administrator Marcia Bunger.
“Having heard producers’ concerns and questions, we are now making the early harvest adjustment an optional feature of the policy, allowing producers to tailor their insurance to meet the unique risk management needs of their operations,” Bunger wrote in a statement.
In 2018, RMA responded to requests from producers to limit the effects on their Actual Production History (APH) databases caused by the need to harvest sugarbeets before they reach full maturity by making early harvest adjustments to the Sugarbeet Crop Provisions.
That revision was made because sugarbeets harvested early are smaller and have less sugar than beets harvested at full maturity, resulting in lower net pounds of raw sugar in the producer’s APH database for that crop year.
“This recent rule revision will now allow producers to opt-in to the early harvest adjustment,” RMA wrote.
“Producers will be required to select the option by the sales closing date. The producer will also choose which years from their APH database will include the adjusted early harvest yields.”
The sales closing date for the 2024 crop year is March 15, 2024.
Need More Information?
For additional information, producers should contact their crop insurance agent, including one of the following Michigan Farm Bureau Crop Insurance Specialists or multi-line agents for assistance:
Farm Bureau Crop Insurance Specialists
Ryan Fox, West, 269-313-5566
Marc Erffmeyer, Southwest, 269-569-1039
Marc Reinhardt, Bay-Thumb, 989-450-4851
Adam Reinhardt, Bay-Thumb Specialist, 989-553-2026
Nate Gust, Southeast, 517-605-1076
Brenda Szach, Northern, 989-329-7290
Matt Thelen, Central, 989-640-0570
Multi-line Agents
Brent Leininger, Hillsdale 517-437-7619
Marty Rudlaff, Berrien Springs 269-473-4791
Duane Simpkins, Gladwin 989-426-8131