This week USDA announced that farmers who have coverage under most crop insurance policies are eligible for a premium benefit, if they planted cover crops during this crop year. The Pandemic Cover Crop Program (PCCP), offered by USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA), provides premium support of $5 per acre, but no more than the full premium owed.
Qualifying cover crops include all that are reportable to FSA, including cereals and other grasses, legumes, brassicas and other non-legume broadleaves, and mixtures of two or more cover crop species planted at the same time.
Farmers must report acreage to FSA by June 15 to qualify for PCCP and must match what was reported to their crop insurance company.
For more details on this program, visit USDA’s Pandemic Cover Crop Program page.