LYONS, Neb. – The Center for Rural Affairs is lauding updates to two crop insurance programs recently announced by the USDA.

The changes were made by the USDA's Risk Management Agency to its Whole Farm Revenue Protection program and its Micro Farm plan.

The Center Rural Affairs called both updates "a win for producers across the country," in a press release issued Tuesday.

“Managing risk is an essential part of a successful agricultural operation, no matter its size,” said Kate Hansen, policy associate with the Center for Rural Affairs. “We commend the Risk Management Agency for making these changes.”

WFRP is a crop insurance program that insures the entire revenue of an operation, rather than basing coverage on yields. Beginning in 2023, producers will now be able to insure up to $17 million in revenue with WFRP, compared to $8.5 million previously.

Other changes include eliminating expense reporting and allowing a producer to report and self-certify yields. 

Micro Farm, a subprogram of WFRP, is designed for small operations. Beginning in 2023, operations with up to $350,000 in approved revenue will be eligible for the program. The previous limit was $100,000. 

“The $100,000 cap was not consistent with what a small operation looks like today,” Hansen said. “More than tripling the allowed revenue will do a great deal to improve access to this important risk management program.” 

Coverage for both WFRP and Micro Farm follows a yearly timeline, corresponding with events of the growing season. If a producer files their taxes by the calendar year, the insurance period is the calendar year. If they file by the fiscal year, the insurance period is the fiscal year.