April 30, 2026 Contract Change Date: Key Updates to HIP-WI, Rainfall Index and Livestock Insurance Programs for 2027 Crop Year
The USDA Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) and Risk Management Agency (RMA) have announced a series of updates tied to the April 30, 2026 Contract Change Date, impacting multiple federal crop insurance programs for the 2027 and succeeding crop years. These changes affect Hurricane Insurance Protection – Wind Index (HIP-WI), Rainfall Index (RI) and Annual Forage (AF) provisions, along with Livestock Risk Protection (LRP), Livestock Gross Margin (LGM) and Dairy Revenue Protection (DRP). The updates focus on improving program flexibility, aligning definitions and compliance requirements, and ensuring consistency across policies and endorsements. Agents and policyholders should review these changes closely to understand how coverage options, eligibility and program interactions with their operation may be affected.
Hurricane Insurance Protection-Wind Index (HIP-WI) Changes
The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) amended the HIP-WI Endorsement for 2027 and succeeding crop years in all counties with an April 30, 2026, contract change date, or later. Some of the changes include the following:
- References to the Supplemental Coverage Option (SCO) and the Stacked Income Protection Plan were removed, where applicable, to ensure consistent application of the Endorsement. This change allows HIP-WI to be combined with any FCIC reinsured endorsements, policies, or options that provide additional coverage for part of the underlying policy deductible, as long as that coverage does not duplicate HIP-WI.
- The definition of “National Centers for Environmental Information (NOAA NCEI)” was added, and the definition of “NOAA Climate Prediction Center (NOAA CPC)” was removed to reflect the FCIC Board of Directors’ approval to change the rainfall data source from NOAA CPC to NOAA NCEI.
- Removed the reference to the SCO due to changes in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025, allowing SCO and Agriculture Risk Coverage on the same acreage.
- Written agreements are allowable in counties where the Endorsement is available for any crop, as identified in the actuarial documents.
To review PM-26-023 in full, please access the following hyperlink: Hurricane Insurance Protection — Wind Index (HIP-WI) Endorsement.
Rainfall Index – Annual Forage Crop Provisions and Rainfall Index Plan Common Policy, Basic Provisions Changes
The Risk Management Agency (RMA) revised the Rainfall Index (RI) Plan Common Policy, Basic Provisions and the Annual Forage (AF) Crop Provisions for 2027 and succeeding crop years for all crops with a contract change date on or after April 30, 2026. The changes include the following.
AF Crop Provisions:
- Clarified that lease or lease certification forms and related documents must be provided if requested during an official review or audit but are not required to be signed and submitted by the acreage reporting date.
RI Basic Provisions:
- Added definitions for “cancellation,” “FAA,” and “termination.”
- Clarified the definition of “cancellation date” to add voidance as a reason that a policy would not automatically continue for a subsequent year.
- Revised the definition of “beginning farmer or rancher” to match the wording in the Common Crop Insurance Policy, Basic Provisions,
- Aligned dispute resolution provisions with Removal of Regulatory Overreach and Federal Crop Insurance Policy Provisions (91 FR 16151) and corrected the deadline for filing for judicial review to align with the Federal Arbitration Act.
RI Handbook
Added an Annual Forage procedure specifying that lease or lease certification forms and related documents must be provided upon request during an official review or audit but are not required to be signed and submitted by the acreage reporting date.
Livestock Risk Protection, Livestock Gross Margin, and Dairy Revenue Protection Modifications
Per Product Management Bulletin: PM-26-024, the following revisions have been made to the LRP, LGM and DRP plans of insurance under section 508(h) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act application for the 2027 and succeeding crop years.
Uniform change across LRP, LGM and DRP:
- Added clarification regarding subsidy capture to address off-exchange contracts.
- Revised the definition of beginning farmer or rancher and updated the subsidy percentages to conform.
- Concurrent coverage between similar livestock programs is now allowable.
- Policies not earning premium for 3 consecutive years are required to be canceled.
- Clarified when coverage can be transferred.
- Aligned dispute resolution with Removal of Regulatory Overreach and Federal Crop Insurance Policy Provisions (91 FR 16151) and corrected the deadline for filing for judicial review to align with the Federal Arbitration Act.
LRP changes:
- Added additional guidelines to the forage disaster exemption for extended drought, natural disasters and added grazing dates in which the forage disaster can apply.
- The maximum weight for Fed Cattle types was increased.
- Expanded Cull Cow coverage for up to 52 weeks
- Added Unborn Bulls and Heifers Weight 2, Unborn Brahman Weight 2, and Unborn Dairy Weight 2 types for Feeder Cattle with a weight range of 6.0 cwt to 9.0 cwt.
DRP changes:
- The sales period was updated to end the following calendar day to be consistent with other livestock programs
LGM changes:
- Increased the max weight for the LGM Cattle to 1,800 lbs.
- Increased the maximum allowed target weight for feeder cattle from 9 to 12 cwt for yearling finishing operations, and stipulate that the differences between target live and cattle weight and target feeder cattle must not exceed 6 cwt for yearling finishing operations and 13 to 16 cwt for calf finishing operations.
- The definition of “share” for LGM Cattle now requires that the producer own the calves for a minimum of 5 months for yearling finishing or 8 months for calf finishing.
- Increased the maximum allowed target weight for live cattle from 15 to 18 cwt for yearling finishing operations and 13 to 16 cwt for calf finishing operations.
Access the following hyperlink to read the bulletin in full: https://www.rma.usda.gov/policy-procedure/bulletins-memos/product-management-bulletin/pm-26-024-livestock-risk-protection