apiculture beekeeping API crop insuranceAgricultural producers now will have until December 1 to make coverage decisions and complete reporting activities for the Pasture, Rangeland, and Forage Pilot Insurance Program (PRF) and Apiculture Pilot Insurance Program (API).

PRF and API are both Rainfall Index crop insurance policies designed to aid agricultural producers in case of a lack of precipitation that affects available forage for livestock and honeybees. The plans consider a decline in rainfall by comparing it with the historical average precipitation for the same area during the same period of time. PRF is designed to help protect a producer’s livestock operation from the risks of forage loss.  API provides a safety net for beekeepers’ primary income sources of honey, pollen collection, wax, and breeding stock.

RMA is revising the dates for the sales closing, acreage/colony reporting, cancellation, and termination of the PRF and API insurance programs from November 15 to December 1. For PRF, RMA is also increasing reporting flexibility by allowing the USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) acreage report (form FSA-578) to be used in conjunction with other documents to verify insurable interest.

Other changes to the plans include:

  • Revising the definition of “veteran farmer or rancher” to allow a legal entity, comprised only of the veteran and their spouse, to qualify as a veteran farmer or rancher when a qualifying veteran has a non-veteran spouse; and
  •  Allowing a producer to report acreage as certified organic, or as acreage in transition to organic, when the producer has requested an organic certification by the acreage reporting date.

For further information on the changes made to the PRF and API policies, see the RMA bulletin Rainfall Index – Pasture, Rangeland, Forage and Apiculture Changes Effective for the 2022 and Succeeding Crop Years.

Supporting Documentation: