ProAg news featuring USDAOfficials at the USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA) announced Wednesday they’re extending flexibilities to crop producers amid operations that have been hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, RMA relief includes provisions for electronic notifications and signatures to be extended through July 15, 2021. Organic certification, replant self-certification and assignment of indemnity capabilities are extended through June 30, 2021. The continued flexibility will help producers leverage federal crop insurance programs better remotely, something that became of utmost importance when the COVID-19 pandemic began earlier in 2020.

Wednesday’s announcement also provides new flexibility for insurance providers, further flexibilities for production reporting, submitting written agreement requests and obtaining producer signatures for written agreement offers. Producer signatures for written agreement offers, issued by RMA on or before June 30, 2021, with an expiration date on or before July 30, 2021, will allow producer signatures to be accepted after the expiration date with proper documentation or a self-certification but must be completed by August 2, 2021. Providers will have 30 business days to submit written agreement requests and applicable documentation for requests with submission deadlines prior to July 1, 2021. See more about the extended federal crop insurance flexibilities.