The U.S. Department of Agriculture is expanding crop insurance options for forage producers beginning with the 2027 crop year.

Implemented by USDA’s Risk Management Agency, the new coverage options are designed to protect eligible producers against yield losses, price declines caused by market changes, or a combination of both. The expansion introduces revenue-based coverage to a program that has traditionally focused on production history and yield.

Under the change, the existing Actual Production History-based Forage Production program will be converted to three coverage options in select counties across 12 states:

• Yield Protection: Provides coverage against a loss in yield.
• Revenue Protection: Provides coverage against revenue losses caused by a yield loss, a price decline, or a yield loss when harvest prices are higher.
• Revenue Protection with Harvest Price Exclusion: Provides coverage against revenue losses caused by a yield loss, a harvest price that falls below the projected price, or both.

The new options will be available in select counties in California, Idaho, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Washington, and Wisconsin. The existing APH-based Forage Production program will remain available in other states where it is currently offered.

What This Could Mean for Agricultural Claims

The addition of revenue protection introduces new factors that may need to be reviewed when a forage loss occurs.

Depending on the coverage selected, the claims process may involve more than determining whether production fell below the producer’s approved yield. Policy selection, reported production, projected prices, harvest prices, harvested acreage, production records, and the method used to calculate revenue losses may all become increasingly important.

The difference between Revenue Protection and Revenue Protection with Harvest Price Exclusion may also affect how the producer’s guarantee and potential indemnity are calculated. Under Revenue Protection, the guarantee may increase when the harvest price is higher than the projected price. With Harvest Price Exclusion, the projected price is used to establish the revenue guarantee.

For crop insurance agents, adjusters, and other agricultural claims professionals, understanding which plan was selected and how yield and price information work together will be important when reviewing coverage, gathering documentation, and explaining loss determinations.

Producers in eligible counties should contact a crop insurance agent before the September 30, 2026, sales closing date to review the available options and determine which coverage best fits their operation.

Source: USDA Risk Management Agency, “USDA Introduces More Crop Insurance Options for Forage Producers.”