2004 News Archive

October 2004

• RMA Extends Comment Period -- October 13 -- In light of the recent hurricanes and their impact on nursery growers, RMA has extended the comment period for the nursery proposed rule an additional 45 days, from October 8 to November 22.
  
• Emergency Loss Procedures -- October 13 -- RMA is authorizing emergency loss procedures to streamline loss determinations on specific crops affected by the recent series of hurricanes in Florida.
  
• November 1 Sales Closing Date Nears -- October 12 -- November 1 is the last chance for many producers to sign up for or change their crop insurance
  
• Westfield/Deere Approved As Federal Crop Insurance Company -- October 8 -- The Risk Management Agency (RMA) today announced Westfield Insurance Company, with its Managing General Agent (MGA), John Deere Risk Protection Inc., as the newest approved participant in the Federal crop insurance program.
  

September 2004

• Livestock Insurance Sales Resume -- September 29 -- Sales of the Livestock Risk Protection (LRP) and Livestock Gross Margin (LGM) plans of insurance resumed September 30, 2004.
  
• RMA Clarifies Sampling Procedures -- September 3 -- USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) today announced a clarification of the application of its loss adjustment procedure standards for quality adjustment from blended samples of agricultural commodities on a unit basis, consistent with modifications made by the 2002 Farm Bill.
  
• Apple, Blueberry, Pecan Program Changes -- September 2 -- USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) today announced the modification of the current apple crop insurance program and the conversion of the pilot programs for blueberries and pecans to permanent programs for the 2005 and succeeding crop years.
  
• Stonington Approved As 15th Federal Crop Insurance Company -- September 1 -- The Risk Management Agency (RMA) today announced Stonington Insurance Company as the fifteenth approved participant in the Federal Crop Insurance Program.
  
• September 30 Sales Closing Date Nears -- September 1 -- -- RMA reminds producers that September 30, 2004, is the sales closing date for many fall-planted crops. Crops that may need to be insured by this date include alfalfa seed, barley, canola, cultivated wild rice, forage production, mint, oats, potatoes, rye, sugarcane, and wheat.
  

August 2004

• RMA to Expedite Crop Insurance Claims from Hurricane Charley in Florida -- August 20 -- The Risk Management Agency (RMA) is working with insurance providers to finalize claim processing procedures that will expedite the payment of insured claims. The exact procedures will be issued to the insurance providers early next week. Related item: Manager's bulletin | Statement by Secretary of Agriculture
• USDA Announces Awards for Pasture, Rangeland, and Forage Development Contracts -- August 12 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced today that the Risk Management Agency (RMA) has awarded four contracts to develop new risk management tools for pasture, rangeland and forage. Related item: Background information
• USDA to Resume Sales of Livestock Protection Programs -- August 12 -- USDA's Risk Management Agency today announced that sales of the Livestock Risk Protection (LRP) and Livestock Gross Margin (LGM) Insurance Policies will resume October 1. Related items: LGM R&D; memo | LGM Policy materials | LRP R&D; memo | LRP Policy materials
• Final Basic Provisions Update Limited Resource Farmer Definition -- August 10 -- The final version of the Common Crop Insurance Regulations Basic Provisions includes an updated definition of limited resource farmer, allowing more producers to qualify for the CAT insurance waiver and buy-up administrative fee waiver. (PDF file; 546Kb) Related item: NRCS Limited Resources Self-Determination Tool

July 2004

• Targeted States Funding Opportunity Re-Announced for Nevada, Pennsylvania, West Virginia -- July 27 -- RMA is re-announcing its Funding Opportunity - Request for Applications under the Targeted States Program for the States of Nevada, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. New deadline for applications is August 11, 2004.
• RMA Administrator Testifies -- July 21 -- RMA Administrator Ross J. Davidson, Jr., testified today before the House Agriculture Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management. Related items: Addendum (PDF file; 168Kb) | Chief Economist's testimony
• Peanut Price Elections Announced -- -- July 20 -- Price elections for peanuts have been announced for the 2004 crop year. (PDF file)
• RMA Monitoring Soybean Rust Developments -- July 15 -- An RMA working group, hosted by the USDA Office of Pest Management Policy, is preparing for the arrival of soybean rust and keeping State, commodity and Federal scientists informed of the recent activity related to soybean rust.
  Related item: Working Group website
• Last Day to Apply for Risk Management Partnership Opportunities -- July 8 -- Today is the last day to apply for $16.5 million in partnership opportunities to fund risk management initiatives. Related items: Education Application Kit | Research Application Kit | Outreach Application Kit
• 14 Companies Sign the 2005 SRA -- July 1 -- RMA has received signed SRA's from all fourteen companies who participated in the 2004 reinsurance year.
  Related items: 2005 Standard Reinsurance Agreement - (PDF file; 129Kb) | Reinsurance Agreement Home Page

June 2004

• Twelve Companies Sign the 2005 SRA -- June 29 -- RMA announced today that to date, 12 insurance companies representing 92 percent of the Federal crop insurance program have signed the 2005 Standard Reinsurance Agreement.
• RMA to Begin Using Pack Factors -- June 29 -- RMA will incorporate FSA pack factors into the appropriate loss adjustment standards handbooks for the 2005 crop year for corn, soybeans, wheat, rice, oats, barley, grain sorghum, canola, flax, mustard, safflower, sunflower seed, crambe, lentils, peas, and chickpeas.
  Related item: Pack Factor study - (PDF file; 12,076Kb)
• RMA Releases Final Draft of 2005 SRA -- June 14 -- USDA's Risk Management Agency releases the final draft of the 2005 Standard Reinsurance Agreement to insurance companies for signature by June 30. Related items: 2005 Standard Reinsurance Agreement - FINAL (PDF file; 129Kb) | Appendix I: Program Integrity Statement (PDF file; 30Kb) | Appendix II: Plan of Operations (PDF file; 25Kb) | Appendix IV: Quality Standards and Control (PDF file; 47Kb) | Final Draft Compared with the Third Draft

May 2004

• SRA Final Stages -- May 28 -- This SRA will strengthen the Federal crop insurance program for farmers and improve accountability for companies.
• $16.5 Million Available to Fund Risk Management Initiatives -- May 27 -- RMA announced the availabililty of approximately $16.5 million for partnership opportunities to fund risk management initiatives. Related items: Education Application Kit | Research Application Kit | Outreach Application Kit
• RMA Releases Third Draft of SRA -- May 21 -- USDA's Risk Management Agency today released the third draft of the proposed 2005 Standard Reinsurance Agreement.
  Related items: Cover letter to companies - (PDF file; 40kb) | 2005 Standard Reinsurance Agreement - DRAFT (PDF file; 288kb) | Appendix I: Program Integrity Statement (PDF file; 70kb) | Appendix II: Plan of Operations (PDF file; 45kb) | Appendix IV: Quality Standards and Control (PDF file; 88kb) | Third Draft Compared With Second Draft | RMA's Role in the Federal Crop Insurance Program
• Board Approves Sorghum Pilot -- May 19 -- The FCIC Board recently approved a pilot program of crop insurance for silage sorghum in two states and made Adjusted Gross Revenue-Lite (AGR-Lite) available in five additional states, both effective with the 2005 crop year.
  Related items: Silage Sorghum Pilot Program board memo | AGR-Lite Expansion board memo (pdf files)
• FFA Essay Contest Winners Announced -- updated May 17 -- Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman today announced the 2004 winners in the seventh annual FFA Risk Management Strategies Writing Contest. Related item: FFA winners' essays | FFA winners photo
• USDA Crop Insurance Pre-Proposal Conference Held -- May 7 -- RMA Administrator Ross Davidson gave opening remarks at USDA's Crop Insurance Pre-Proposal Conference
  Related items: Conference agenda (pdf file) | Presolicitation notice
• USDA to Hold Crop Insurance Pre-Proposal Conference -- May 3 -- USDA's Risk Management Agency (RMA) will hold a pre-proposal conference on Friday, May 7, addressing farmers' insurance coverage problems associated with multiple years of crop losses. (pdf files) Related items: Conference agenda | Presolicitation notice

April 2004

• RMA Addresses Key SRA Issues -- April 28 -- RMA has addressed key issues related to the Standard Reinsurance Agreement (SRA). Related items: Questions 6-10 | RMA's Role in the Federal Crop Insurance Program
• Congressman Jerry Moran to Keynote RMA Pre-Proposal Conference -- April 27 -- Congressman Jerry Moran will keynote an RMA pre-proposal conference addressing impacts to insurance guarantees due to multi-year losses on Friday, May 7 in Kansas City, MO. Related item: Presolicitation notice
• FFA Essay Contest Winners Announced -- April 27 -- Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman today announced the 2004 winners in the seventh annual FFA Risk Management Strategies Writing Contest. Related item: FFA winners' essays
• Contracting Opportunity -- April 20 -- RMA is seeking proposals for (1) research and development of approaches to mitigating declines in yield guarantees and/or (2) research and development of procedures for determining approved APH yields
  Related item: Presolicitation notice
• Durum Wheat Added As Separate Crop in Three States -- April 19 -- RMA announced modifications to split spring and durum wheat yields as a separate crop type in South Dakota, North Dakota, and Montana.
  Related item: Manager's bulletin
• 2004 Tobacco Support Prices Announced -- April 19 -- Price support levels were announced for guaranteed tobacco and quota tobacco crop provisions.
  
• Essential SRA Facts -- April 16 -- By having the facts, those who rely on crop insurance as an essential risk management tool can be assured that the crop insurance delivery system is, and will continue to be, safe, sound, and effective.
  Related item: Appendix
• FCIC Board Reinstates Livestock Products -- April 14 -- The FCIC Board of Directors voted on April 6 to permit reinstatement of the Livestock Risk Protection (LRP) and the Livestock Gross Margin (LGM) Pilot Programs of insurance under certain conditions.
  Related items: LRP docket (PDF file; 44kb) | LGM docket (PDF file; 27kb)

March 2004

• RMA Releases Second Draft of SRA -- March 30 -- USDA's Risk Management Agency today released the second draft of the proposed 2005 Standard Reinsurance Agreement.
  Related items: 2005 Standard Reinsurance Agreement - DRAFT (PDF file; 258kb) | Request for Input |
  Appendix I: Program Integrity Statement (PDF file; 28kb)
  Appendix II: Plan of Operations (PDF file; 17kb)
  Appendix IV: Quality Standards and Control (PDF file; 78kb)
• Apple Crop Proposed Rule Published -- March 29 -- USDA's Risk Management Agency today announced a proposed rule in the Federal Register for modifications to the current Apple Crop Provisions. Related item: Proposed Rule
• Price Elections Information Available -- March 10 -- Producers and other interested parties may find price election information for a significant number of commodities in RMA's 2004 Research and Development Bulletins. Related item: Price addendums
• Veneman Announces Availability of Electronic "Customer Statement" -- March 10 -- Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman has announced the availability of an electronic Customer Statement, as part of USDA's electronic government (eGovernment) initiative. Related item: USDA Customer Statement
• Federal Jury Convicts Farmer on Crop Insurance Fraud -- March 3 -- A Federal jury in Wichita Falls, TX., convicted Wendell Mints on counts of conspiracy to submit false claims and statements relating to crop insurance. RMA assisted in the investigation of the case.
• Three FCIC Board Members Complete Terms of Service -- March 2 -- RMA Administrator Ross J. Davidson, Jr. today expressed gratitude for the service performed by three departing Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) Board members whose terms expire this month.
• RMA Administrator Addresses Crop Insurance Industry -- March 1 -- RMA Administrator Ross J. Davidson, Jr. recently addressed the annual meeting of the crop insurance industry, co-hosted by National Crop Insurance Services and American Association of Crop Insurers, providing an update of RMA's current and future program initiatives and activities affecting the Federal crop insurance program.

February 2004

• SRA Frequently Asked Questions Posted -- February 24 -- RMA has provided answers to questions from the companies and trade associations during a conference call on January 22.
• RMA Announces $5 Million for Underserved States -- February 24 --USDA's Risk Management Agency (RMA) today announced that Congress has made available up to $5 million to reduce the cost of crop insurance for producers in 15 historically underserved States.
• Sales Closing Dates Near -- February 18 -- USDA's Risk Management Agency reminds producers of the February 28 and March 15 sales closing dates for crop insurance. These sales closing dates apply to most of the spring-planted crops in the U.S.
• RMA Approves Premium Discount Plan -- February 13 -- Coverage will be available to producers of all crops in 13 states for the 2004 reinsurance year.
• Pasture/Rangeland Forage Solicitation Notice -- Updated February 10 -- RMA has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for improvement and/or development of insurance products for pasture/rangeland and forage.
• RMA EEO Complaint Activity Data -- February 2 -- RMA, in compliance with the Notification and Federal Employee Antidiscrimination and Retaliation Act of 2002 (NO FEAR Act), Public Law 107-174, has posted its summaries of statistical Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) complaint data under Title III, "Equal Employment Opportunity Complaint Data Disclosure," of the NO FEAR Act, on USDA's NO FEAR website.

January 2004

• Pasture/Rangeland Forage Presolicitation Notice -- January 30 -- RMA will issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) for improvement and/or development of insurance products for pasture/rangeland and forage on or about February 10, 2004. More program details and proposal requirements will be provided in the pending RFP, including details on a planned bidders' conference to be hosted by RMA in Kansas City, MO.
• Indicted -- January 23 -- The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Iowa filed charges against Mark, Sue, and Justin Hoffman of Carroll County, IA, for allegedly making false statements in order to obtain millions in Federal farm program benefits, crop insurance proceeds and a loan. RMA's Northern Regional Compliance Office assisted in the investigation.
• CRC and GRIP Prices, Factors Announced -- January 23 -- RMA announced CRC corn, cotton, grain sorghum, and rice base prices and low and high price factors. The GRIP corn expected price and volatility factor were also released.
• RMA Administrator to Moderate 2004 Outlook Conference Forum Panel -- January 16 -- RMA Administrator Ross J. Davidson, Jr., will moderate a panel titled, "New Crop and Livestock Insurance Programs" on February 19 at the 2004 Outlook Forum. The annual event is sponsored by USDA's Office of the Chief Economist and will feature a keynote address by Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman.
  Related item: Registration
• BSE Update -- January 9 -- RMA continues to monitor and evaluate the effects of BSE on beef cattle market conditions.
  
Related items: USDA Halts Livestock Risk Protection Insurance Because of BSE (PDF) | Livestock Risk Protection (LRP): Basic Policy (PDF) | Fed Cattle: Specific Coverage Endorsement (PDF) | LRP Insurance Pilot Program: Fed Cattle Factsheet (PDF) | Feeder Cattle: Specific Coverage Endorsement (PDF) | LRP Insurance Pilot Program: Feeder Cattle Factsheet (PDF) | Daily LRP Coverage Prices, Rates, and Actual Ending Values (online application) LRP Policy Handbooks & Rules | APHIS BSE Information | FSIS BSE Information | USDA BSE Information
• Sugar Beet Pilot Approved -- January 6 -- The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation Board of Directors (FCIC Board) recently approved a Stage Removal Option Pilot Program for sugar beets.
  Related item: Informational Memorandum (PDF)