The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced an expansion of crop insurance options with the introduction of the Grapevine insurance program. This program offers coverage for the loss of grafted vines due to natural perils like freeze or fire. The initiative complements the existing Grape crop insurance, which covers the fruit grown on the vines.
“We are always striving to offer the strongest risk management resources for our nation’s agricultural producers—sometimes by improving an already existing product or identifying a gap in crop insurance options and creating a new product like this one for Grapevine,” Administrator for the USDA’s Risk Management Agency, Marcia Bunger said in a press release. “A program like this is especially critical when you realize the loss of fruit can affect a grower for a season, but the loss of a grapevine is a much more costly situation, both in money and the time it takes to reestablish a productive vine. This is one of the strongest reasons producers were requesting coverage possibilities like this Grapevine insurance program — and we listened.”
The new program is modeled on the Tree Based Dollar Amount of Insurance (TDO) Plan. Notably, it features an Occurrence Loss Option designed to provide coverage for minor losses, available at an additional premium, for producers who have buy-up coverage. The policy is classified as a “mortality policy.” It compensates losses when vines are deceased or severely damaged beyond recovery within the next 12 months.
The program’s coverage encompasses freeze, fire, hail, flood, and the failure of irrigation water supply resulting from unavoidable, naturally occurring incidents. Producers using recognized Freeze Protection methods can also avail themselves of reduced premium costs through this program. Starting from the 2024 crop year, the Grapevine insurance program will be accessible in specific counties across California, Idaho, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Washington. The enrollment deadline for this insurance is set for November 1, 2023.
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Brian German
Ag News Director / AgNet West