On Nov. 1, the USDA’s Risk Management Agency reminded farmers that the deadline to apply for crop insurance is approaching for Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and West Virginia.
Several fruit growers have until Nov. 20, while the final date to apply for crop insurance for forage producers is Dec. 1. Current policyholders who wish to update the terms of their insurance will also have until the deadline to make any changes.
"The USDA’s Risk Management Agency reminds NJ apple, blueberry, cranberry, grape and peach growers the deadline to apply for crop insurance for the 2022 crop year is Nov. 20," New Jersey Department of Agriculture wrote in an Oct. 25 Twitter post.
The deadline marks the final date for insurance applications under the Rainfall Index program, which pays insurance reimbursement to farmers affected by damages from rainfall. The program uses data from scientific institutions to assess how much to pay policy holders.
The RMA is continuing to use a flexible structure due to ongoing COVID-19 concerns, and encourages farmers to contact their agents about services remotely.
Farmers can find a list of crop insurance agents online using the RMA Agent Locator. Visitors can also find more information about crop insurance and the modern farm safety net at www.rma.usda.gov.
