RMA officials: Crop insurance for specialty crops still a challenge panel

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. — Pat Swanson, administrator of the Agriculture Department’s Risk Management Agency, and Ken Selzer, the RMA associate administrator, said here Tuesday that RMA is trying to make crop insurance more attractive to specialty crop growers, but that there are still challenges to develop policies for small acreage crops.

In a wide-ranging discussion moderated by Tom Zacharias, president of National Crop Insurance Services at the Crop Insurance Industry Annual Convention, the officials said that about 97% of row crop acres are now insured, but that only 67% of acres in specialty crops — fruits, vegetables, tree nuts and flowers — are covered.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins wants the coverage for specialty crops to grow, but it’s unlikely the percentage of acres covered will ever be as high as for row crops, the officials said.

Swanson said that, as the agency tries to provide insurance for the smaller acreage crops, it’s harder for insurance companies to provide that coverage.

The officials noted that row crops have forward prices on which to base revenue insurance, but specialty crops don’t have that.

Under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, premium support and payments to agents for administrative and operating expenses will both rise.

Swanson said it’s hard to determine how adjusters will figure out losses for specialty crops.

Dates appear at the top of date palm trees and adjusters may have to learn to climb the trees to determine losses, Swanson said.

Swanson said RMA is conducting studies on mushrooms, rice quality, southwest peppers, shellfish and dates. Selzer also noted that the agency is still trying to increase the use of government-supported insurance for livestock.

Selzer noted that approved insurance providers can now use satellite imagery to determine the number of acres that were prevented from being planted and acreage losses.