By Frank Giles
Many small farms must be diversified across several crops to serve their customers and to tap into different market opportunities over the course of a year. That diversity can present a challenge for growers looking to manage risks.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Risk Management Agency (USDA-RMA) has developed an insurance product tailored to those types of operations. The Micro Farm Program is a risk management tool that covers all commodities under one insurance policy. The program is like the USDA-RMA Whole Farm Revenue Protection policy, but is more streamlined with fewer reporting requirements, which is intended to benefit smaller farms.
What Is Covered
The policy will cover the loss of insured revenue due to natural disasters during the covered period. This covers all crops and livestock on the farm, except forest and forest products and animals for sport, show or pets. The policy covers crops grown on the farm, whether they are sold or not. It includes commodities bought for resale. In 2025, pecan and strawberry were added to the covered crops.
How To Get It
The Micro Farm policy is available in all 50 states and can be purchased from a USDA-RMA approved insurance agent. The agency’s locator tool — rma.usda.gov/tools-reports/agent-locator — can assist in finding a provider.
Digital Edition
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