USDA Insurance Program Updates Encourage Conservation

In December 2023, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced updates to the federal crop insurance program to affirm USDA conservation practices as Good Farming Practices for crop insurance. USDA’s updated Risk Management Agency (RMA) handbook recognizes USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service’s conservation practices as good farming practices for crop insurance.

Earlier this year, the agency announced that up to $3 million is available for cooperative agreements to educate underserved, small-scale and organic producers on risk management and climate-smart practices.

RMA’s Risk Management Education Partnerships provide funding for organizations, such as nonprofits and land grant universities, to develop training and resources for producers about risk management options like crop insurance.