The application period is now closed.
Program Overview
On September 21, 2023, the ATCP Board approved a
scope statement related to an emergency rule for the Crop Insurance Rebates for Planting Cover Crops Program. Emergency Rule 2316 was published November 13, 2023. DATCP will hold a
public hearing on EmR 2316 on December 8, 2023.
Upon approval of the emergency rule, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) will again partner with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Risk Management Agency (RMA) and
Approved Insurance Providers to establish crop insurance rebates for planting cover crops. The application for the Crop Insurance Rebates for Planting Cover Crops Program opened in December 2023. Interested participants may enroll acres planted to cover crops in the fall of 2023, which will be planted to an insurable crop the following growing season. Eligible applicants will receive a $5 per acre insurance premium rebate on their 2024 crop insurance policy invoice for every acre of cover crop enrolled and verified in the program. This program incentivizes additional acres of cover crops beyond those supported by DATCP and/or USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The application closed January 31, 2024.
Rules
Application requirements include applicant contact information, current USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) form FSA-578 with verified cover crop acres, crop insurance policy number(s), acres of cover crops seeded to each field, farm, tract, common land unit (CLU)/Field #, and legal description of fields/acres seeded to cover crops. This information can be found on individual participants federal "Report of Commodities" form (FSA- 578). It is highly recommended to reference the FSA-578 form for those interested in applying for this program. The premium reduction will be applied based on the acreage report you file for federal crop insurance. Ensuring the field designations match is mandatory to receiving the premium rebate.
Seeding of cover crops must follow best agronomic practices in terms of seeding dates, appropriate seeding rates, seed mixes, seeding dates, and ensure objectives of the cover crop are being met. Utilize NRCS Conservation Practice Standard 340 (Cover Crops) as a guide.
DATCP will verify applications and the respective acreage. DATCP may contact applicants for additional clarifying information. Applicants must maintain documentation on cover crops that have been seeded (e.g., seed bills). To ensure the practice achieves the desired results, no full width tillage/termination of the cover crop in the fall is allowed. Management/termination of the cover crops must be done in the spring in accordance with the most recent version of the USDA-NRCS Cover Crop Termination Guidelines: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/national/climatechange/?cid=stelprdb1077238#Guidelines. This guidance not only informs proper management of cover crops, but must also be followed to maintain eligibility for federal crop insurance.
Approved applications will be forwarded to USDA-RMA for processing premium rebates on crop insurance premium invoices for the crop. Applicants must certify that by signing up for this program, they give DATCP permission to share the information provided to the USDA-RMA for administering the benefit to the beneficiary as documented on the application. Applicants also convey permission to DATCP representative(s) access to the property enrolled, if necessary, to verify cover crop establishment.
2024 Approved Insurance Providers for Wisconsin
The Crop Insurance Premium Rebate Program is designed to offer a rebate to producers who use cover crops and subsequently insure a crop on that land the following spring/ summer. Insurance premium rebates are distributed through participating approved insurance providers. In 2024, approved insurance providers for Wisconsin are:
- Hudson Insurance Company
- Producers Agricultural Insurance Company
- Rural Community Insurance Services
- NAU Country
- American Agricultural Insurance Company
- American Agri-Business Insurance Company (AgriSompo North America)
- Country Financial
- Farmers Mutual Hail Insurance Co of IA
- Great American
- Church Mutual Insurance Company (Precision Risk Management)
- ACE American Insurance Company (Rain and Hail)
- Palomar Specialty Insurance Company (Advanced AgProtection LLC)
Source:
USDA Risk Management Agency