It’s Still Not Raining?
It could be time to consider PRF Rainfall Insurance on your ranch property.
The deadline to apply for Pasture, Range and Forage Insurance (known as PRF) is fast approaching on December 1, 2022. With that in mind, we thought it would be beneficial to revisit some of the information from an earlier blog post on PRF insurance.
With major portions of the Southwestern United States remaining in what is classified as moderate to extreme drought, producers should look into PRF insurance now to see if it might be a good fit for their particular operation. The US drought monitor link can be found here.
Often referred to as “Drought Insurance”, Pasture, Rangeland, Forage (PRF) Rainfall Insurance provides insurance coverage on grazing or haying acres, whether owned or leased. Indemnity payments are made when rainfall in your area is less than the 70-year average. PRF is a USDA subsidized program that helps make premiums affordable, and you’re not required to insure all of your acres.
Instead of measuring production to determine coverage against loss, PRF uses a Rainfall Index developed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to compare actual rainfall to expected rainfall. PRF coverage is based on grid location rainfall and not county-wide rainfall.
The difference between the actual and expected rainfall is insured according to established base county level for the value of the forage (grazed vs hayed). Producers can choose a coverage level between 70,75, 80, 85, or 90% of historic rainfall. Tools are available that will allow you to actually see historical data on how PRF would have benefited you in the past.
To learn more, the USDA Pasture, Rangeland and Forage support tool and grid locator for your area can be found here.
The deadline to sign up for PRF insurance for the coming year is December 1, 2022. You might want to consider sitting down with your insurance agent to discuss PRF soon. The USDA website has an agent locator here or you can contact any of these agents for more information:
Rafe Hargrove with Hargrove Ranch Insurance at (325) 573-8975 or info@hargroveinsurance.com
Cary Franks with Capital Farm Credit at (806) 620-8043 or cary.franks@capitalfarmcredit.com
Gary Alston with Rain and Hail Insurance Agency at (806) 826-3563 or GAlston@txfb-ins.com,
Rachel Myers with Myers Crop Insurance at (806) 640-2089 or rachel@myerscropinsurance.com
