The USDA announced changes to streamline the Whole-Farm Revenue Protection program.
The modifications, USDA says, will decrease paperwork and recordkeeping burdens for direct marketers beginning with the 2021 crop year.
“These changes will allow more direct marketers who previously could not meet reporting requirements a way to participate in the Whole-Farm program,” said Martin Barbre, administrator, Risk Management Agency (RMA).
RMA held several stakeholder meetings with agents, growers and grower groups to solicit feedback on ways to increase the effectiveness of the program, as required by the 2018 farm bill.
Stakeholders recommended RMA decrease the requirements for reporting yield and revenues for each commodity, which is especially difficult for direct marketers who may sell several commodities through a roadside stand.
The newly implemented modifications allow growers to report two or more direct-marketed commodities as a combined single commodity code with a combined expected revenue for all commodities.
Additionally, the combined direct-marketed commodities will count as two commodities in calculating the diversification premium discount.