Crop Insurance for Organic Farmers
Organic Farmers in Disasters – Flooding and Whole Farm Revenue Crop Insurance for Organic Farmers
A New Resource from Farmers’ Legal Action Group
Farmers’ Legal Action Group (FLAG) is a nonprofit law center dedicated to providing legal services and support to family farmers and their communities in order to help keep family farmers on the land. FLAG recently announced a new resource that is intended to assist organic farmers in time of disaster. Organic Farmers in Disasters looks at two important issues. First, it discusses the extremely challenging effect of a flood on an organic farm. Second, this booklet discusses a relatively new form of crop insurance for organic farmers – Whole-Farm Revenue – that could benefit organic producers going forward.
During a flood or other natural disaster there will be a series of challenges facing every farmer. For an organic farmer, the flood or other natural disaster will have results that can be unique to organic production. One of the merits of organic agriculture is greater resilience in the face of a natural disaster. Soils on organic farms, for example, seem
better able to hold moisture during drought years and are more productive during extremely wet years.
better able to hold moisture during drought years and are more productive during extremely wet years.
The organic plan that farmers adopt, and the records that organic farmers are required to keep, may help farmers after a natural disaster strikes. This is especially true for the records kept along with the plan.3 Successful use of disaster
assistance programs often requires detailed records of crop yields and prices, of livestock harmed in the disaster or sold earlier than planned due to feed shortages, and other information. An organic farm is likely to have the records required for disaster programs.
assistance programs often requires detailed records of crop yields and prices, of livestock harmed in the disaster or sold earlier than planned due to feed shortages, and other information. An organic farm is likely to have the records required for disaster programs.
Disaster assistance for farmers sometimes comes in the form of programs created or funded by Congress long after the disaster. Well-maintained records can help farmers document losses from previous years and establish eligibility for late-enacted programs. Understanding crop insurance for organic farmers is an important step in preparing to take advantage of such programs
Find more farming resources from beginningfarmers.org at https://www.beginningfarmers.org/additional-farming-resources/
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