PM-26-021: Rainfall Index – Annual Forage Crop Provisions and Rainfall Index Plan Common Policy, Basic Provisions Changes Effective for the 2027 and Succeeding Crop Years

BACKGROUND:

The Risk Management Agency (RMA) revised the Rainfall Index (RI) Plan Common Policy, Basic Provisions and the Annual Forage (AF) Crop Provisions for 2027 and succeeding crop years for all crops with a contract change date on or after April 30, 2026. The changes include:

AF Crop Provisions:

• Clarify lease or lease certification forms, and documents must be provided if requested during an official review or audit, but do not have to be signed and submitted on or before the acreage reporting date.

RI Basic Provisions:

• Add definitions of "cancellation," "FAA," and "termination";
• Clarify the definition of "cancelation date" to add voidance as a reason that a policy would not automatically continue for a subsequent year;
• Revise the definition of "beginning farmer or rancher" to match the wording in the Common Crop Insurance Policy, Basic Provisions; and
• Aligned dispute resolution provisions with Removal of Regulatory Overreach and Federal Crop Insurance Policy Provisions (91 FR 16151) and corrected the deadline for filing for judicial review to align with the Federal Arbitration Act.

RI Handbook:

• Add procedure to state lease or lease certification forms, and documents must be provided if requested during an official review or audit, but do not have to be signed and submitted on or before the acreage reporting date.

ACTION:

The following materials will be available by April 30, 2026, on the RMA website at https://www.rma.usda.gov/Policy-and-Procedure/Insurance-Plans/Rainfall-Index:

• Rainfall Index Plan Common Policy, Basic Provisions (27-RI)
• Annual Forage Crop Provisions (27-RI-AF)
• Rainfall Index Insurance Standards Handbook (FCIC-18150)

Approved insurance providers must notify policyholders of these changes at least 30 days prior to the cancellation date, as required by the policy.

Interested producers should contact a crop insurance agent for further information. A list of agents can be found on the RMA website at https://www.rma.usda.gov/tools-reports/agent-locator.

Questions regarding these modifications may be directed to [email protected].

DISPOSAL DATE:
December 31, 2026