SURVEY TO TARGET SPECIALTY CROP PRODUCERS' INSURANCE NEEDS

WASHINGTON, Feb 14, 2002 - The Risk Management Agency today announced funding of a new survey geared to examine the unique needs of the Nation's specialty crops producers. The one-time survey, mailed by USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service over the next few weeks, will provide the data necessary to develop crop insurance products or programs for specialty crops. Specialty crops include everything from common fruits and vegetables to mushrooms and maple syrup.

While past surveys have been confined to field crops and their insurance products, these data have not been transferable to specialty crops, which are generally higher-value, more perishable, and require close monitoring at each production stage. The specialty crop survey will provide information for both production and marketing systems, enabling RMA to develop a risk management profile of specialty crop producers. This profile will help to improve the design of future insurance programs in order to fit these producers' needs.

One important aspect of the survey is the section geared to organic producers and their unique practices. Organic producers will be asked to identify the type and percentage of organic acreage planted in 2001, which will allow for comparisons to be made between conventional and organic producers in the ways they use risk management tools.

The survey is part of a research partnership between RMA, NASS, and the respective state land grant universities. NASS is conducting the data collection, while the universities will summarize and analyze the findings, in collaboration with RMA. Participants are assured that all responses will remain confidential, with data in the survey aggregated to ensure anonymity. No individual results will be released. Findings from the survey should be available in late September 2002.

The mailing took place around the first week of February 2002, to about 69,700 specialty crop producers in four States: 31,000 in California; 23,000 in Florida; 8,400 in New York; and 7,300 in Pennsylvania. A followup mailing 2 weeks later, and a telephone call to nonrespondents after that mailing, are planned in order to obtain a high response rate.

If you are a specialty crop producer in one of the four targeted States and have not received a copy of the survey by February 19, please contact your NASS state office to obtain a copy.