The National Agricultural Law Center
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Federal Crop Insurance


Overview

The federal crop insurance program is a subsidized insurance program that provides financial protection to producers against crop losses caused by natural disasters such as drought or flood. The crop insurance program is authorized by the Federal Crop Insurance Act ("FCIA") "to promote the national welfare by improving the economic stability of agriculture through a sound system of crop insurance and by providing the means for research and experience helpful in devising and establishing such insurance." The regulations implementing the federal crop insurance program are found at 7 C.F.R. §§ 400-499. Read the full overview.

Note: Recently added resources are posted at the top of the applicable sections.

Major Statutes

Federal Crop Insurance Act, 7 U.S.C. §§ 1501-1524

Regulations

Federal Crop Insurance Corporation Regulations, 7 C.F.R. §§ 400-499
Federal Register Rules Open for Comment
Center published Federal Register Digest

Case Law

Note: Recently summarized cases are listed and linked in Recent Postings.

Case Law Index for Federal Crop Insurance Program

Administrative Law Decisions

Office of the Administrative Law Judges
Center published USDA Judicial Officer's Decisions

Center Research Publications

Scope of the Federal Crop Insurance Arbitration Clause (Fancher, 2002)
FCIC's Standard Reinsurance Agreement (Fancher, 2002)

Congressional Research Service Reports

CRS Subject(s):
Disaster Impact and Assistance
Farm Bills
Commodities

Reference Resources

USDA

Risk Management Agency (RMA)
Farm Risk Planning
RMA Fact Sheets
Laws and Regulations
Bulletins and Handbooks
Overview of Crop Policies
List of 2006 Crop Policies
Federal Crop Insurance Corporation
Overview of Livestock Insurance Policies
Reinsurance Agreements
Civil Rights and Community Outreach
History of Crop Insurance Programs
RMA News and Agency Updates
RMA Publications
Soybean Rust Information Site
Crop and Livestock Insurance Information Database


Economic Research Service
Briefing Room: Farm Risk Management
Briefing Room: Farm and Commodity Policy: Crop Yield and Revenue Insurance
Key Topics: Farm Financial & Risk Management
Farm Risk Management: Maps and Images Gallery

ERS Recommended Readings
Why Hasn’t Crop Insurance Eliminated Disaster Assistance? (2005)
Risk Management Tools in Europe: Agricultural Insurance, Futures, and Options (2004)
U.S. Crop Insurance: Premiums, Subsidies, and Participation (2001)
Production and Price Impacts of U.S. Crop Insurance Programs (2001)
The Effects of Federal Crop Insurance Program on Wheat Acreage (2001)
Asymmetric Information in the Market for Yield and Revenue Insurance (2001)
The Agricultural Risk Protection Act: What It Does, What It Means? (2000)


Congressional Resources

Congressional Agriculture Committees
U.S. Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee
U.S. House of Representatives Agriculture Committee
U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management


Government Accountability Office
Actions Needed to Reduce Program’s Vulnerability to Fraud, Waste, and Abuse (2005)
USDA Needs to Improve Oversight of Insurance Companies and Develop a Policy to Address
Any Future Insolvencies
(2004)
Crop Insurance: USDA’s Progress in Expanding Insurance for Specialty Crops


Other Federal Resources

Crop Insurance and Disaster Payments– Agriculture Tax Tips (Internal Revenue Service)


Publications

Disaster Readiness and Recovery: Legal Considerations for Organic Farmers (FLAG, 2007)
Farmers' Guide to Disaster Assistance (FLAG, Sixth Edition, 2008)


Additional Resources

Comparison of Revenue Proposals (Zulauf, OH St. U., 2007)
Important Federal Crop Insurance Dates and Definitions (U. MN Ext. Serv.)
Overview of the Agricultural Risk Protection Act for 2000 (Risk Management Agency)
Crop Insurance Terms and Definitions (TX A & M, Stokes, 1999)
Farmdoc - Crop Insurance (U. IL at Urbana)
National Ag Risk Education Library (U. MN)


Recommended Publications and Readings (not freely available electronically)
Richard P. Shafer, Construction and Application of the Federal Crop Insurance Act, 185 A.L.R. Fed. 419
(originally published in 2003)
Christopher R. Kelley, The Agricultural Risk Protection Act of 2000: Federal Crop Insurance, The
Non-Insured Disaster Assistance Program, and the Domestic Commodity and Other Farm
Programs
, 6 Drake J. Agric. L. 141 (2001)





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