(NAFB) – Agricultural producers with small-scale farms who sell locally can now get simplified insurance coverage through a new policy designed.

The Department of Agriculture developed the new Micro Farm policy, which simplifies recordkeeping and covers post-production costs like washing and value-added products. Micro Farm is offered through Whole-Farm Revenue Protection and is geared to local producers. The coverage is available to producers who have a farm operation that earns an average allowable revenue of $100,000 or less, or for carryover insureds, an average allowable revenue of $125,000 or less.

The increase in allowable revenue for a carry-over insured will allow for some farm growth in subsequent years before they become ineligible for the program. RMA’s research shows 85 percent of producers who sell locally reported they made less than $75,000 in gross sales. Micro Farm is available for the 2022 crop year.

Producers with crops insured under another crop insurance policy or a vertically integrated operation will not be eligible.