Washington, DC
August 18, 2008
Source:
USDA Risk Management Agency
USDA’s Federal Crop Insurance
Corporation Board of Directors, at its Aug 14, 2008 meeting,
approved additional seed technologies and states for a premium
rate reduction for producers who plant certain qualifying corn
hybrids. The Board’s approval is conditioned upon the
submitters’ cooperation with Risk Management Agency (RMA) to
develop a single unified biotechnology endorsement and work out
associated details.
The biotechnology endorsement pilot program applies to approved
corn seed hybrids containing specific biotech traits that
enhance protection against above-ground lepidopteron pests (such
as moths and their larvae) and below-ground corn rootworm
damage, and confer tolerance to certain herbicides.
Under the resolutions approved by the FCIC Board, the following
seed technologies and states will be eligible for coverage
beginning with the 2009 crop year:
- Monsanto YieldGard® Plus
with Roundup Ready® Corn 2, YieldGard® VT Triple, and
YieldGard® VT Triple PRO hybrids for non-irrigated corn for
grain in Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin,
Kansas, and Nebraska, in addition to the original pilot
states of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, and Minnesota, submitted
by the Western Agricultural Insurance Company, working with
the Monsanto Company. In addition, irrigated corn for grain
acreage planted to the qualifying Monsanto hybrids would be
eligible for coverage in Kansas and Nebraska.
- Pioneer and Dow
AgroSciences Herculex® Xtra and Herculex® Xtra RR2® hybrids
for non-irrigated corn for grain in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa,
Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, South Dakota, and
Wisconsin, submitted by Stonington Insurance Company and
Agro National, LLC, in conjunction with Dow AgroSciences,
LLC, and Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc.
- Syngenta Agrisure® CB and
RW stacked and Agrisure® 3000GT hybrids for non-irrigated
corn for grain in Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota,
Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wisconsin, submitted by John
Deere Risk Protection, Inc, in conjunction with Syngenta
Seeds, Inc.
The pilot program is an
endorsement to the Coarse Grains Crop Provisions, the Crop
Revenue Coverage Corn Provisions, and the Revenue Assurance Corn
Provisions. Insured producers will be required to purchase a
buy-up level of coverage and plant at least 75 percent of their
insured corn acres in a unit to a qualifying corn hybrid. RMA
will release the biotechnology endorsement and related materials
upon completion later this fall, and will include revisions for
failure to comply that were viewed by some as too onerous. |
|
