Pasture, Rangeland and Forage

The Rainfall and Vegetation Index plans of insurance are designed as risk management tools to insure against declines in an index in a designated area called a grid. They are primarily intended for use by producers whose crop production tends to follow the average precipitation or vegetation patterns for the grid. It is possible for you to have low crop production on the acreage that you insure and still not receive a payment under these plans. Because the program is designed for producers whose crop production tends to follow average patterns and not individual crop production, you should review the historical indices, additional tools, and information provided to determine if these programs are suitable for your risk management needs.

Rainfall Index (RI)

Rainfall Index (RI) is based on weather data collected and maintained by NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center. The index reflects how much precipitation is received relative to the long-term average for a specified area and timeframe.

• Crops covered:
  • Annual Forage
  • Apiculture
  • Pasture, Rangeland, Forage (PRF)

Vegetation Index (VI)

Vegetation Index (VI) is based on the U.S. Geological Survey’s Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) data derived from satellites observing long-term changes in greenness of vegetation of the earth since 1989.

• Crops covered:
  • Apiculture