USDA expands crop insurance access 

The Agriculture Department announced updates to federal crop insurance to reduce red tape for farmers, modernize policies, and expand access to risk protection.  

Details: The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation is implementing changes required by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act to update, streamline, and clarify several crop insurance policies, including: 

• Updating additional premium subsidy rates established in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. 

• Clarifying the harvest price methodology. 

• Deregulating regionalized program dates. 

• Incorporating quality adjustment and claims processes. 

• Updating FCIC contact information used to request interpretations of policy. 

• Making plain-language clarifications and corrections.  

More: The changes also include removing buy-up coverage for prevented planting in the crop insurance program. The changes will be effective for the 2026 and succeeding crop years for crops with a contract change date on or after Nov. 30, 2025. 

Recent ICBA Advocacy: ICBA testified before Congress in July on the importance of community banks to the nation’s agriculture credit markets and thanked members of Congress for including higher reference prices in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act as well as provisions benefiting crop insurance. 

Priority Issue: Advancing policies that will help community banks create rural prosperity, food independence, and a stronger nation are key priorities of ICBA’s “Repair, Reform, and Thrive” plan and open letter to the 119th Congress.