Laurie Wolinski, Extension Agent; lgw@udel.edu; Don Clifton, Farmers First Services, Decrophelp@gmail.com
Whole Farm Revenue Coverage (WFRP) was developed primarily as a means of providing income protection to producers of crops, dairy, and livestock for which individual yield and revenue protection policies were not available.
It is true that WFRP is gaining acceptance among Delaware producers of fresh produce and other non-insurable commodities. However, as WFRP is being more closely analyzed by Delaware farmers, it becoming more attractive as a possible enhancement to their current coverage choices for insurable crops. One of the reasons is the fact that the WFRP revenue coverage calculation for 2018 starts with a simple average of approved revenue for the years 2012-16.
The 2012 marketing year average price (MYA) for corn in Delaware is published by NASS as $7.55 and $14.40 for soybeans. For 2013, the MYA for corn was $4.94 and $12.40 for soybeans. Producers of processing vegetables will remember similarly higher contract prices in that time frame as well. Depending on yield, it is possible that a Delaware producer of grains and/or processing vegetables may have realized fifty percent higher gross income in 2012 as in 2016. With the five years 2012-2016 in the revenue data base, the WFRP coverage options may be very attractive. In addition, WFRP premiums tend to be considerably less expensive.
As with all crop insurance policies, WFRP can only be obtained from a crop insurance agent. The UD Extension/USDA Crop Insurance Education Partnership can provide producers detailed WFRP information and pre-calculations for their own farm as preparation for discussion with an agent. Contact Don Clifton at Decrophelp@gmail.com or (302) 242-8806.