Federal regulators on Thursday provided a number of hemp updates, and announced two programs aimed at protecting hemp crops from natural disasters.
In a call with reporters, Farm Production and Conservation Undersecretary Bill Northey, Risk Management Agency Administrator Martin Barbre, Farm Service Agency Administrator Richard Fordyce, and Agricultural Marketing Service Administrator Bruce Summers gave updates on hemp ahead of the 2020 growing season, and answered questions about requirements for the domestic production of hemp.
First, the USDA announced specifics of two risk management programs for hemp growers. One pilot program, called the Multi-Peril Crop Insurance, is designed to cover hemp crop damage or loss due to things like fire or extreme weather events, and is available to farmers in some counties in only 21 states this year.
The next insurance program, the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program, is geared at providing protection to farmers where “no permanent federal crop insurance program is available.” Qualified farmers can apply for coverage under either program until March 16.
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