The USDA announced policy enhancements to the grapevine insurance program, starting for the 2025 crop year. USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) is expanding coverage to vines grafted between six and 12 months, by reducing the grafting period from 12 months to six months. RMA is also expanding coverage to 29 additional counties in California.

The program is also available in select counties in Idaho, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas and Washington. The sales closing date for the 2025 crop year is Nov. 1, 2024.

Grapevine crop insurance pays losses when the vine is dead or so badly damaged it will not recover in the following 12 months. It covers freeze, fire, hail, flood, and failure of the irrigation water supply caused by an unavoidable, naturally occurring event. The program is designed to complement the grape crop insurance program that covers the fruit growing on the vine.

RMA collaborated with stakeholders to expand this program. In crop year 2024, producers insured $129 million in covered liabilities on 12 million grapevines.

Read more about the expanded grapevine crop insurance program here.