Last year, 539.5 million acres were enrolled in federal crop insurance. This was an increase from 439.8 million acres. The USDA credits much of the rise to forage crop insurance plans.

Field crop coverage dropped from 78% of all covered acres in 2016 to 52% of covered acres in 2021. The forage acreage percentage increased from 16% to 40% in this same period. Specialty crop coverage also increased from 6% of covered acres in 2016 to 8% of covered acres in 2021.

USDA ERS economists Dylan Turner and Francis Tsiboe credit the Pasture, Rangeland and Forage plan, introduced in 2007, with solving issues associated with applying traditional crop insurance plans to forage production. This plan covers producers when forage for grazing or hay is lost due to a lack of rain.

Read more about the growth in forage crop insurance plans here.