Acting administrator of USDA's Risk Management Agency Richard Flournoy announced emergency flexibilities for producers affected by Hurricane Ida.  

"What it does is it provides until Oct. 29th for people to make adjustments to their coverage levels," Flournoy said. 

A managers' bulletin issued by the RMA notes that due to Hurricane Ida, a Category 4 hurricane, which damaged infrastructure in parts of Louisiana, affecting transportation, utilities, and communications, relief has been authorized to provide program flexibilities for insurance delivery partners and producers in this limited situation. 

Additionally, some producers are required to make changes to their existing crop insurance policies to meet the linkage requirements for the Farm Service Agency Quality Loss Adjustment program and Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program-Plus.  

The limited mobility and communication issues due to Hurricane Ida, coupled with ongoing pandemic restrictions, has hindered the ability for producers to meet with their crop insurance agent to make changes to crop insurance policies by the Sept. 30, 2021, sales closing date. 

Flournoy noted that the notice is mainly to make people aware that the time period to adjust their coverage levels has been extended. 

Approved insurance providers may elect to use the RMA flexibilities in the following parishes: Ascension, Assumption, Avoyelles, Concordia, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, Pointe Coupee, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, Vermillion, Washington, West Baton Rouge, and West Feliciana. 

Providers may also allow carryover insureds to increase coverage levels for crop policies. New insureds who applied by the deadline may be able to increase the coverage level for crop policies.  

New and carryover insureds may increase the coverage level for applicable endorsements, including Hurricane Insurance Protection-Wind Index or Supplemental Coverage Option. 

It is important to check with your provider as soon as possible to make sure the flexibilities apply to your operation. 

"The agent is the best source of information," Flournoy said.