WSDA Promotes Insurance Workshops for Protecting Farm Revenues.

Business Editors

OLYMPIA, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 23, 2002

The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) is sponsoring workshops designed to assist growers in 11 Eastern Washington counties to take advantage of a business tool to protect gross revenues.

Producers in Adams, Benton, Chelan, Douglas, Franklin, Grant, Kittitas, Klickitat, Okanogan, Walla Walla, and Yakima counties are eligible to participate in the Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) insurance program. Deadline to sign up for the innovative insurance program is Jan. 31.

AGR insurance is entering its fourth year as a pilot program. It is different from traditional crop insurance products in that it allows growers to protect against both crop production and market risk by using the average revenue reported on farmers' federal income tax return to provide a level of guaranteed revenue. Farmers can learn how to use the program by attending one of four free workshops scheduled as follows:

-- Prosser -- Jan. 14, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., WSU Research Station

-- Yakima -- Jan. 14, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., Yakima Valley College, Kendall Hall Auditorium

-- Wenatchee -- Jan. 15, 10 a.m. to noon, Wenatchee Valley College, Campus Theatre

-- Okanogan -- Jan. 16, 10 a.m. to noon, Okanogan County Fairgrounds

The workshops are co-sponsored by WSDA, the Spokane office of the U. S. Department of Agriculture Risk Management Agency, and Washington State University Cooperative Extension.

"We sense that growers are looking for better ways to protect the huge investment they have in growing their crops. Because the new AGR product offers true income protection, we are finding it has special appeal for growers," said Dennis Fiess, WSDA risk management education specialist in Spokane.

"Apple growers in some areas have experienced devastating weather-related crop losses in recent years. That fact, coupled with low fruit prices, is forcing our growers to look for new ways to maintain profitability. This insurance product may be one of those ways."

AGR provides protection during the insurance year against loss of revenue due to any unavoidable natural disaster and market fluctuation. Essentially, all commodities produced during the insurance year (including livestock) are covered under one insurance product.

For additional information about the workshops, contact Dennis Fiess at 509/477-2196.