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SPRINGFIELD, Ill ― The USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) reminds Ohio producers of wheat and winter barley that they have until sales closing on September 30 to purchase crop insurance or make a change to their existing policy.

Crop insurance protects against yield and revenue losses. Producers have a number of coverage choices, including yield coverage, revenue protection and area risk policies.

RMA also recently announced the availability of the Supplemental Coverage Option (SCO) in select counties for winter and spring wheat for the 2015 crop year. SCO is a county-level policy endorsement that can be added to an underlying crop insurance policy, and covers a portion of losses not covered by the same crop’s underlying policy. Producers electing to participate in the Farm Service Agency’s Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) for a crop on a farm cannot buy SCO for the same crop on the farm.

Producers applying for SCO for the 2015 winter wheat crop may withdraw coverage on any farm where they have elected, or where they intend to elect, ARC for winter wheat by the earlier of their acreage reporting date or December 15 without penalty. This allows producers more time to make an informed decision related to whether to elect to participate in either the ARC or Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs for their winter wheat. If producers withdraw SCO coverage for a farm by the earlier of their acreage reporting date or December 15, they will not be charged a crop insurance premium. To withdraw coverage without penalty, producers must notify their agents of their intended election for ARC by the earlier of their winter wheat acreage reporting date or December 15.

SCO is available for winter wheat in Allen, Auglaize, Crawford, Darke, Defiance, Fairfield, Fayette, Fulton, Hancock, Hardin, Henry, Highland, Huron, Logan, Madison, Marion, Mercer, Morrow, Ottawa, Paulding, Pickaway, Putnam, Ross, Sandusky, Seneca, Shelby, Union, Van Wert, Williams, Wood, and Wyandot counties in Ohio. SCO is not available for winter barley for the 2015 crop year.

Crop insurance is sold and delivered solely through private crop insurance agents. Contact a local crop insurance agent for more information about the program. A list of crop insurance agents is available at all USDA Service Centers or on the RMA website at: http://www.rma.usda.gov/tools/agents/.