By Julie Tomascik
Editor

The deadline to enroll acreage for the 2026 Pasture, Rangeland and Forage (PRF) insurance program is Dec. 1.

“Much of Texas saw quite a bit of rainfall earlier this year, but drought is creeping back in,” said Tracy Tomascik, Texas Farm Bureau associate director of Commodity and Regulatory Activities. “PRF insurance gives ranchers a tool to manage those weather risks and maintain stability for their herds and operations when the rain just doesn’t come.”

PRF is a federal crop insurance program that protects against lack of rainfall for both haying and grazing ground. It’s designed to help offset replacement feed costs when forage losses occur due to insufficient precipitation.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Risk Management Agency (RMA) administers the PRF program and policies through crop insurance agents.

Coverage is based on the local rainfall index, not on individual production losses.

RMA uses historical weather data to compare precipitation levels for a selected two-month period to longterm averages for the same area. If rainfall is below the historical average, an indemnity payment is triggered.

“This program gives ranchers a safety net during dry periods when grass doesn’t grow and feed costs rise,” Tomascik said. “It helps them manage risk in a way that’s tied directly to the weather patterns they can’t control.”

Farmers and ranchers are not required to insure all pasture acres for the entire year. Coverage can be selected in two-month intervals or extended across all six intervals to provide year-round protection.

Premiums for PRF insurance vary by county, use for grazing or haying, coverage level, productivity level and grid location.

Visit rma.usda.gov or contact your crop insurance agent for more details.