USDA expands crop insurance coverage for camelina in counties including in Montana

Press release

U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency announced it will expand insurance for camelina in the Southern Plains and Pacific Northwest regions, providing additional grower certainty as demand for the renewable fuel feedstock crop rises across the US.

The newly adopted program by the USDA RMA now allows written agreements in select counties in Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas and Washington.

Global Clean Energy Holdings Inc. and its subsidiary Sustainable Oils, Inc., the world’s largest camelina producer, collaborated extensively with the USDA to make this expansion possible. 

“We like to say that camelina protects like a cover crop and pays like a cash crop — benefits that are increasingly important to strengthening our soil health and rural agricultural communities,” Sustainable Oils President Mike Karst said. “Thanks to this insurance expansion by the USDA’s RMA, farmers can grow camelina with confidence knowing there is a safety net to protect their crop. Risk management is critical for the continued adoption of camelina throughout the country, providing ultra-low carbon intensity renewable fuels and enhancing soil health on farmland. We thank the USDA for recognizing the value of this important crop and adapting policies to support its continued growth.”

Camelina is a nonfood crop that is used as an ultra-low carbon feedstock for renewable fuel production and as an ingredient for high protein animal feed. Its short production cycle allows camelina to be incorporated into existing crop rotations providing the benefits of a cover crop during idle/fallow land periods, and additional revenue for growers.

The new camelina crop insurance offers Actual Production History coverage and only camelina grown under contract with a processor is eligible for coverage. Growers interested in camelina can contact Sustainable Oils for more information. Read more about camelina crop insurance on the USDA Risk Management Agency website at https://www.rma.usda.gov .