USDA Supports Farmers with Buy Up Option

By Scout Nelson

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is restoring the prevented plant buy-up option under the federal crop insurance program. The decision provides farmers with additional financial protection when weather or other natural disasters prevent crops from being planted. The restored option helps reduce financial risk and gives producers greater confidence when facing unpredictable growing conditions.

The announcement follows discussions between Senator John Hoeven and USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins during a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing. Both leaders recognized the importance of maintaining strong crop insurance tools that help producers manage weather-related losses and support farm operations during difficult growing seasons.

The prevented plant buy-up option allows farmers to purchase an additional five percent of insurance coverage beyond the standard prevented planting protection. This added coverage offers extra financial security when flooding, excessive rainfall, drought, or other disasters stop producers from planting crops on time.

The insurance option has been widely used by farmers across the United States. During 2025, it helped provide additional protection for more than 67 million acres of farmland, including approximately 10 million acres in North Dakota. The restoration ensures that producers continue to have access to this valuable risk management tool.

Senator Hoeven worked with several lawmakers and USDA officials to support the return of the program. The effort included bipartisan cooperation with Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman and Ranking Member Amy Klobuchar. Discussions also included USDA Under Secretary Richard Fordyce and officials from the Office of Management and Budget.

“Given the challenges facing farm country, we worked very hard to restore this prevented plant buy-up option to provide our producers with an additional layer of protection when disaster prevents them from planting their fields,” said Hoeven. “We worked closely with Secretary Rollins and Under Secretary Fordyce on this issue, and very much appreciate their efforts to restore this option for our producers. This is an important tool that has been utilized by producers to cover more than 67 million acres across the nation, including 10 million in North Dakota.”

Photo Credit: usda