Enhanced Subsidies Boost Coverage Options

As farmers and ranchers prepare for the 2026 crop year, crop insurance decisions are taking center stage. At the Ihry Insurance annual crop insurance meetings in Hope and Hillsboro, Agent Reed Ihry said recent changes are providing new flexibility. “In the past, we weren’t able to buy the supplemental coverage option,” said Ihry. Now, ECO covers them from 86 to 95 percent, so top-end costs a little more, but we’re trying to protect their balance sheet from the top down on a countywide loss.” With improved government support for programs like ECO and SCO, Ihry says some growers are seeing lower premiums even as they boost coverage levels. He also encourages livestock producers not to overlook risk management tools, especially with cattle prices near record highs. Ihry says Livestock Risk Protection and Pasture, Rangeland and Forage policies remain valuable tools to guard against both price swings and weather-related losses.