Farmers can now insure more types of crops for revenue, not just yield

The US government is changing crop insurance rules to let farmers insure flax for revenue, and to expand options for other specialty crops. This means farmers can protect against low prices, not just crop failure, for more of their harvest.

For years, many crop insurance policies only covered losses if a farmer's yield fell below a certain amount. This left farmers exposed to market price drops, even if their harvest was good. These changes mean more farmers can protect their income against price volatility, which makes it easier to plan and invest.