Washed-Out Florida Farms Show Limits of Crop Insurance Reach
- Only 34 percent of vegetable acreage covered, fruits lag
- Nearly universal coverage in Midwest protects against drought
Inside A Kroger Co. Store Ahead Of Earnings Figures
Photographer: Luke Sharrett/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
In the U.S, government-backed insurance plans help compensate farmers for losses after natural disasters. Unfortunately for the produce growers that were ravaged by recent hurricanes, a lot of the nation’s vegetable and fruit crops aren’t covered.
Hurricanes Irma and Harvey, which devastated parts of Florida, Texas and the Gulf Coast, also hit some of the nation’s least-insured crops, based on data the U.S. Department of Agriculture released in a report Wednesday. Nationwide, only 16 percent of peppers and 2 percent of strawberries, both key Florida products, are covered by insurance.