Supplemental Coverage Option (SCO)

The Supplemental Coverage Option (SCO) is a county-level crop insurance option that provides additional coverage for a portion of a producer’s underlying crop insurance policy deductible. Producers must buy it as an endorsement to either the Yield Protection, Revenue Protection, or Revenue Protection with the Harvest Price Exclusion policies.

RMA is using yield data reported by insured producers, which allows SCO to be offered in more areas, and allows for more practice-specific insurance coverage to be offered. The federal government pays 65 percent of the premium cost for SCO.

For the 2016 crop year, SCO will now be available for alfalfa seed, canola, cultivated wild rice, dry peas, forage production, grass seed, mint, oats, onions, potatoes and rye in select counties for the 2016 crop year. It will also be expanded to additional counties for barely and winter wheat. SCO was first made available, starting with the 2015 crop year, in select counties for spring barley, corn, soybeans, wheat, sorghum, cotton, and rice. It has since been expanded to include many crops, including fresh fruit and vegetables.

Fact Sheets

• SCO Fact sheet

Policies and Handbooks

• SCO Endorsement
• SCO Standards Handbook

Press Releases

• USDA Expands Crop Insurance Options for Producers of Vegetables, Other Crops (Oct 20, 2015)
• USDA Broadens Crop Insurance Options for Fruit and Nut Producers (Jul 23, 2015)
• USDA Expands Crop Insurance Options, Provides Relief to Farmers Affected by Severe Weather (Jun 12, 2015)
• USDA Looks to Expand Supplemental Coverage Option for the 2016 Crop Year (Nov 19, 2014)
• USDA Releases Additional Supplemental Coverage Option Availability Maps (Aug 26, 2014)
• USDA Implements Key Farm Bill Crop Insurance Provision (Jul 29, 2014 )

Tools

• Commodities to be Reviewed for 2016 SCO Coverage (sorted by acreage)
• Crop Insurance Decision Tool (CIDT)
• 2016 SCO Map Viewer
• 2015 SCO Maps | 2015 SCO Text

Contact Information

Find a crop insurance agent to discuss available options for your farm or ranch.

Crop insurance is sold and delivered solely through private crop insurance agents. A list of crop insurance agents is available at all USDA Service Centers and online at the RMA Agent Locator.

For more information, contact RMA Public Affairs.