U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono announced that the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Risk Management Agency (RMA) is expanding Pasture, Rangeland, and Forage (PRF) rainfall index insurance to include Hawaii, for the first time ever, beginning in 2025. The PRF insurance program protects livestock producers against feed loss due to lack of precipitation, and will provide producers on Hawaii Island with coverage for grazing acres. According to Senator Hirono, "The expansion of the PRF program in Hawaii is an important step in promoting sustainability in our food and agricultural systems."
Nicole Galase, Managing Director of the Hawaii Cattlemen’s Council, highlighted the significance of this expansion, stating, "Ranchers in Hawaii did not have access to this beneficial program, but we are pleased that the USDA RMA worked with Hawaii's climate and weather scientists and ranchers on the ground to develop a program that fits Hawaii's unique and varied topography."
RMA Administrator Marcia Bunger emphasized the agency's commitment to tailoring insurance resources to meet the specific needs of producers, stating, "Rather than relying on a blanket across-the-country approach, we looked at ways to collect and analyze weather information and outcomes specific to our producers in Hawaii."
The PRF program is designed to provide insurance coverage on pasture, rangeland, and forage acres using a rainfall index to determine precipitation for coverage purposes. It helps protect producers from forage loss risks due to the lack of precipitation, although it does not insure against ongoing or severe drought.
The expansion of the PRF program in Hawaii is part of broader efforts to enhance insurance options for Hawaii producers. In 2023, RMA launched a targeted outreach effort in Hawaii to raise awareness of other insurance options such as Whole-Farm Revenue Protection and Micro Farm.
Senator Hirono, as a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) Committee, has been actively involved in legislation to protect Hawaii’s environment and support local farmers. In a separate initiative announced in September 2023, Senator Hirono revealed that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is awarding over $3.5 million to the Hawaii Department of Agriculture to support small-scale food production in communities experiencing food insecurity.