FARGO, N.D. — September 23, 2026 — A new report from the Agricultural Risk Policy Center at North Dakota State University examines how U.S. farmers have used supplemental crop insurance and how participation may change as subsidies and coverage bands shift in 2026 and 2027.

Trends and Outlook for Supplemental Crop Insurance in the United States, 2025, by Francis Tsiboe, Henrique Monaco, Hongxi Zhao, Jennifer Ifft, Rwit Chakravorty, Dylan Turner, and Shawn Arita, draws on USDA Risk Management Agency data from 2015 through 2025 and early 2026 sales. It focuses on products that help cover portions of the deductible left by an underlying crop insurance policy.

The report finds that supplemental coverage reached 86 million acres in 2025, with the Enhanced Coverage Option (ECO) accounting for 72 percent. Insured ECO acreage rose roughly fourfold after a 2025 increase in its premium subsidy, with much of the growth in the Midwest and Northern Plains. Participation in the Supplemental Coverage Option (SCO), meanwhile, fell from its 2023 peak.

Early 2026 sales suggest another increase. The report projects ECO adoption at 61.8 percent of eligible acreage and SCO adoption at 26.5 percent, but cautions that observed ECO participation is about 9.9 percentage points below the projection where acreage reporting is complete. The authors describe 2026 as a transition year: the higher subsidies apply before the revised SCO and ECO coverage bands take effect in 2027.

The analysis also notes that a large increase in insured acres does not translate into the same increase in insured value. Supplemental products cover relatively narrow layers above the deductible, and their value depends on the coverage selected under the primary policy. The findings offer context for farmers, insurance professionals, Extension specialists, and policymakers assessing the reach and cost of supplemental protection.

Full report: https://bit.ly/4ryANhI

Media Contact
Agricultural Risk Policy Center (ARPC)
North Dakota State University
arpc@ndsu.edu
www.ndsu.edu/agriculture/arpc