Researcher(s)
- Simran Mehta, Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Delaware
Faculty Mentor(s)
- Kelly Davidson, Applied Economics and Statistics, University of Delaware
Abstract
As the effects of climate change intensify and crop loss continues to threaten farming communities across the United States, farmers’ enrollment in crop insurance programs becomes an increasingly concerning subject. Prevented Planting (PP), which is a publicly subsidized crop insurance policy, mitigates losses when a farmer is unable to plant an insured crop. Indemnities are based on the crop’s coverage, its Risk Management Agency (RMA) projected price, and its Actual Production History(APH)(Turner Et Al 2025). The current study conducts a literature review and spatial analysis along with qualitative interviews of farmers to analyze the incidence of prevented planting claims in the Mid-Atlantic Region to evaluate if there is a connection between the frequency of PP claims and their location on FEMA’s National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL) floodplain over the last 10 years. Using Findings from farmer interviews and data from the USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), I will use GIS to create a series of maps, first overlaying FEMA floodplain location and the incidence of PP claims by county. Then, a second map will overlay the RMA’s actuarial zoning map with planting deadline zones to understand how the RMA designates high risk areas. By combining the previous two maps, a spatial analysis will be performed to analyze if there is a relationship between farmers’ use of PP coverage and their FEMA floodplain location, and to evaluate the need for further research regarding coordination between the RMA and FEMA. These findings will help to determine if there is a relationship between farmers use of prevented planting indemnities and their proximity to the 100-year floodplain boundary, and underscore the importance of further coordination between the RMA and FEMA.