RMA released the PM-25-054 – Rainfall Index Basic Provisions on August 29, 2025. One of the changes to the RI Basic Provision is to require leases or lease certification forms to be signed and submitted on or before the acreage reporting date and must be effective for the crop year.
Per the Rainfall Index Insurance Standards Handbook Leases must be signed or verbally agreed upon and documented with a signed Lease Certification Form by the acreage reporting date (12/1/25). The insured’s signature is the only signature required. The form must contain the landowner’s name, address, phone number, and yard location(s). Also, the date of commencement and expiration must be listed on the form. This form is also used for oral leases. If a compliance audit is later done on the policy, then the auditor will contact the landowner to verify this agreement was in place for the crop year.
We will complete the required forms and have them ready for you to sign but we will need a spreadsheet with all current yards and/or where you plan to put hives for the 2026 crop year so that we can complete the forms accurately. As stated above, we need all landowners’ names, addresses, phone numbers and yard locations. Please provide this information to your agent as soon as possible so that we can complete the required Lease Certification Form. Your attention to this would be much appreciated so that we can make sure that we have all required documentation in advance of the 12/1/25 acreage reporting date.