NextGen Crop Insurance Pilot
The NextGen Crop Insurance Pilot funds research on regenerative soil health practices and their impact on crop insurance for Michigan corn and soybean growers.
Funder: Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development
Due Dates: Not specified; pilot open for 2027 crop year enrollment
Funding Amounts: $480,900 total grant to pilot; individual participant savings/benefits vary by coverage and practices
Summary: Flexible crop insurance pilot for Michigan corn and soybean growers using regenerative soil health practices in select counties.
Key Information: Pilot currently limited to Huron, Saginaw, Sanilac, and Tuscola counties for the 2027 crop year.
Description
The NextGen Crop Insurance Pilot, supported by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD), aims to provide Michigan farmers with more flexible and tailored crop insurance options when they adopt regenerative practices that improve soil health. The initiative focuses on rewarding practices such as cover cropping, diversified rotations, and reduced tillage, which are shown to improve farm resilience and profitability by building healthier soils and reducing crop loss risk. The pilot is designed to develop a new insurance model that better reflects the reduced risks associated with regenerative agriculture, aligning insurance pricing with improved risk profiles and offering farmers greater input into coverage design.
