Pasture, Rangeland, and Forage (PRF) insurance has become one of the fastest-growing components of the Federal Crop Insurance Program, expanding rapidly as producers seek protection against rainfall-driven forage losses. Unlike traditional crop insurance, PRF relies on a precipitation index rather than measured yields, making it well suited for continuously grazed systems. This brief examines the national expansion of PRF from 2016 through 2025, documenting trends in insured acres, liabilities, and geographic penetration. Enrollment increased from roughly 52 million acres in 2016 to more than 316 million acres by 2025, with insured liabilities rising nearly fivefold. Growth was concentrated in western and plains states where forage-based livestock systems dominate, while participation remains limited in the Midwest, Southeast, and Northeast. Recent slowing in enrollment growth and near-complete penetration in several western states suggest the program may be approaching saturation in its core regions, shifting future growth prospects toward underrepresented areas and producer awareness rather than acreage expansion.
Tsiboe et al. (Wed,) studied this question.