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Margin Coverage Option Crop Insurance

MCO crop insurance is an area-based insurance plan to help farmers protect their operating margins from the dual threats of falling revenues and rising input costs.

MCO Crop Insurance Overview

Understanding Margin Coverage Option (MCO)

Margin Coverage Option (MCO) provides coverage against an unexpected decrease in operating margin caused by reduced county yields, reduced commodity prices, increased prices of certain inputs or any combination of these perils

MCO is an area-based plan, which is not tied to your actual grain sales, yields or input purchases. It attaches to an underlying Revenue Protection (RP/RP-HPE), Yield Protection (YP) or Actual Production History (APH) policy.

Margin Coverage Option helps leverage opportunities and mitigate risk, especially for those whose yields are consistent with the county they farm in.

How MCO Works

A payment is triggered when the harvest margin for your county falls below the trigger margin, due to lower yields, falling prices, or higher input costs.

The indemnity is calculated based on the difference between the expected and actual margins, multiplied by a payment factor that reflects the severity of the loss.

Indemnities

Just like other area plans, indemnities are paid when final county yields are available, in the spring/summer of the following calendar year.

Important Dates

Initial Price Discovery: August 15 – September 14
Sales Closing Deadline: September 30

Eligible Crops

MCO is available for the 2026 crop year in these crops/areas:

Corn/Soybeans: Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin
Spring wheat: Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota
Grain sorghum: Kansas

Why Consider MCO?

Simple and Strategic

MCO offers many of the benefits of Margin Protection (MP) insurance but in a more straightforward format.

Substantial Subsidy

With an 80% premium subsidy, MCO is a cost-effective way to add another layer of protection.

Earlier Price Discovery

MCO uses the highest of three pricing windows—August 15–September 14, February, or October—giving you more flexibility and marketing opportunities.

Input Cost Protection

It factors in key input costs like diesel, natural gas, and fertilizers (urea, potash, DAP), helping you manage rising expenses.

Why Work With Us for Crop Insurance

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Dedicated Specialists

Our agents are non-commissioned and focus 100% of their time on crop insurance and livestock insurance — every working day of every week in the year. They don’t sell property, casualty or life insurance.

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Highly Trained

Our insurance officers receive annual training on RMA changes to crop insurance and livestock insurance plans and stay informed throughout the year.

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Financial Expertise

As a lender, we understand financial risk and work to protect your working capital, not just your crop or livestock.

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Exclusive Tools

Leverage our exclusive policy review and Hail Analyzer tools to receive a personalized insurance plan - maximizing your net indemnity, cash flow, forward market opportunities, and minimizing your premium costs.