Crop insurance coverage is based in part on your farm’s production history.
Actual Production History (APH) is the record of your farm’s production and forms the foundation of your crop insurance policy.
One insurance officer described APH as the “meat and potatoes” of a crop insurance policy because it helps determine coverage and influences how producers make the most of what they are paying for. If that information is incomplete or inaccurate, or if certain policy options have been overlooked, your coverage may not reflect your farm as well as it should.
Key takeaways
Actual Production History (APH) helps determine crop insurance coverage, making accurate production records essential to how well a policy protects your farm.
An APH review examines production entries, units, land history, and policy options to confirm that the policy matches the producer’s records.
An insurance review may identify something worth addressing or confirm that the crop insurance policy is already set up correctly.
Producers can begin an APH review with their existing records or authorize their local office to request information from the Approved Insurance Provider (AIP).
What an APH review examines
During an APH review, an insurance officer may examine production entries, units, land history, prior records, and available options.
For example, one review found that trend adjustment, an option designed to account for yield trends over time, was not reflected in the producer’s history. This made the APH 40 bushels lower than it could have been, significantly negatively impacting a potential insurance payout.
A review does not always mean changes are needed
An APH review may uncover an error, a missed option, or something worth discussing. It may also confirm that everything is already set up correctly.
Either result gives the producer a clearer understanding of the information behind the policy.
An APH review may uncover an error, a missed option or something worth discussing. It may also confirm that everything is already set up correctly.
What happens during a review?
A review typically starts with the producer’s crop insurance company. If producers do not have those records, they may be able to sign a release form, so the information can be requested from the AIP or crop insurance company.
Will my current agent be notified?
An APH review can take place without involving or notifying your current agent. The review may confirm that everything is set up correctly or identify an option or policy detail worth discussing.
From there, an insurance officer may review:
Production history
Entries and units
Land or acreage changes
Current and available policy options
Why a second set of eyes can help
Crop insurance has many moving parts. Even when everyone involved is doing their best, details can be missed.
A second review can help confirm that the policy reflects accurate information, and that available crop insurance options have been considered.
Request an APH review
If you have your APH records, bring them to the conversation. If not, your local office can access them with your permission.
