Jul 09 2025 12:00
Pasture and hay producers in Eastern North Carolina face a unique challenge: your yield depends on rainfall, not a harvest. Whether you’re managing grazing land in Johnston County or cutting hay near Sampson and Wayne, a dry stretch can set you back fast. Pasture, Rangeland & Forage (PRF) insurance is designed to help manage that risk — and it’s quickly becoming a go-to tool for livestock producers across the region.
What Is PRF Insurance?
PRF is a rainfall index insurance program. That means it doesn’t pay based on how much hay you cut or how much grass your cattle graze — instead, it’s tied to how much rain falls (or doesn’t fall) in your area. If rainfall drops below the long-term average during a selected 2-month window, you may qualify for a payment.
It’s a simpler option than many traditional crop policies and especially helpful in areas like Harnett or Lenoir County where pasture quality changes fast with rainfall.
Who Should Consider PRF?
If any part of your farm relies on rainfall for income — especially cattle, hay, or rotational grazing — PRF may be worth looking into. It’s available across all the counties we serve, and we help producers pick the right time periods and coverage levels based on past trends.
PRF is especially popular with:
Hay producers
Cattle farmers
Mixed-use row crop and grazing operations
Small pasture-based farms
Rainfall Tracking by Grid
Instead of measuring rain on your specific field, PRF uses a grid system based on NOAA data. Every part of North Carolina is assigned to a grid, and each grid is tracked separately. We help our clients understand their historical rainfall data and choose coverage windows that make the most sense — like early spring in Wilson County or late summer in Duplin.
Pairs Well with LRP & WFRP
We often help farmers use PRF alongside other policies like Livestock Risk Protection (LRP) and Whole-Farm Revenue Protection (WFRP). That way, you can build a coverage plan that includes both your animals and your land — without doubling up or paying for overlap. Whether you run a 50-head cow/calf operation or have 500 acres of hay under rotation, we’ll help you look at the full picture.
Think PRF might be a fit for your farm? We’d be glad to walk you through it, one step at a time. Give us a call and let’s sit down together — in your barn, your shop, or anywhere else you’d rather talk through the details.