Crop Insurance
Dexter, Harrisonville, Malden, Smithville

With access to a wide range of trusted crop insurance providers, we’ll work with you to find the right coverage for your farm’s unique needs—backed by the personal service you deserve.

What Is Crop Insurance?

Crop insurance helps protect your farm’s income if your crops are damaged or lost due to things like bad weather, pests, or other unexpected problems. It’s available for many types of crops—like corn, wheat, soybeans, and cotton—and can be tailored to fit the size and needs of your operation. Whether you run a large farm or a smaller one, crop insurance gives you peace of mind and helps keep your business running strong.

How Does Crop Insurance Work?

Crop insurance is a financial safety net for farmers. It helps protect against losses caused by natural disasters—like droughts, floods, or hail—as well as unexpected drops in market prices. When a covered loss occurs, the farmer submits a claim, and an adjuster assesses the damage. If the loss is validated, the insurance provider pays out according to the policy terms. This ensures farmers have the financial stability to recover and replant, helping maintain long-term viability.

What Is Covered Under Crop Insurance?

Coverage varies depending on the type of crop and policy selected, but common covered events include:

• Natural disasters like hail, drought, flooding, frost, and wind
• Insect infestations and plant diseases
• Price fluctuations in the commodity market
• Yield shortfalls due to uncontrollable environmental factors

Many policies are federally subsidized and come in two main types: Multiple Peril Crop Insurance (MPCI) and Crop-Hail Insurance, allowing flexibility based on your specific risks and exposures.

What is Multi-Peril Crop Insurance (MPCI)?

MPCI helps protect your crops by allowing you to insure a portion of your usual harvest, based on your farm’s historical production. If you end up harvesting less than that due to things like weather or pests, your policy can help cover the loss.

MPCI Coverage Options:

• Adverse weather conditions
• Fire
• Insects
• Plant disease
• Wildlife
• Earthquake
• Volcanic eruption
• Failure of irrigation water supply
• Hail
• Whole farm revenue
• Livestock gross margin policy
• Dairy price fluctuation

What Is Crop-Hail Insurance?

Crop-hail insurance offers extra protection for your crops in case of hailstorms—one of the few weather events that can completely wipe out part of a field while leaving the rest untouched. Unlike some federal crop insurance programs, crop-hail policies can be purchased at any time during the growing season and often provide coverage down to the acre. It’s a great way to fill gaps in your primary policy and make sure you’re covered for one of nature’s most unpredictable risks.

What Is Agribusiness Insurance?

Agribusiness insurance goes beyond crops—it’s a complete risk management solution for the entire farming operation. It can include:

• Property insurance for buildings, equipment, and machinery
• Liability coverage for on-farm accidents and product issues
• Business interruption coverage to help manage financial losses during downtime
• Employee-related insurance, such as workers compensation

This coverage is ideal for larger, more complex farming operations or those with commercial processing, packaging, or distribution elements.

Does My Farm Need Insurance?

Yes—if you’re operating a working farm, insurance is essential. Farming is inherently risky due to factors like unpredictable weather, fluctuating commodity prices, and equipment breakdowns. Insurance protects your livelihood by ensuring you can recover from unexpected setbacks without jeopardizing your long-term business goals. Whether you’re raising livestock, growing crops, or both, the right coverage gives you peace of mind.

Does a Homestead Need Insurance?

Even small-scale or hobby farms—like homesteads—benefit from insurance. Homesteads may involve livestock, gardens, small crops, or equipment that can still face similar risks as large farms. Plus, if you host visitors, sell produce, or use heavy tools, liability exposure increases. While not all standard homeowners’ policies cover farming activities, a tailored policy can provide the protection you need for your land, tools, structures, and any side income your homestead generates.

Crop Insurance Built Around You

We know every farm is different, and we’re here to support the unique needs of your operation. Our team offers local, tailored insurance solutions for a wide range of agricultural industries, including (but not limited to):

• Crop Owners
• Dairy Farmers
• Orchard and Vineyard Owners
• Retail and Wholesale Fruit/Grocery Markets

With years of hands-on experience and strong relationships in the crop industry, we understand the risks you face and how to help protect against them. We’re proud to serve all farmers and producers as an equal opportunity provider.

What Crop Insurance Services Does Stafford-Leavitt Insurance Services Offer?

• Competitive rates for hail and other private crop insurance coverages
• Hay fire coverages with high insurance limits, including coverage for overseas transit
• Free mapping for all of your farm units
• Unparalleled knowledge and service for multi-peril crop insurance
• Quarterly crop insurance newsletter to keep you up to date on coverages, changes, additions, and deadlines of all crop insurance programs

Ready to Protect Your Operation?

No matter the size or type of your farm, we’re here to help you face the unexpected with confidence. At Stafford-Leavitt Insurance Services, our goal is to make sure you have the right coverage in place—so you can focus on what you do best. Reach out to our team today to explore your options and see how we can support your farm’s future.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is agribusiness insurance? 

  Agribusiness insurance is insurance for any agriculture-associated business. There are a variety of policy types because agribusiness is a large field that includes many diverse industries. Some of these industries include: 

  • Commercial Farms
  • Family Farms and Ranches
  • Vineyards
  • Dairies
  • Orchards
  • Wholesale Nurseries
  • Cotton Growers
  • Pumpkin Patches
  • Stables 

  Your agribusiness policy will be completely unique to you, based on what your company produces and what your needs and risks are. 

• What kind of insurance do farmers and ranchers need? 

  The exact coverage you need will vary based on your business's operations. However, some types of insurance can benefit almost every agriculture business.

  • General Liability Protects your company from claims of bodily injury, property damage, product damage, and more.
  • Commercial Auto Even if you use a personal vehicle for work, a personal auto insurance policy doesn't cover the car while it's being used for work purposes. 
  • Property  Offers protection for commercial structures, business personal property, and machinery. 
  • Theft and Crime Crime-related losses aren't usually covered by your property insurance and require their own unique coverage. 
  • Workers Compensation If any employees are injured or become ill on the job, this insurance can cover the payment of their medical expenses, lost wages, and rehabilitation costs. 
  • Inland Marine You can protect stored products or equipment in an off-site location, mobile irrigation systems, and products you are transporting with inland marine insurance.  
• What is farm liability coverage? 

  Farm liability coverage is different from general liability coverage, even though they sound very similar.

  General liability is just that, general. Farm liability can be broken down further into more specific coverages.

  Here are a few types of specific liability policies available for different agricultural industries. 

  • Farmers Market/Roadside Stand
  • Agritourism/Agritainment
  • Equine Operations
  • Farm & Agricultural Pollution
  • Seedmen's Error & Omissions
• Is there anything agribusiness insurance doesn't cover? 
  As with any standard insurance policy, there are specific exclusions and exceptions. One of the most notable exclusions people often don't know about is fencing. In a basic agribusiness policy, the fencing on your property is excluded. However, if you rely on your fencing to keep your daily operations organized and running smoothly, you can find special riders and policy extensions that add fence coverage.  
• What is farm insurance? 
  Farm insurance is a specialized form of agribusiness insurance that provides you dual coverage by protecting your home and operation. Policies differ, but like agribusiness insurance, the four main areas of coverage include:  Home and contents (detached garages, other personal use buildings)  Farm and ranch personal property (livestock, feed, machinery, equipment)  Farm and ranch structures  Business and personal liability coverage 
• What does agribusiness insurance cover? 

  Agribusiness insurance covers a broad spectrum of risks   as long as it relates to your agriculture business. However, you can break down the available coverages into four easier-to-understand categories.

  • Your home and its contents
  • Farm personal property
  • Farm structures 
  • Liability protection