How are the projected price and harvest price determined?

The projected price and harvest price for crop insurance are determined primarily by the Commodity Exchange Price Provisions (CEPP), reflecting market conditions that are established through trading on commodity exchanges. This methodology ensures that the prices used in crop insurance calculations are aligned with real-time economic conditions and the actual trading behavior in the markets.

By relying on the CEPP, the prices represent a standardized reference point that reflects expectations about future prices (projected price) and the actual average market price at harvest time (harvest price). This mechanism helps to provide farmers with an accurate and reliable framework for assessing their crop insurance needs and potential payouts.

Other options may suggest alternative methods such as historical averages or local analyses, but those approaches do not capture the dynamic nature of the markets in the same way that the CEPP does. They might provide context or ancillary information, but they lack the formal structure and timeliness that the CEPP brings to the determination of these critical prices in crop insurance.