Release Notes 8.040.0

RMA has introduced Point of Reference with the 2020 Rainfall and Vegetation Index Handbook as an acreage reporting requirement to report Latitude and Longitude with Acreage Reporting. This ticket is for printing the Point of Reference data on the API / PRF Combo Form. The API / PRF Combo Form has been updated in the following way for all years: the Point of Reference field will be blank (i.e., will be a user-filled field) unless the form is being printed with a pre-filled report style; when printed with this report style, the Latitude and Longitude for the Grid ID will print if one has been entered.

It was reported to MCT that the Production Report was printing zero values in the year where the production needs to be reported when the form was printed with the "Pre-print for next year" print option selected. The Production Report was updated to not print zero values in the year where production needs to be reported when the form is being printed with the "Pre-print for next year" print option selected.

NOTE: When the Production Report is printed with PP acres, the form is printing zeros. MCT is working on this piece in the 8.045 release with TFS #97264.

RMA made some additional updates to the BFR Application in the 2020 DSSH for WFRP, and some of the changes were additional updates to what RMA announced in March 2019 with Bulletin MGR-19-004 for WFRP. The BFR Application has been updated in the following ways for all years:

WFRP: In 2017, in the 6.035 release with TFS #67311, functionality was implemented to allow users to key an Estimated MPCI Liability value. AIPs requested this functionality due to the timing difference between reporting commodities on a WFRP policy and reporting acreage on the underlying MPCI policy. The way this functionality previously worked is if a value existed in the Estimated MPCI Liability field on the Income/Expense Record and a value did not exist in the standard MPCI Liability field, the System would use the Estimated MPCI Liability value in the calculation of premium and liability on the WFRP policy. In addition, when premium and liability was calculated using the Estimated MPCI Liability value, the EstimatedMPCILiabilityFlag in the database was set to "true". This flag allowed forms functionality to determine which field to pull MPCI Liability from (MPCI Liability or Estimated MPCI Liability) as well as to print an indicator notifying the grower that premium and liability values were calculated using Estimated MPCI Liability.

Following the implementation of this functionality, AIPs began receiving P19-72846 errors. These errors were traced back to the use of the Estimated MPCI Liability in the premium calculations. Since the Estimated MPCI Liability does not transmit to RMA, PASS calculates premium without an MPCI Liability value; however, the System was calculating premium using the Estimated MPCI Liability, causing the System and PASS to determine different premium amounts.

Given all this, AIPs requested the Estimated MPCI Liability functionality be redesigned to prevent P19 errors for premium. To account for this, with this ticket, separate database fields were be added to allow the System to calculate and store WFRP premium calculated using Estimated MPCI Liability separately from WFRP premium without the Estimated MPCI Liability as needed for transmission on the P19 Record.

With this ticket, the following changes have been made for the 2020+ RYs:

2020 API Special Provisions were updated and made available from RMA in August. The following Special Provisions for 2020 have been downloaded with 2020_SPOI_0831.zip:

2020 Avocados, Almonds, and Peaches Special Provisions were updated and made available from RMA on 8/8/2019. The following Special Provisions for 2020 have been downloaded with 2020_SPOI_0831.zip:

The SPOIs can be printed with the Policy Declaration Page by selecting the "All Provisions" option.

2020 Blueberries Special Provisions were updated and made available from RMA on 8/8/2019. The following Special Provisions for 2020 have been downloaded with 2020_SPOI_0831.zip:

The SPOIs can be printed with the Policy Declaration Page by selecting the "All Provisions" option.

2020 Cherries Special Provisions were updated and made available from RMA on 8/23/2019. The following Special Provisions for 2020 have been downloaded with 2020_SPOI_0831.zip:

The SPOIs can be printed with the Policy Declaration Page by selecting the "All Provisions" option.

2020 Grapes Special Provisions were updated and made available from RMA on 9/13/2019. The following Special Provisions for 2020 have been downloaded with 2020_SPOI_0831.zip:

The SPOIs can be printed with the Policy Declaration Page by selecting the "All Provisions" option.

2020 Mac Trees Special Provisions were updated and made available from RMA on 8/8/2019. The following Special Provisions for 2020 have been downloaded with 2020_SPOI_0831.zip:

The SPOIs can be printed with the Policy Declaration Page by selecting the "All Provisions" option.

2020 WFRP Special Provisions were updated and made available from RMA in August. The following Special Provisions for 2020 have been downloaded with 2020_SPOI_0831.zip:

2020 PRF Special Provisions were updated and made available from RMA in August. The following Special Provisions for 2020 have been downloaded with 2020_SPOI_0831.zip:

The SPOIs can be printed with the Policy Declaration Page by selecting the "All Provisions" option.

A column for Liability has been added to the Livestock Register (Reports > MPCI Reporting > Livestock Register) Excel export before the Base Premium column.

Back in 2017 in the 6.035 release with TFS #67311, functionality was implemented to allow users to key an Estimated MPCI Liability value. AIPs requested this functionality due to the timing difference between reporting commodities on a WFRP policy and reporting acreage on the underlying MPCI policy. The way this functionality currently works is if a value exists in the Estimated MPCI Liability field on the Income/Expense Record and a value does not exist in the standard MPCI Liability field, the System will use the "Estimated MPCI Liability" value in the calculation of premium and liability on the WFRP policy. In addition, when premium and liability is calculated using the "Estimated MPCI Liability" value, the EstimatedMPCILiabilityFlag in the database gets set to true. This flag allows the functionality of the forms to determine which field to pull MPCI Liability from (MPCI Liability or Estimated MPCI Liability) as well as to print an indicator notifying the grower that premium and liability values were calculated using Estimated MPCI Liability.

Following the implementation of this functionality, AIPs began receiving P19-72846 errors. These errors were traced back to the use of the "Estimated MPCI Liability" in the premium calculations. Since the Estimated MPCI Liability does not transmit to RMA, PASS calculates premium without an MPCI Liability value; however, the System was calculating premium using the Estimated MPCI Liability, causing the System and PASS to determine different premium amounts.

Given all this, AIPs requested the Estimated MPCI Liability functionality be redesigned to prevent P19 errors for premium. To account for this, separate database fields were added to allow the System to calculate and store WFRP premium calculated using Estimated MPCI Liability separately from WFRP premium without the Estimated MPCI Liability needed for transmission on the P19 Record.

This ticket implemented changes to the WFRP format of the Schedule of Insurance (SOI) to use the Estimated Liability amount when applicable. The database and System interface updates were done with TFS #102189 for the 2020+ RYs. The form changes were done for all years since the page will determine when data changes are allowed.

During automated testing, a page break issue was found on the WFRP Combo Form on the Farm Op Report page where the Farm Opt Report Commodity lines split between two pages. This was not happening on the pre-print option, only when the Farm Op Report data was entered and the form was printed. For all Crop Years, the WFRP Combo Form Farm Op Report Page has been updated to not print the Commodity line on the Farm Op Report page unless the full Commodity line has room to print on the page.

It was found that the "Pre-print for next year" and "Supplemental Coverage Option (SCO) Endorsement Application" print options for the Policy Change Form were not working as designed. The Policy Change Form has been updated in the following ways for all Crop Years:

MCT found that a blank extra page was printing after Page 1 for the MPCI Application when the Remarks field got close to the Page 1 Legend. The MPCI Application has been updated for all years so this extra blank page no longer prints after Page 1.

Previously, there were too many SBI lines printing on the SBI page and they were rolling over to a second page on the Perennial Combo Form. Also, the Legend for the ARH page was printing on its own page instead of under the ARH databases. The Perennial Combo Form has been updated in the following ways for all years:

The Packer Citrus Freeze Proof of Loss forms have been updated in the following ways:

With the 8.035 release, the System was updated to collapse the Shareholder, Land ID, and Planted Field banner bars at the initial load of the Maintain APH page. All functionality still continued to exist when the banners were expanded and users were still able to navigate to the Shareholder, Land ID, and/or Planted Field pages from the APH but the data associated with these banners was not rendered on the initial load of the page. With this ticket, the same logic was implemented on the Maintain Detail Line page. The System was updated with this ticket to have the same functionality as the Maintain APH page at load of the Maintain Detail Line page. The banners will display collapsed at load of the page, allowing the Maintain Detail Line page to load much quicker and work more efficiently for System users.

Perennials: Changes are being implemented due to updates in the 2020 RY Crop Insurance Handbook (CIH). If one of the actual yields in the most recent three Crop Years is eligible for exclusion in the actuarial documents, the Yield Variance and Alternate Bearing Tests are not applicable; however, the Downward Trending test is. Prior to the 2020 RY, none of the tests were applicable. Page 262 of the 2020 RY CIH outlines that Yield Variance testing in 1862D is not applicable and the APH is not reduced for Alternate Bearing; however, Downward Trending Tests are applicable.

The scope of this ticket implemented the Downward Trending Test if one of the actual yields in the most recent three Crop Years in the APH Database is eligible for YE exclusion in the actuarial documents (this means that a year is identified in the actuarial documents as qualifying for the YE exclusion and does not require selection of the YE option by the grower). The Yield Variance Test or Alternate Bearing A & B tests are not applicable; however, the Downward Trending Test is applicable and will result in yield adjustment as outlined in the CIH or RMA RO Underwriting Guidelines if determined appropriate.

Companion Policy: It was reported that the Companion Policy icon was not displaying on the View MPCI Detail Line page when the user keyed the link information through the Maintain Detail Line page. The same issue was not able to be replicated, but the developer did find that the Companion Policy icon was missing for Peanuts on the Maintain Detail Line page and Companion-related fields were also editable instead of read-only for Companion lines. The System was updated to now display the Companion Policy icon for Peanuts within the Maintain Detail Line page. Also, the following is a list of fields that were editable within the Maintain Detail Line page but were updated to correctly display as read-only for Companion lines:

Late Processed: An issue was reported with the late processed flag of "08" for multiple P14 records. When a user attempted to apply this late processed flag to a Dry Pea coverage, the System was displaying an error message stating the flag was not valid for the State/County/Crop/Plan. This error message also referenced RMA Appendix III Exhibit 14-6 which states that Plan 90 Dry Peas allow a late processed flag of 08 but Plans 01, 02, and 03 Dry Peas are not mentioned.

RMA provided clarification that the late processed flag of "08" is valid for Dry Peas insured under Plans 01, 02, and 03 as well as Dry Beans insured under Plans 01, 02, and 03. RMA also stated they will be updating Exhibit 14-6. As such, the error message logic has been updated to allow a late processed flag of "08" on Plans 01, 02, or 03 Dry Peas and Dry Beans.

Native Sod: With the 2018 Farm Bill, changes were made to the Native Sod program. Land falling under Native Sod procedures will now be under two different sets of procedures depending on the year in which the ground was broken out. Native Sod acreage broken out after the passage of the 2014 Farm Bill (February 8th, 2014), but before the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill (December 21st, 2018) will fall under the 2014 Farm Bill Native Sod Procedures. Acreage broken out after the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill will fall under the 2018 Farm Bill Native Sod Procedures. In addition, land falling under the 2018 Farm Bill Procedures will be subject to Native Sod procedures for 10 years after the land is broken out, regardless of insurability. Under the 2014 Farm Bill, land was only subject to Native Sod procedures for the first four years an insured crop was grown on the acreage.

In order to track the year the acreage was broken out, RMA is adding a new field for "NS Breakout Year" to the P11 Record in the 2019+ Reinsurance Years (RYs). In order for the transmission to send this value on the P11 record, the field must first be added to the System's interface. With this ticket, a Native Sod Breakout Year field was added to the Written Agreement page. This field will only display when creating or editing a Native Sod Written Agreement. The System will require a value in this field between 2014 and the current RY.

NOTE: TFS #106496 has been set up to address the transmission changes to send this value on the P11 Record.

PRF/Apiculture Coordinates: Beginning with the 2020 RY, RMA is requiring that AIPs transmit latitude and longitude for the points of reference (PORs) used to establish the Grid ID for PRF and Apiculture.

To add a POR to a PRF or Apiculture policy, navigate to the Detail Lines tab of the policy and select the Land ID hyperlink. The Manage Land IDs popup opens and a Select POR link displays above the Land IDs grid. Click Select POR to open the Lat/Long map, which displays a map with any fields associated with the Land ID as highlighted. Zoom in or out to identify the location you want to designate as the POR and click in that location on the map to drop a pin. The Lat/Long coordinates for the POR display in the fields to the right. If necessary, drag the pin to the preferred location. Click Save POR to save the pin. Click the trash icon to delete a pin. To manually add a pin via Lat/Long Coordinates, type the coordinates in the Latitude and Longitude fields and click Add. The manually-created POR displays below the Lat/Long fields.

NOTE: The pin must be placed within the field (Land ID) and Grid ID indicated on the coverage. If not, the System will prompt you to move it or inform you that fields must be created before a POR can be placed.

Grower Wizard: An issue was reported where a user was able to change grower information (TIN, TIN Type, and Agency) on an MPCI Quote and that inadvertently changed the grower information on that grower's policies for all RYs. The MPCI Quote was never built out to prevent the user from making these types of grower changes nor was a quote desinged to support the Grower Wizard. Logic has been added to the System to prevent users from changing the TIN, TIN Type, Agency, or Entity Type for a grower when the associated coverages are in a Quote state.

MCEU: An issue was reported where AIPs were receiving PASS errors due to incorrect premium when MCEU was elected and the policies qualified for MCEU. The issue was traced back to an incorrect unit discount factor due to uninsurable acres being included in the total acres determination. Per the CIH, only insurable acres are used to determine the unit discount factor. The logic that determines the unit discount factor has been updated to include insurable acres only.

Perennials: An issue was reported by an AIP where they were receiving the P15-21399 PASS Error for Average yield on a Pistachio coverage when transmitting the policy to RMA. On the example policy submitted by the AIP, the System was using only the most recent 4 years of history to calculate the Average yield, instead of all 6 years. Per clarification from RMA and per the 2018 Pistachio Pilot Insurance Standards Handbook, if the orchard is 10 or 11 leaf years old, the Approved APH yields for 10 and 11 leaf year old orchards will be the simple average of the most recent 4 years of history. The System has been calculating that correctly. However, the logic for the Average Yield was incorrect. To calculate the Average Yield for the APH Database, the System should be using the most recent, largest number of yields if there are fewer than 10 years of yields.

Excerpt from the 2018 Pistachio Pilot Insurance Standards Handbook:

The Average Yield calculation logic for Pistachios for the 2020+ RYs has been updated to now follow the guidelines called out above from the 2018 Pistachio Pilot Insurance Standards Handbook.

When a user manually deletes lines, they are actually still there, just flagged as canceled and hidden from the grid. An issue was found where when a refresh was triggered, the System was sometimes updating the canceled line instead of the active line. This issue has been resolved.

An ADM 2019 update was made available by the RMA and implemented in the System. The following table has been updated for 2019:

An ADM 2019 update was made available by the RMA and implemented in the System. The following table has been updated for 2019:

An ICE 2019 update was made available by the RMA and implemented in the System. The following table has been updated for 2019:

An ICE 2020 update was made available by the RMA and implemented in the System. The following tables have been updated for 2020:

In the 2020 RY ADM, an index was added to the AgrRate table to aid with performance of look ups by the System. This ticket is provided for informational reference only.