The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Risk Management Agency (RMA) is easing insurance regulations on fresh apple producers, which should save New York farmers some money. “New York State is home to the world’s best apples and the hardest working producers,” Senator Kirsten Gillibrand said in a press release crowing about the change. “They shouldn’t be held back by red tape and bureaucracy. I am pleased we could come to an agreement with the RMA to ease these burdens on our apple producers, helping them to cut costs, cover their crops with the insurance they need, reach new markets and grow their businesses.” Many apple producers were not eligible for fresh apple crop insurance because they did not meet the previous standards of record keeping. New York produces approximately 1.25 billion pounds of apples annually, generating nearly $236 million in revenue for the state, according to Gillibrand.