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RMA announces 2014 crop insurance guidelines for cover crops
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[January 29, 2014]
SPRINGFIELD — This week the
USDA's Risk Management Agency announced updated guidance providing
producers in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio more flexibility
when insuring a crop that follows a cover crop.
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 RMA changed federal crop insurance provisions concerning cover
crops as a result of increasing interest in this conservation
practice.
According to Brian Frieden, director of the Risk Management
Agency's regional office in Springfield, the changes are a
result of a coordinated effort with the Natural Resources
Conservation Service and the Farm Service Agency to develop a
consistent, simple and flexible policy across the three
agencies.
"For farmers wanting to insure their spring crop following a
cover crop in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio, the cover
crop must have been planted within the last 12 months and
terminated at or within five days after planting, but before
crop emergence," noted Frieden. "Cover crops may also be hayed,
grazed or used for silage as long as the planned amount of
biomass is available at the time termination."
Producers using cover crops are encouraged to discuss these
changes with their crop insurance agent when making decisions
for the upcoming crop year.
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 A cover crop is a crop generally recognized by agricultural
experts as agronomically sound for the area for erosion control or
other purposes related to conservation or soil improvement. For the
2014 crop year, crops planted following a cover crop are insurable
as long as the cover crop is managed and terminated according to the
NRCS Cover Crop Termination Guidelines (PDF) and map of
termination zones.
Crop insurance is sold and delivered solely through private crop
insurance agents. Contact a local crop insurance agent for more
information about the program. A list of crop insurance agents is
available at all USDA Service Centers and on the RMA website at
www.rma.usda.gov/tools/agents.
[Text from file received from
USDA Risk Management
Agency, Springfield] |
