Crop insurance impact of planting crops early in Illinois

[March 23, 2012]  SPRINGFIELD -- Unseasonably warm, dry weather will have many producers thinking about planting their crops earlier than usual. Brian Frieden, USDA's Risk Management Agency director for the Springfield area, reminds producers that crops planted before the earliest planting date are not eligible for replant payments, but the insurance guarantee is not affected as long as producers follow good farming practices.

In Illinois, the earliest planting date for corn is April 6, except for the southernmost counties of Alexander, Hardin, Johnson, Massac, Pope, Pulaski and Union with an April 1 date.

For soybeans, the northern third of the state has an earliest planting date of April 16. The remainder of Illinois has an April 21 date.

For more details on planting dates, or the effect early planting may have on your crop insurance policy, contact your crop insurance agent.

[Text from file received from USDA Risk Management Agency, Springfield]