To say the least, this spring has been a wet one which means fields may be too wet to till and plant on time.\u00a0 Those with crop insurance might find some comfort knowing that their coverage can also help manage risk at planting time, in addition to helping with recovery from crop failure. This is because most crop insurance policies include provisions that provide compensation if weather-related issues prevent planting or cause losses that warrant replanting.<\/p>\n
What type of insurance coverage do you have? Did you miss the final planting date? Why weren\u2019t you able to plant on time?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n If you and your neighbors experienced excessively wet conditions during the season that prevented planting or if a specific event, like flooding, impacted your field you may be eligible to file a prevented planting claim.\u00a0 The farm is only eligible for coverage on the total acres that are typically planted to that \u00a0\u00a0crop and the crop acreage needs to have been planted in 1 of the last 4 years. Being physically unavailable, having broken machinery or other human error does not qualify for a prevented planting claim.<\/p>\n So you were prevented from planting due to the weather, now what? Once the claim is in, you have a few different options:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n What is a prevented planting payment? The weather destroyed the planting, am I eligible for the replant provision? What steps of action do I take? What is a replant payment? Take Away Visit the UMaine Crop Insurance website<\/a>.<\/p>\n A list of agents serving Maine can be found online using the Agent Locator tool<\/a>. This article has material from the University of Vermont\u2019s Crop Insurance Outreach Education Program.<\/p>\n Contact Crop Insurance Education Program Manager Erin Roche (erin.roche@maine.edu<\/a> or 207.949.2490) for more information.<\/p>\n The University of Maine Cooperative Extension is in partnership with the USDA Risk Management Agency to deliver crop insurance education in Maine. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\t\t
\n<\/em><\/strong>Most crop insurance policies include a provision for prevented planting, some exceptions include fresh market sweet corn.\u00a0 Check your policy with your agent to see if the crop you\u2019re insuring is eligible for prevented planting provisions.<\/p>\n
\n<\/em><\/strong>This is the last date to insure the crop at the full insurance guarantee.\u00a0 This date is determined for each crop and county by the USDA Risk Management Agency and is listed in the crop insurance policy.\u00a0 See Table 1 for an example of final planting dates for Maine crops.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n Insured Crop<\/strong><\/th>\n Final Planting Date <\/strong><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n\n \n Oats<\/td>\n 5\/30 – 6\/10*<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Barley<\/td>\n 5\/31<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Spring wheat<\/td>\n 5\/31<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Potato<\/td>\n 6\/10<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Grain & Silage Corn<\/td>\n 6\/15<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Green Peas<\/td>\n 6\/30<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
\n<\/em><\/strong>For prevented planting claims, notice must be provided to your agent within 72 hours after the final planting date, or, after the determination is made that you will not be able to plant during the late planting period.\u00a0 Good documentation is the key to receiving prevented planting payments.\u00a0 Keep detailed records of the dates different acres or fields were planted.<\/p>\n\n
\n<\/em><\/strong>The \u201cprevented planting coverage factor\u201d will be used to calculate the prevented planting payment and this factor changes depending on the crop.\u00a0 For instance, with small grains the prevented planting coverage factor is 60% of the production guarantee for timely planted acreage, whereas it is 55% for corn.\u00a0 If the producer\u2019s insurance guarantee for timely planting is $100\/acre, and the prevented planting coverage factor is 60%, the prevented planting payment would be $60\/acre (or 60% of the guarantee).\u00a0 Some policies have additional coverage options available for prevented planting.\u00a0 As well, if you have revenue protection, the projected price will be used to calculate the insurance guarantee.<\/p>\nReplanting the crop (you planted on time but lose the crop)<\/h3>\n
\n<\/em><\/strong>Check your policy or with your agent to see if the crop you\u2019re insuring is eligible for replant provisions.\u00a0 If so, in order to be eligible for replant provisions the acres to be replanted must be:<\/p>\n\n
\n<\/em><\/strong>Notify your crop insurance agent within 72 hours upon discovering the loss.\u00a0 An adjustor will appraise your expected yield and determine whether it is practical to replant.\u00a0 Replant with the original crop if applicable.\u00a0 Your original planting guarantee will continue as if nothing happened (as long as you plant before the final planting date).<\/p>\n
\n<\/em><\/strong>The replant payment is typically equal to the lesser of either your actual costs of replanting or a formula provided in your crop insurance policy provisions (i.e. for corn, the per-acre replant payment equals the projected price\/bushel x 8 bushels).<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Communicate regularly with your agent about any issues with your crop, especially before planting deadlines! This is essential for receiving prevented planting or replanting payments.<\/p>\nMore Information<\/h3>\n