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A lot to consider when looking at prevented planting

A crop insurance agent says there’s a lot to consider when looking at prevented planting coverage.

Ryan Buck works for an agency in southeast Minnesota and tells Brownfield the first consideration is the type of unit structure a farmer purchased.

“Whether they were in enterprise units where all their farms are lumped together, or they (use) optional units. It’s 20 acres or 20 percent is the qualifying magic number, the lesser of one of those.”

He says it’s 20 acres for enterprise units and 20 percent for optional units.

There are also acre limitations when selecting prevent plant.

“We go back the last four years of your planted history, and if you exceed the number of acres you were intending to plant this year you may not even qualify for prevent plant payments on your corn. Then it would divert to a payment on soybeans if you absolutely have to leave something (planted).”

Buck, who also farms, says everyone he’s talked to prefers planting a crop this year.  But with the insurance deadline for corn quickly approaching, he recommends sitting down with a crop insurance agent as soon as possible to discuss what to do next.