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Tri-States Farmers Face Choice

Scott Stuntz

Farmers who still have not been able to get into the fields will have a decision to make at the end of the month.

After  June 1st Iowa farmers enter the "delayed planting  period." For every day beyond that, until they get corn in the ground, they lose one percent of their crop insurance coverage.

Steven Johnson with Iowa State University said farmers could also apply for a “prevented planting”   but that will be rare in southeast Iowa.

"In a rare instance along the Mississippi River and tributaries we might see some prevented planting. Again that means those acres were not planted, will not be planted, and that particular insured (farmer) can receive up to 60 percent of their revenue guarantee," Johnson said.

He said farmers have other options  like planting corn acres to soybeans instead, which make filing for a prevented planting unattractive.

Johnson said farmers most likely to use the option include those that own their own land and don't need to make payments, meaning they have lower fixed costs.

Farmers can also apply for “replant insurance” payments for sections of their fields that were flooded after they planted.

Johnson said farmers in in Missouri and Illinois should get in touch with their insurance agent immediately to find out their delayed planting date and to make sure they keep the proper records and get the payments they’re entitled to.

Unlike Iowa, their are multiple delayed planting dates for Illinois and Missouri depending on where in the state a farmer is. There are also delayed planting dates for soybeans, they are in the middle of June.
 

Scott Stuntz is a former reporter at Tri States Public Radio.