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Agent says don’t rely on old prevent plant information

A crop insurance agent is fielding a lot of questions about late planting and prevent plant coverage. Amy Penterman tells Brownfield that’s a good thing, because recent changes mean farmers need updated information. “There’s a lot of technicalities with prevent plant. It’s really important to make sure you’re getting your acres correct when you go to the FSA office because once those are entered on your acreage report for crop insurance, there’s not a lot of wiggle room to make changes, and just know where your base acres are at.”

Penterman says the dairy farmers will plant whenever they can because they need the feed, but for grain farmers struggling with poor planting conditions, “It depends on how late we get and what kind of crop and what area you’re in, but yes, you are better off getting it in the fields than leaving your fields sit idle.”

If the farm ends up with a prevented planting claim, Penterman says the definition of a cover crop is broad. “An ag expert’s opinion on soil erosion control, so there is no actual definition of what a cover crop is . Now, I’ve had some of my farmers ask me, ooh, does that mean corn silage? No, corn silage is not an acceptable cover crop.”

Penterman says the six straight dry days in the weather forecast should bring some stress relief to the farmers that have not been able to plant or cut hay.

Amy Penterman sells crop insurance in Clark County, Wisconsin and she operates a dairy farm with her husband Sander.

Audio: Amy Penterman discusses late planting and prevent plant with Brownfield’s Larry Lee