Producers are receiving more flexibility when it comes to prevented planting payments. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) is working to make the practice of cover cropping more accessible and valuable for producers. Farmers and ranchers with crop insurance will now be allowed to hay, graze or chop cover crops for the purpose of silage, haylage or baleage at any time and still be able to receive 100 percent of the prevented planting payment.
Beginning with the 2021 crop year, RMA will no longer be considering cover crops planted after a prevented planting claim has been filed to be a second crop. Cover crops could previously only be hayed, grazed or chopped after November 1, or the prevented planting payment was only 35 percent of the overall value. RMA will however continue to classify cover crops harvested for grain or seed to be a second crop. In those instances, the cover crops will remain subject to the reduced payments for prevented planting.
“We work diligently to ensure the Federal crop insurance program helps producers effectively manage risk on their farms while also conserving natural resources,” Acting RMA Administrator Richard Flournoy said in a news release. “We are dedicated to responding to the needs of producers, and this flexibility is good for agriculture and promotes climate smart agricultural practices. We are glad we can better support producers who use cover crops.”
Listen to the radio report below.
About the Author
