Agricultural News
June 15 is Deadline to Apply For Crop Insurance Discount Under New Pandemic Cover Crop Program.
Tue, 08 Jun 2021 16:39:42 CDT
Farmers who planted fall cover crops are now eligible for a discount on their crop insurance premium, thanks to a new USDA program announced June 1, but they must act before June 15 to qualify said Kate Hansen, policy associate for the Center for Rural Affairs.
The Pandemic Cover Crop Program (PCCP) offers discounts on crop insurance premiums,
The Center for Rural Affairs is a nonprofit organization established in 1973 in Alliance, Neb., to strengthen family farms, rural communities and small businesses, Hansen said.
The group works on a wide area of policy issues including conservation and crop insurance.
If a farmer planted cover crops last fall, they are eligible for $5 per acre on crop insurance this spring, Hansen said.
The most important thing here is farmers must report their cover crops by June 15 to the FSA, Hansen emphasized.
Cover crops include cereal grains, grasses, legumes and mixes with two or more species, she said.
The FSA requires producers to fill out an acreage report form (FSA-578) which includes the cover crops and number of acres.
Farmers should be mindful that the June 15 deadline is a month before the July 15 acreage reporting deadline they are familiar with for federal crop insurance, Hansen said.
This is a win-win for farmers and natural resources, Hansen said, because cover crops are a practice with a wide range of benefits, from improving soil health to protecting water quality.
Producers are encouraged to contact their local FSA office with any questions.
You can listen to more of KC's interview with Kate Hansen by clicking on the listen bar below.
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