USDA’s Risk Management Agency has made improvements to prevented planting coverage. These changes officially became effective November 30 for the 2021 crop year. South Dakota Corn Grower’s Association President Doug Noem says one major change expands the 1 in 4 coverage requirement nationwide. He says prior to that 1 in 4 was required only in the Prairie Pothole region which includes South Dakota.
He says prior to this change, growers outside the Prairie Pothole region could receive prevented planting payments every year while those in the Pothole region would have to plant one out of those four years to get payments.
Noem says the importance of both crop insurance and prevented planting became very apparent with last year’s weather effects.
Under their recent changes, the RMA is also making modifications to ensure the producer’s prevented planting payments adequately reflect the crops the producer intended to plant.