Prevented plant acres are expected to be up in the United States this spring due to the extremely wet field conditions in much of the Midwest. South Dakota Senator John Thune says they are already anticipating more insurance claims and he’s hopeful USDA’s agencies are ready for the heavy demand.

Thune says he hopes USDA handles the prevented plant program better than they are implementing the provisions of the 2018 farm bill.

USDA Under Secretary Bill Northey says there is enough money in the crop insurance program to handle a big increase in prevented plant acres, but no additional dollars in the disaster bill Congress is working on.

This year is being compared to other big prevented plant years like 2011 when more than 11 million acres went unplanted and 2013 when 9.4 million acres went to prevented plant.