Many North Dakota corn growers who haven’t finished their spring planting or in some cases even begun are facing possible crop insurance reductions due to the weather. May 25 is the deadline for corn to be planted in 49 of North Dakota’s 53 counties as after that crop insurance reductions take hold. North Dakota Farm Bureau President Doyle Johannes says the growers most effected are in the Eastern third of the state.
Johannes says most of his fellow farmers in the Central part of the state have just finished their corn planting while others aren’t so fortunate. He expects some to switch their acreage to other crops.
Senator Heidi Heitkamp had asked the Risk Management Agency to extend the corn planting date but was told law prohibits that from happening. Johannes says the wet conditions that have delayed planting have been felt very severely in the Red River Valley.
Johannes says this isn’t the first time North Dakota farmers have faced late planting as 2011 saw very saturated conditions and last year’s planting was also later than normal.