USDA’s Risk Management Agency is correcting earlier damage reports in Iowa from the historic August 10 derecho. RMA Administrator Martin Barbre says the 14 million acre figure was not the estimated area damaged but the acres covered by insurance in the 57 counties in the path of the storm. That breaks down to 8.2 million acres of corn and 5.6 million acres of soybeans.
Barbre says he’s also surprised with a report Iowa Secretary of Ag Mike Naig is requesting a “no harvest” option for farmers.
He says crop insurance adjustors are working quickly and should have a damage total before harvest.
Barbre says over 90- percent of the acres in the storm affected area are covered by revenue insurance and the coverage level on corn average is nearly 81-percent. So, Iowa farmers are well insured.
