Fall sales closing date nears for crop insurance

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The sales closing date for 2012 crop insurance is Sept. 30 for certain crops planted during the fall of 2011. The sales closing date is significant because it is the deadline for taking out insurance, making a change to the crop insured or level of protection, changing insurance providers, or canceling a policy.

Areas

Crops in the Springfield region that will be impacted by the deadline are as follows: winter wheat in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio; winter barley in Illinois, Indiana and Ohio; forage production in Illinois and Michigan; and mint (with winter coverage option) in Indiana.

It is important to remember that the New Common Crop Policy Basic Provisions were introduced in the 2011 crop year. For wheat and barley, actual production history, crop revenue coverage, revenue assurance and income protection are now available as either yield or revenue protection. These prices are expected to be released mid-September.

Base prices

The following base prices for forage production and mint have been released: IN spearmint $18.50/pound, IN peppermint $24/lb, IL forage $124/ton, MI forage $132/ton.

Coverage for these two crops remains unchanged, and is still available as an Actual Production History plan of insurance.

For more information and a list of local crop insurance agents, visit the RMA website at www.rma.usda.gov/tools/agent.html.

Waivers of administrative fees for producers who qualify as limited resource farmers are available. Crop insurance agents will assist those qualifying producers with determining eligibility for waivers.