News Archive

2009

December

Crop Insurance Deadlines Could Be Extended
Lisa Hare, Yankton Daily Press — December 9, 2009
"From here on out, it's gonna be a fight."

That remark, uttered by a Pierce County (Neb.) producer regarding the remainder of the harvest season, could easily apply to more than half of the South Dakota producers, as well. ...

Not Finished by Dec. 10? Get a Plan.
Linda H. Smith, Top Producer — December 9, 2009
Most spring-planted crops have a Dec. 10 deadline for "end of the insurance period" (EOIP). If you are unable to harvest by then due to extreme wet or snowy conditions, contact your crop insurance company to request an extension...

Climate Issues: EPA Finding, International Talks; Sens. Chambliss and Johanns; Crop Insurance; and Harvest Progress
Keith Good, FarmPolicy.com — December 8, 2009
Marcia Zarley Taylor reported yesterday at the DTN Minding Ag's Business Blog that, "USDA is trying to eliminate what it considers excess profits in crop insurance industry, but industry sources counter that the Risk Management Agency's proposed contract could thin the herd of crop insurers if it is ultimately implemented."...

Losses tallied as beet harvest ends
Tom Lutey, Billings Gazette — December 7, 2009
The sugar beet harvest has come to a bitter end, with record high prices to be had and some crops still frozen in the ground.

Letters were going out Monday to Western Sugar Cooperative members, informing them the harvest was more or less over, barring an unexpected weather change. A deep freeze in early October severely damaged the region's beet crop. The resulting financial loss to the region's economy, conservatively estimated, is about $5 million...

Farmers urged to contact crop insurance agent
Southeast Farm Press — December 7, 2009
With the wet weather continuing to slow corn and soybean harvest in many areas, National Crop Insurance Services (NCIS) is urging farmers to contact their crop insurance agent as soon as possible...

USDA Releases First Draft of Proposed Crop Insurance Agreement To Protect Farmers From Higher Costs, Rein in Costs, and Improve Access to Crop Insurance Throughout the Country
USDA — December 4, 2009
WASHINGTON, Dec. 4, 2009 — USDA's Risk Management Agency (RMA), which administers the Federal crop insurance program, today released the first draft of a proposed new Standard Reinsurance Agreement between the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation and the crop insurance companies which deliver the program nationally. The 2008 Farm Bill authorized RMA to renegotiate the agreement which was last negotiated for 2005...

Climate Issues and Agriculture; Trade; Biofuels; Crop Insurance; and Ag Communications
Keith Good, FarmPolicy.com — December 1, 2009
An update posted yesterday at the USDA's Risk Management Agency's (RMA) webpage stated that, "[RMA] has released the results of a periodic review of RMA's premium rating methodology. Over the past several years, RMA has engaged contractors and conducted internal assessments of various elements of its premium rating methodology. In 2009, RMA undertook a comprehensive review of all aspects of the Actual Production History (APH) and revenue rating methodologies...

Crop insurance price elections reflect efforts of NSP
Southwest Farm Press — December 1, 2009
The Risk Management Agency (RMA) released a new methodology today showing sorghum's crop insurance price elections at 97.8 percent of the value of corn up from only 88 percent, which translates to a huge victory for the sorghum industry. The National Sorghum Producers (NSP) has been working hard with RMA over the past eight years to improve price elections, and today's methodology demonstrated the organization's ability to deliver tangible results to its members. For sorghum producers, this new value can mean between $20 through $50 per acre or more in increased insurance coverage for sorghum depending on individual yields and coverage levels...