Prevent plant options explained

BLOOMINGTON – As some wonder whether they will be able to even plant their fields this year, crop claims experts with COUNTRY Financial are reminding growers of their options.

Prevent plant acreage is defined as a failure to plant the insured crop by the final planting date due to an insured cause of loss that is general to the area. That loss is usually adverse weather where conditions are too wet or dry.

“It can be a case by case situation but there has to be more documentation,” explained Marty McDonald, senior crop claims adjustor with COUNTRY. “If it’s a widespread area and everybody is in the same boat and it’s more of a general thing, we don’t need as much documentation.”

Prevent plant insurance coverage begins at the sales closing date. Normal coverage starts when the crop is planted.

“We can’t turn in a claim until after the final planting date for that crop in the county.”

June 5 is the final planting date for corn in most of Illinois except the seven southern-most counties. A prevent plant claim cannot be turned in and accepted until June 6. Soybeans are a bit more complicated since there are two dates for the state: June 20 in the south and June 15 in the north.

If all of the criteria are met for corn, a grower can go in and plant beans after corn or any other crop but they must be outside of the late planting period for corn, which is 20 days here in Illinois.

“Some of those isolated cases are justifiable,” said Brad Clow, COUNTRY manager of crop operations. “In fact, the majority if not all of them are.”

The various rules and regulations are set by the Risk Management Agency which governs the federal crop insurance program. COUNTRY sends out fliers to customers each year on what they need to know. The information is also available online and through local agents.