Are you prepared with crop insurance?

This has to be the craziest weather year I've ever witnessed. From tornados, damaging winds, high temperatures, rain, rain and more rain farmers across the Midwest are feeling the unseasonably like weather this year.

I've talked to many producers and many tell me they won't have sweet corn, green beans or even no crop this year because of the flooding they've incurred. Brownfield reporter Bob Meyer, and past fellow co-worker, recently interviewed Tom Thieding with Rural Mutual about crop insurance and the importance for farmers to talk with their agents as soon as possible this year.

If you have crops under water, you need to talk to your crop insurance agent
Brownfield News Reporter, Bob Meyer

There is a lot of farmland under water in the Midwest and there is going to be a lot of crop damage. Tom Thieding with Rural Mutual Insurance says if you have a flooded field, you need to contact your crop insurance agent right away. “It’s very unlikely that anything that is under water is going to survive,” says Thieding, “You need to do that if you are going to do any kind or replanting as well.” He says the agent will most likely come out, take some photos and file a notice of loss and get things set up for any type of claim payment you may be eligible for. “It’s all going to come down to the level of coverage you selected.”

Farmers should also contact their Farm Service Agency office because that information will be used to help determine if any kind of federal aid will be made available. Any damage to buildings should also be reported to FSA.

Some areas suffered hail damage to crops before the flooding, Thieding says that is a different situation because that would come under crop hail insurance, “Again, talk with your agent and they will work things out for you.”

Thieding stresses you need to contact these people now, “If you don’t do it within this window, you may have some problems based on the requirements of your insurance coverage.”

Listen to an interview from Brownfield.