By Abbi Ross
The final days of the late planting period are quickly approaching for some crops, leaving farmers looking for prevented planting options.
The late planting period final date varies by crop.
The late plant period date has passed for corn for all counties in Arkansas. The late plant period ends for cotton in Clay, Craighead, Greene, Independence, Jackson, Lawrence, Mississippi, Poinsett and Randolph counties is June 4. For the rest of the state, the cotton late plant period ends June 9. That is also end of the late plant period for rice and grain sorghum.
Peanut growers’ late plant period ends June 19.
For soybeans, the late plant period ends June 10 if not following another crop. For soybeans following another crop, the late plant period ends June 15.
The intended crop can still be planted during the late planting date, though there is a reduction in coverage of 1 percent per day throughout the late-planting period, said Scott Stiles, extension economist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.
Farmers who do not have their crops planted by the final planting date or by the end of the late-planting period may be eligible for prevented planting payments. Eligibility for prevented planting is determined on a case-by-case basis.
What is “prevented planting”?
Prevented planting is the failure to plant the insured crop by the designated final planting date for the insured crop in the county due to an insured cause of loss that is applicable to the surrounding area and that prevents other producers from planting acreage with similar characteristics according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency.
“The insurable cause of loss must be weather related and must be common to the area,” Stiles said. “The cause of loss must have prevented other producers in the local area from planting the intended crop.”
Detailed records are critical
Keeping detailed records is important if there is a possibility of filing a prevented planting claim.
Records should include pictures of the damage and documentation of seed, chemical and fertilizer orders that were in place as evidence of the grower’s original intention to plant the acres, Stiles said.
Growers who could not plant and do not intend to plant crops during the late planting period, will need to provide notice to their crop insurance agent within 72 hours after the final planting date.
There are a few options on what to do with prevented planting acres if a crop cannot be planted.
Producers can leave ground idle for the remainder of the crop year to receive 100 percent of the prevented planting payment, Stiles said.
Producers can also plant a different crop and insure it. Those with insurance are eligible for a 35 percent prevent plant payment and will owe 35 percent of the premium if the prevented planting acres are planted to an insurable crop, Stiles said.
Planting another crop does affect the crop insurance yield history. Growers are encouraged to talk to their crop insurance agent about the implications of planting and insuring a different crop.