New 2014 crop insurance guidelines for cover crops

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SPRINGFIELD, Ill., – The USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) recently announced updated guidance
providing producers more flexibility when insuring a crop that follows a cover crop in Illinois,
Indiana, Michigan and Ohio.
RMA changed federal crop insurance provisions concerning cover crops as a result of increasing interest
in this practice.
According to Brian Frieden, director of the risk management agency’s Springfield regional office, the
changes are a result of a coordinated effort with the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the
Farm Service Agency to develop a consistent, simple and flexible policy across the three agencies.
"For farmers wanting to insure their spring crop following a cover crop the cover crop must have
been planted within the last 12 months and terminated at, or within five days after planting, but before
crop emergence," noted Frieden. "Cover crops may also be hayed, grazed or used for silage as
long as the planned amount of biomass is available at the time termination." Producers using cover
crops are encouraged to discuss these changes with their crop insurance agent when making decisions for
the upcoming crop year.
A cover crop is a crop generally recognized by agricultural experts as agronomically sound for the area
for erosion control or other purposes related to conservation or soil improvement. For the 2014 crop
year, crops planted following a cover crop are insurable as long as the cover crop is managed and
terminated according to the NRCS’ Cover Crop Termination Guidelines and Cover Crop Termination Zones
Map.
Contact a local crop insurance agent for more information. A list of crop insurance agents is available
at all USDA Service Centers or at: www.rma.usda.gov/tools/agents/.

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