© 2014
July 4, 2014
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SOUTHERN EDITION
Confusion reigns on prevent planting By DICK HAGEN The Land Staff Writer A somewhat hastily called UniA big concern versity of Minnesota Extension for area liveService information meeting on stock farmers is prevent planting drew a crowd of being able to about 125 farmers, crop consultants, and crop insurance reps to produce enough the Hutchinson Event Center June Nathan Winter feed for their 19. As much as 8 inches of rain had operations. The fallen in the previous 48 hours, and crop insurance one day prior it was announced payment for that prevent planting deadlines for Minnesota had been set back to prevent plant July 15 because of extremely wet will not go very conditions throughout the state. far to feed their “The reason we held the meeting livestock in was due to extremely wet conditions 2014 and 2015. throughout this area,” said Nathan John Larsen Winter, Extension Educator for — Nathan Winter McLeod and Meeker counties. “There are significant acres of corn and soybean not yet planted and probably will not be planted in 2014. “Some livestock producers have not even harvested their first cutting of alfalfa due to the wet conditions. Farmers and agricultural Jim Salfer professionals have had some questions pertaining to cover can seed cover crop, but you cannot bale or crops and planting emergency forages.” graze until Nov. 1 or you will decrease your Winter noted that there has been PP payment to 35 percent. By the same some confusion regarding crop insur- token, you can plant corn as late as July 5 ance rules, with farmers trying to find and you can insure that crop, but only for the best way to move forward this year. the 60 percent coverage payment.” He emphasized the importance of “We wanted farmers to be aware of the crop insurance rules and try to pro- getting your insured acres right. “Your vide them with options to make their insurance adjuster will be working decisions,” he said. “A big concern for from your four-year history on your area livestock farmers is being able to farm. Just make certain that you turn produce enough feed for their opera- in a notice to your local agent.” tions. The crop insurance payment for How about a July planting of corn, as prevent plant will not go very far to a prevent planting option can that be feed their livestock in 2014 and 2015.” cut for silage? The answer, simply, is “Not fair for everyone” “no” — you can only bale or graze that A lively question-and-answer session corn, and not until after Nov. 1. started the meeting, including input from “There’s no doubt in my mind that John Larsen, with Rural Community prevent planting favors the crop proInsurance Services of Danube, Minn. ducer, with little assistance for live“Prevent Planting is simply not fair for stock producers who may desperately everyone,” Larsen said. “For example you need feed,” said Larsen.
Options if you need forage You may plant a cover crop on prevent planting acres for hay or grazing. However your prevent planting payment may be significantly reduced if you harvest that forage before Nov. 1. Producers should check with their Farm Service Agency office and their crop insurance agent for details, then pencil out the economics for their own enterprise to decide whether or not this is a viable option. There may also be restrictions on feeding a cover crop depending on which herbicides have been used. For example, crops treated with glyphosate cannot be fed or harvested for eight weeks, while herbicides containing acetochlor — Harness, Surpass, etc. — have an 18-month restriction for grazing or harvesting for feed. But information may still be lacking at FSA offices. An insurance agent in the audience described the offices as “gun shy” until rules are published in the Federal Register, and suggested that farmers shouldn’t wait for regulators to interpret the farm bill — “It’s your land, take care of it.” “How do we plan when the final rules may not yet be set?” asked Jim Salfer, University of Minnesota extension dairy specialist. He agreed that confusion reigns on prevent planting right now. “Dairy farmers may be scrambling for feed this fall and winter because of PP and the possible consequences if making an error,” he said. “It’s a harder decision for livestock producers simply because they’ve got to feed something to their cattle. “Do you take your PP and just not plant and buy from a neighbor, or the open market? I think for many livestock producers they will plant something later than the PP planting date and not suffer the consequences of that PP discount. In other words, they may not even apply for PP. And to me it looks like that something should be corn. Today our short-season hybrids yield remarkably well even if lateplanted. It may not set ears but it will provide protein, sugar and digestible fiber.” See PREVENT, pg. 9