Iowa crop insurance discount applications must be submitted soon

Crop insurance - Crops

State Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig is reminding farmers of the January 14th deadline.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig has released a reminder to farmers and growers across the state who intend to apply for the crop insurance discount in the state. The deadline of January 14 is rapidly approaching, and Naig is reminding those who plant cover crops to apply on time if they believe they are eligible.

Eligible applicants will receive a discount of $5 per acre discount on their spring premiums.

Applicants eligible for the discount will receive a discount of $5 per acre on the spring crop insurance premiums they pay for coverage. In order to qualify for this discount, the cover crop acres aren’t permitted to have been enrolled in any other federal or state cost share programs.

“Farmers and landowners across the state are recognizing the benefits of planting fall cover crops to improve the health of their fields and water quality in their communities and downstream,” explained Naig in a statement reminding farmers not to let the deadline pass if they intend to apply. “I encourage everyone who planted fall cover crops to take advantage of this opportunity to save some money on spring crop insurance premiums.”

Crop insurance - Person using laptop

The crop insurance discount is meant for land not enrolled in other programs and used for cover crops.

Among the commonly grown types of cover crops include oats and rye. These are known for holding nutrients in the soil while preventing erosion. This is particularly true during times of extreme weather. They have been shown to bring a 28 to 31 percent reduction in nitrogen load and a 29 percent phosphorous load, when is helpful in water quality improvements. Moreover, they also provide land for livestock grazing for producers, and effective weed control.

In Naig’s statement, he encouraged landowners and farmers to speak with their seed representative or agronomist to discuss the varieties of cover crops as they make their final spring planting decisions.

This is the crop insurance discount program’s fifth year through the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Steward ship in conjunction with the USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA).

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