ST. PAUL — The United States Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency reminds farmers that the updated prevented planting fact sheet is available for the 2015 crop year. It applies to crops insured under the federal crop insurance program in the states of Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Crop insurance provides protection against crop production losses due to natural perils such as drought, hail and excessive moisture.

Prevented planting is a failure to plant an insured crop with the proper equipment by the final planting date designated in the insurance policy’s actuarial documents or during the late planting period, if applicable, due to an insured cause of loss. Final planting dates and late planting periods vary by crop and by area. Prevented planting coverage due to an insured cause of loss that occurs during the insurance period and prevents other farmers from planting acreage with similar characteristics, is provided for most crops.

The prevented planting fact sheet provides a summary of what prevented planting is, eligibility for prevented planting claims and how it affects policyholders. The fact sheet also provides information on the choices for farmers prevented from planting by the final planting date, and contact information, among other provisions. It is a quick and useful tool for farmers to gain knowledge about prevented planting. The fact sheet is available on the St. Paul Regional Office website.

Crop insurance is sold and delivered solely through private crop insurance agents. A list of crop insurance agents is available at all USDA Service Centers and online at the RMA Agent Locator.

Producers can use the RMA Cost Estimator to get a premium amount estimate of their insurance needs online.