Prevented Planting Coverage Planning

In Pennsylvania we have experienced wet years when we have so much rain we are unable to plant certain crops in a timely manner. This year we are facing the prospect of not being able to plant due to lack of rain, a truly rare circumstance. The late May and early June plantings of corn and soybeans have been stopped because even heavy no-till planters are not able to achieve the soil penetration needed for proper seed placement.  Additionally, the extremely dry conditions mean there is not enough moisture to achieve uniform seed germination and plant survival. Therefore, the best short term strategy is to keep the seed in the bag and wait for a change in the weather pattern. The weather forecasts do not offer a lot of hope for significant change in the moisture situation in the near term. So, one has to consider the possibility that this year we may have a scenario that qualifies for prevented planting coverage from our crop insurance.

The first day one can file a prevented planting claim is June 21 for soybeans and  June 11 for corn. However, there is a late planting window for soybeans that runs through July 15 for soybeans and July 5^th for corn.

There are a number of conditions that must be met to qualify for prevented planting (PP) coverage. First, the prevented planting must be due to an insured cause of loss that is general in the surrounding areas and prevents other producers from planting fields with similar characteristics. The insured must have eligible acres and the ground must be available for planting. Total acres of planted and PP cannot exceed cropland acres. PP acres must be on the cropland report. Prevented planting claims must be filed no later than 72 hours after the final planting date or the end of the late plant period.

This decision is quite complex so call your crop insurance agent to discuss your situation to understand the options as you make your plans.