Driving throughout North Dakota this week I am seeing the same issue for farmers everywhere I go; water. Farmers are trying to get soybeans off, but it is slow going. Friends and neighbors are helping each other out to get as much done as possible. Combine’s are flinging mud and trucks are sitting on the side of the road waiting to be filled. Standing water is making farmers go around wet areas making fields look like jigsaw puzzles. Tires are gouging massive ruts and completion time is increasingly multiplied the closer you get to standing water.
Although the fall harvest issues are right in front of us, some farmers are looking to next spring and the difficulties that will be presented to them. Fields are going to need to be worked and heavily cultivated to get rid of the ruts from tires. The holes from combines being stuck as deep as the axles will need to be filled. That is just the start. The winter forecast is looking like we will get a hefty amount of snow in the first few months of the new year. When the snow melts and the ground thaws, the ‘wet’ trend could carry over from the fall to the spring, which has the potential to make planting difficult for another year. Hopefully the forecast isn’t as bad as it sounds, but preparing for a difficult spring ahead of time can help manage your risk.
No one wants to have to use it, but crop Insurance is one of the keys to keeping your operation going when trying times present themselves. Be prepared for next year. Talk to an agent about your insurance and make sure you have the proper coverage for your operation. Discuss planting intentions and any questions you have about your Crop Insurance policy. Bring up the questions you have on Prevented Planting. Know your Prevented Planting provisions and discuss PP buy-up coverage and cover crop regulations. We all hope for the best, but being prepared and informed can help relieve some of the stresses mother nature throws at us. Cropland Insurance Services is always here to assist you through the good and the bad.
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