Insurance deadlines pass under wet skies

The Federal deadline to qualify spring wheat plantings for full insurance came and went Sunday, with officials reporting several farmers missing the date.

“We really haven’t had a lot of farmers come in yet,” said Kathy Wolfe, director of the Whitman County office of the federal Farm Service Agency. “But we have got a few guys in that have already reported they may have prevented plantings.”

The USDA’s Washington office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, or NASS, reported Monday farmers in the state had planted 87 percent of their expected spring wheat crop, down from the 96 percent at the same time last year.

Farmers who plant after the May 15 deadline face reductions of one percent per day in their crop coverage up to 25 days.

Dave Paul, director of the USDA’s Risk Management Agency, said a coverage price of $9.11 per bushel on spring wheat, combined with weak crop conditions elsewhere in the country should lessen the impact of late deductions.

“I’m guessing a lot of producers are going to continue to plant,” said Paul. “Crop prices are up. Now all we need is Mother Nature to cooperate and guys can start getting it in the ground.”

Those that do get a crop in should fare well, predicted David Knopf with the NASS. Droughts and floods have sapped wheat crops in the south and midwest, he said.

“Yesterday’s rain kind of put a damper on things,” said Wolfe.

As much as 1.5 inches of rain were reported to have fallen in parts of Whitman County during Sunday and Monday’s downpours.

That rain also pushes farmers against another insurance date. May 20 is the last day to plant barley, peas and lentils under full coverage.

“Friday’s going to be a pretty critical deadline, too,” said Wolfe.

Farmers can submit claims if weather prevents them from planting.

To receive federal assistance, they would need approval by the county FSA’s central committee, something Wolfe saw as little problem.

“They’re all farmers. They all live here. Everybody knows what the problem has been,” she said.