March 15 Crop Insurance Deadline Nears
In 2002, record numbers of
Pennsylvania producers pur
chased crop insurance as the
foundation for managing their
production risk exposures
(table provides more details).
The 14,000 policies provided
protection on 27,775 farm
crop units.
When the severe drought
emerged last summer, these
growers knew that they had
protection based on their
needs assessment at the time
that they finalized their insur
ance protection decisions last
spring.
It’s estimated that the
Pennsylvania crop insurance
loss payments for 2002 will
total about $6O million com
pared to $5.7 million of pro
ducer-paid premium. Pennsyl-
The PA Crop Insurance Assistance Program has
been extended for crop year 2003. Benefits
include:
To receive these
insurance agent
www.rma.usda.gov
Enrollment Deadline:
March 15 - Spring Planted Crops
Pennsylvania encourages growers to have crop insurance protection as part of their farming
risk management plan. All policy fees and approximately 20 percent of net premium costs are paid foi
grow ers,
Sponsored by the PA Department of Agriculture with cost share support from RMA/USDA,
vania producers would have
received an additional $3O if
Pennsylvania enrollment rates
were equal to U.S. average.
Losses are expected to be
paid on about half of the farm
insurance units. Producers in
17 counties received loss pay
ment in excess of one million
dollars as of Feb. 10. They are
Franklin, $6.2 million; Lan
caster, $3.8 million; Berks,
$4.1 million; Cumberland,
$2.7 million; Adams, $2.5 mil
lion; Blair, $2.2 million; Hunt
ingdon, $2 million; Lehigh,
$2.0 million; York, $2 million;
Erie, $1.5 million; Northamp
ton, $1.5 million; Perry, $1.4
million; Lebanon, $1.2 million;
Schuylkill, $1.6 million; Dau
phin, $1.2 million; Northum
berland, $1.2 million; and
Bedford, $l.l million.
aT"--
FREE “CAT” Coverage
Discounted Premiums & Fees
(Paid for “Buy-Up” Coverage)
Dennis C Wolff
Secretary of Agriculture
Most crop insurance deci
sions for 2003 spring crops
must be finalized by March
15. This includes choosing the
insurance plan, the level of
coverage, and other options
which vary by crop. USDA
and the commonwealth of
Pennsylvania will again be
providing premium cost
shares equal to about 75 per
cent of the gross premium
costs.
There is always a tempta
tion to reduce coverage when
there is good spring moisture,
but it is important to remem
ber that it takes good weather
all summer long to grow good
crops. Insurance plans work
best when producers pick the
plan and amount of protection
to meet their economic needs,
Pennsylvania Crop
Insurance Program
benefits, contact a crop
today.
List available at
£
‘4*my
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, March 1,2003, Corn Talk-El5
PA CROP INSURANCE PERFORMANCE ESTIMATES - ADJUSTED TO REFLECT GRANTS
TOTAL PROTECTION
POLICIES IN FORCE
25 777 064
7 Z14Z405
74 754 880
76 761 707
79 459 150
111 243 105
162 163 698
186 651 461
222,023.909
616,279,121
10 745
8500
7 094
6 056
7009
H 622
1Z133
14,616
02 Est
97-01
81-01 1005 953 550 6 565 345 71 395 717 31 005 040 94 830 598 306
Note: State of PA paid about $4 5 million of producer premiums and policy fees for 2000-2002
and stick with them year in
and year out. Studies indicate
that this approach often im
proves economic stability to
the farming operations and
can improve the inheritance of
your grandchildren.
To get current quotes on in
surance plans available, grow
ers are encouraged to visit
with their crop insurance
agent before the March 15
per total
ACRES PREMIUM
201 253
735 058
594 729
558 883
519 764
609 738
940 277
976 887
1,124,770
3,605,549
2 305 893
4 760 689 1,448 607 5 215 273
5 370 601 1 891 539 Z 798 147
5 146 381 1.86 Z 749 9 558 588
5 575 978 Z 300 937 5 358 682
6 873 960 2 327 906 22 528 186
11674 668 3 931 058 6 647 498
13 965 821 3 854 986 'l7 584 460
19,024,467 5,732,526 $5O -60 Mil
43,236,808 14.277,635 61,677.413
deadline. A list of insurance
agents is available at the FSA
office or on the Internet at
www.rma.usda.gov.
Information provided by
Eugene Gantz, RMA, on be
half of the risk management
educational partnership of
PDA, PSU, and RMA/
USDA.
❖ Farm Calendar ❖
Monday, March 3
Sweet Corn Production and Marketing
Short Course, York County Extension Of
fice, County Annex Building, thru March
4, (717) 840-7408.
Thursday, March 6
Com Silage Quality Program, Murmac
Farms, Zion, 1 p.m.-3 p.m., (814)
355-4897.
wiPI
Com Production Meeting, Washington
County.
Regional Com/Soybean Day, Clark Mills
United Methodist Church, Clark Mills,
contact David Powler, (814) 333-7460.
Workshop On Insect Monitoring, Adams
County extension office.
Wyoming County Crops Meeting, Dept, of
Ag Building, Tunkhannock, 7 p.m.-9
p.m., (570) 836-3196.
Wayne Crop and Forage Day, Wayne Coun
ty Visitors’ Center, Honesdale, (253) 5970,
ext. 239.
Tri-County Ag Day, Allegheny College,
Meadville, 9 a.m., (800) 982-9019. ext.
460.
Tuesday, March 25
Warren County Ag Day, 4-H Building, War
ren County Fairgrounds, Pittsfield, 9:30
a.m., (814) 563-9388.
Hut]
Global Positioning Systems and Mapping
Training, Franklin County extension,
(717)334-6271.
Global Positioning Systems and Mapping
Training, Lancaster County extension.
Farm and Home Center, (717) 334-6271.
Thursday, April 17
Global Positioning Systems and Mapping
Training, Lebanon County extension,
(717)334-6271.
Tuesday, August 19
Ag Progress Days thru Aug. 21, (814)
865-2081.
FARMER LOSSES FARMER
PAID PAID lENEFIT