Various instruments for promotion, federal crop protection, and Farm Bill commodity initiatives encompass the assistance that could be offered through diverse mechanisms to handle production and advertising uncertainty. Farmers should also evaluate the uncertainties for the forthcoming 2023 harvest season. Crop resources, sowing, and other methodologies are the determinations being undertaken regarding crop production strategies – farmers are currently in the process of finalizing their plans for the 2023 crop production.
Crop insurance enrollment date is unchanged
Let’s begin with what has not changed. In 2023, the policy for Whole-Farm Revenue Protection remains the same. In addition, the common crop insurance policy options include Catastrophic Coverage (CAT) and Revenue Protection with Harvest Price Exclusion (RP-HPE), as well as Revenue Protection (RP) and Yield Protection (YP).
Private crop hail insurance policies are frequently available for purchase during the entire growing season. Modifications to coverage or any of the diverse policies offered by the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) can be made until March 15th, the final date to apply for crop insurance coverage. Farmers must make their crop insurance selections for the 2023 crop year by March 15th.
Soybean following another crop initiative
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FAC is a cropping method in which a crop is planted after another crop, such as planting soybeans after the winter wheat harvest. In order to be eligible for a written agreement, farmers in southern WI and certain western and eastern WI counties must have three years of previous experience growing FAC soybeans. FAC coverage is also available as an option along with the written agreement. This cropping practice involves planting soybeans following the harvest of winter wheat.
Farmers can obtain coverage in a way that has been familiar to them through the process of a written agreement with crop insurance agents and AIPs. The producer will work with their approved insurance provider and agent to obtain crop coverage. The process of obtaining individual crop coverage for a farmer can be done through a written agreement. If a county does not have insurable soybeans, a farmer can still go through the process of a written agreement to obtain individual crop insurance coverage. Farmers in WI will be required to have a written agreement in order to get personalized coverage.
Soybeans, which will be the subsequent grain after a small amount of wheat, are guaranteed to have significantly lower revenue, so please keep that in mind.
ARC/PLC Decisions for 2023
Farmers can choose between PLC or ARC for their base acres to receive payments based on the average year marketing prices from September 1, 2023, until August 31, 2024. Recommendations and information for 2023 are available at https://farms.Extension.Wisc.Edu/arc-and-plc-recommendations-for-2023/. Sign-up for PLC and ARC programs will remain in place until March 15, 2023, with payments triggered in October or September of 2024.
Planting dates changed
Earliest planting dates
Farmers must be aware of certain dates to ensure that their actions do not impact crop insurance policies. Crops planted before the earliest specified planting date will not be eligible for payments for replanting.
In southern and central parts of Wisconsin, the earliest date for planting corn has been shifted to April 10th, as depicted in Figure 1. Conversely, northern WI counties have an early planting date of April 21st.
Crop insurance agents are urging farmers to verify the earliest dates for planting soybeans. The revised dates for planting soybeans are now April 15th for southern WI, April 20th for central WI, and April 30th for far northern WI. Previously, the earliest soybean planting date for all WI counties was April 26th.
Final planting dates
The crop insurance policy covers the selected guaranteed revenue or yield for the date of planting until the final planting date, which is either before or on the planted acres. If the guarantee is reduced, it will be applicable after the date of planting. The insurance agent should report to the provider within three days if the planted acres are not yet planted as of this date. The insurance provider may determine if it is practical to replant a damaged crop. Generally, this will be true for up to ten days after the final planting date.
The final dates for planting corn silage in majority Wisconsin counties remain unchanged for 2023, with the planting dates set for June 5th and May 31st. The final date for planting corn in the northern far counties is also May 25th.
In Figure 2, we can observe that the last day for planting soybeans in northern and central counties of Wisconsin is June 10th. However, in the southern parts of Wisconsin, the guaranteed reduced date for planting soybeans is June 15th.
End of late planting period
The value of the yield or revenue guarantee for acres planted after the start of this period decreases gradually, indicating the diminished potential for late-planted crops. Late planting begins after the last planting date and continues for a duration of 25 days for specific crops, causing a decline in yield potential.
After the late planting period concludes, the coverage for corn remains at 55% of the initial guarantee and for soybeans it remains at 60% of the original guarantee, even if no alternative crop is planted for harvesting.
The majority of WI counties have a late planting end date for corn on June 25th. Portions of southern WI have a late planting end date for soybeans on July 10th. Central and northern WI counties have an end-of-late planting on July 5th. Please refer to Figure 2.
Oats RP policy
Crop insurance Revenue Protection (RP) is the most popular policy in Wisconsin, as it ensures 75%-80% of the soybeans and corn planted in the state. RP policies allocate 95% of soybeans and 92% of corn specifically for insured corn and soybean acres.
In Wisconsin, a wheat crop has been planted on a considerable expanse of land (ranging from 160,000 to 300,000 acres). The majority of farmers (over 90%) utilize RP policies, with approximately 45% of the planted area being covered by crop insurance specifically for wheat cultivation.
Utilized crop insurance for oats as only 7-10% of planted acres were insured from 2020 to 2022. Oats are a significant agricultural commodity in Wisconsin, ranking second or third in terms of planted acres (130,000-300,000 acres) in the United States.
Producers can learn about the modern farm safety net and crop insurance through USDA RMA (https://www.Rma.Usda.Gov/en). The Agent Locator of RMA (https://www.Rma.Usda.Gov/en/Information-Tools/Agent-Locator-Page) provides a comprehensive list of crop insurance agents, which can be accessed at all USDA Service Centers and online. Crop insurance agents exclusively sell and distribute crop insurance products.