A crop insurance specialist says he expects some empty fields this year.
Much of the South Dakota is heading into the late planting period, which means reduced returns on crop insurance for farmers.
The most recent field crop report for South Dakota says 25 percent of corn is in the ground, well behind the 87 percent planted last year. Six percent of soybeans are planted, compared to 56 percent last year.
The state has yet to dry out from wet conditions from last fall, a mid-April blizzard, and persistent rainfall.
That’s making planting crops a challenge this spring.
Jack Davis is a crops business management field specialist with South Dakota State University Extension.
He says farmers have to look at their prevent plant options, which is insurance coverage for extreme weather conditions that prevent expected planting.
He says many farmers haven’t had to do that for quite some time.
“I will say that we will see a larger percent of prevent plant than we have and some bare fields,” Davis says. “Now, guys will want to take care of those fields doing—keep the weeds under control or put some cover crop in to help build soils for next year once they can get into them.”
Since the planting season is now moving into the late plant period, farmers will see a reduction in their prevent plant payment. Davis says farmers should look at what they would spend to plant, versus taking a prevent plant payment.
Davis says farmers should consult with their individual agent to determine their eligibilities.