The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) announced that farmers who planted cover crops on prevented plant acres in select counties in North Dakota and South Dakota this year will be permitted to hay, graze or chop those fields beginning Sept. 1 rather than Nov. 1. The change is being made because of excessive moisture and flooding in 42 counties in the two states.

“Farmers in the Dakotas have seen excessive moisture over the winter and into this spring, and we made this one-year adjustment to help farmers remain good stewards of the land and provide an opportunity to ensure quality forage is available for livestock this fall,” undersecretary for farm production and conservation Bill Northey said.

“Unlike 2019, when there was widespread flooding in the spring, this adjustment is targeted to the areas most impacted,” RMA administrator Martin Barbre said. "The change still will allow farmers to maintain eligibility for their full 2020 prevented planting indemnity.”

Qualifying counties in North Dakota include: Barnes, Benson, Bottineau, Cass, Dickey, Eddy, Foster, Grand Forks, Griggs, Kidder, La Moure, Mcintosh, Nelson, Ramsey, Ransom, Rolette, Sargent, Sheridan, Steele, Stutsman, Towner, Traill and Wells.

Qualifying counties in South Dakota include: Beadle, Brown, Brule, Campbell, Clark, Codington, Day, Edmunds, Faulk, Hand, Hanson, Hyde, McPherson, Marshall, Potter, Roberts, Sanborn, Spink and Walworth.

Related:USDA updates emergency haying and grazing authorization

Flooding and excessive rainfall in parts of the country have resulted in a significant amount of prevented planting claims under federal crop insurance. Given these extraordinary weather events and the need for animal feed, flexibility around the use of a cover crop planted on prevented plant acreage for haying, grazing and cutting for silage, haylage and baleage has become necessary.

RMA said it is authorizing additional flexibilities due to the coronavirus pandemic while continuing to support producers, working through approved insurance providers (AIPs) to deliver services, including processing policies, claims and agreements. RMA staff are working with AIPs and other customers by phone, mail and electronically to continue supporting crop insurance coverage for producers. Farmers with crop insurance questions or needs should continue to contact their insurance agents about conducting business remotely (by phone or email). More information can be found at farmers.gov/coronavirus.

Crop insurance is sold and delivered solely through private insurance agents. A list of insurance agents is available online using the RMA Agent Locator. Learn more about crop insurance and the modern farm safety net at rma.usda.gov.