Crop Insurance Gives Farmers More Planting Flexibility

Acting Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Michael Scuse today announced that the federal crop insurance program will provide additional flexibility to farmers. The modifications center on the practice of growing two crops on the same field at different times of the year, which is known as double cropping. This change will address both land added to an operation, and account for multiple crop rotations. These changes will be in effective for the 2017 crop year for most crops, starting with winter wheat. The ability to modify coverage as needed to adequately accommodate growing two crops on one field in the same year will be available for most crops in the 2017 growing season. USDA officials say the program will kick off with winter wheat.