May 1, 2012

Don’t wait to make crop insurance calls

When severe crop losses occur, growers are reminded that they need to make a couple of phone calls to insurance providers as soon as possible. These include the local county USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) and the crop insurance agent to get the proper paperwork started.

If you have insured crops, you should contact your insurance agent as soon as possible – typically within 48 hours after a freeze event. This is very important so that your loss is acknowledged by the insurance provider.

For uninsured crops, the FSA offices in Michigan want you to call them to file the appropriate paperwork for any potential disaster funds that might come this way. Growers who have NAP policies with FSA on uninsurable crops need to file a Notice of Loss (form CCC-576) within 15 days of knowing they have a loss. Call the FSA office in the county where crops are grown – which might mean more than one phone call if your acreage crosses county lines.

– Amy Irish-Brown, Michigan State University Extension