September 30 will be a day of decision making for some Arkansas growers as it is the closing date for producers of wheat, oats and barley.
“The closing date is the date by which growers must decide whether or not they want to purchase multi-peril crop insurance (MPCI) for those crops for the 2013 crop year,” says Henry English of the Small Farm Program at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.
September 30 is also the deadline for insured growers to make any changes in their coverage. Current policyholders and uninsured growers purchasing a policy must also decide which crops they want to insure and what level of coverage they want.
MPCI protects producers against crop yield losses by insuring a certain percentage of their historical crop yield against natural perils, such as adverse weather, fire, insects, disease or earthquakes.
Those wanting to purchase or change coverage should contact their local crop insurance agent. If traditional multi-peril coverage is not available in a particular county, producers should ask their agent if they would be eligible for coverage through a written agreement.
A list of crop insurance agents is available at all U.S. Department of Agriculture Service Centers or on the RMA website at http://www3.rma.usda.gov/tools/agents. Farmers may also contact a UAPB Small Farm Program extension associate who will help you in working with a crop insurance agent.