02/26/08 Next crop insurance deadline in March

Washington Ag February 26, 2008 USDA's Risk Management Agency is reminding Pacific Northwest producers that March 17th is the sales closing deadline for their 2008 crop year spring Multi-Peril Crop Insurance coverage. Dave Paul with RMA's regional office in Spokane, says since March 15th falls on a Saturday the closing date was extended to the 17th. Paul: "That will the final date for producers, both current policy holders and anybody that doesn't have a policy, to make all of their decisions on crop insurance coverage, especially which crops to insure and which levels of coverage to obtain, prior to that March 17th date." And Paul says that includes all the spring crops. Paul: "Things such as barley, spring canola, corn, dry beans, dry peas, green peas, mint in counties without winter coverage, oats, potatoes, processing beans, safflower, sugar beets, sweet corn." And probably more says Paul. March 17th is also the closing date for new applications under the Adjusted Gross Revenue-Lite insurance program which is available in every county in the region. Growers are urged to check with their insurance agent for policy changes and coverage expansions. I'm Bob Hoff.