01/20/09 Crop insurance sales closing date approaching

Washington Ag January 20, 2009 February 2nd is more than groundhog day this year. The 2nd of February is also a sales closing date for Multi-Peril Crop Insurance. That is the final date to obtain or change the Adjusted Gross Revenue Pilot in select counties in Washington. That is also the deadline to submit required documents to continue or change 2009 Adjusted Gross Revenue-Lite. New applications and enrollment policies for AGR-Lite will be accepted until March 16th. Dave Bearden with the regional office of USDA's Risk Management Agency says don't wait to see you crop insurance agent. Bearden: "There's a lot of options available under all the programs and to get into an agent early so they have the time to look at the various options. We would also like to remind people that there is an important link this year between Federal Crop Insurance and Farm Service Agency disaster programs for the 2009 crop year. To maintain eligibility for FSA disaster programs producers must obtain a policy or plan of insurance if it is available and if it is not they need to look into the NAP program." February 2nd is also the sales closing date for Spring planted onions in Washington, Oregon and Idaho and for Cabbage Pilot crops in Washington and Oregon. I'm Bob Hoff and that's Washington Ag Today on the Northwest Ag Information Network.