04/27/06 Nursery crop insurance deadline

Monday May 1st is the final date Idaho and Northwest nursery growers to obtain 2007 Multi-Peril Crop Insurance. Jo Lynne Seufer of the regional Risk Management Office explains. SEUFER - "That is primarily for carryover policies, current policies in effect and it is the final date so growers can change their coverage level if they wish or remove, or add options, to change their basic unit by plant type. It is interesting that a new insurance policy producer can obtain nursery insurance any time of the year, but this May 1st date is definitely for carryover, current insured." MPCI nursery insurance provides protection for a wholesale nursery producing and marketing plants. That coverage is based on the value of the plant inventory and offers protection against damage from adverse weather conditions, fire, wildlife, earthquake and failure of a power supply or irrigation water. PNW nursery insurance numbers continue to grow. The latest available figures from 2005 show over 384-million dollars in coverage. Voice of Idaho Agriculture Bill Scott