03/12/07 Crop insurance changes

The USDA Risk Management Agency says there are addition price elections that growers can take advantage of for various 2007 crops. RMA's Dave Paul. PAUL "We did an expansion for safflower into several counties in Idaho including Adams, Bannock, Bonneville, Cassia, Lincoln, Minidoka and Washington counties." Garbanzo beans or chick pea coverage has been extended to Idaho County. PAUL "We added the green pea program for the pod pea types to Ada, Bingham, Elmore, Gem, Owyhee, Payette, Power and Washington counties. Paul says RMA expanded the pod pea type to four counties that currently have shell peas under the green pea program; Blaine, Cassia, Lincoln and Minidoka counties and added irrigated processing sweet corn for Minidoka County. But producers are running out of time. The deadline to file for most spring seeded crop insurance programs is March 15th, this Thursday and it's also the deadline for new AGR-Lite coverage. PAUL "If they haven't already spent some time with their insurance agent, talked to them about the changes that were made in the program, all of the options that are available and see what might work for them." Voice of Idaho Agriculture Bill Scott