08/06/07 Mint insurance availability expansion

The Risk Management Agency regional office says there's expanded availability for 2008 mint crop insurance. SEUFER "Primarily that means that we have converted the pilot mint program which was only available in two counties is now a permanent program." Jo Lynn Seufer of the RMA office in Spokane says a total of 19 Northwest counties will have the multi-peril crop insurance coverage. SEUFER "The approved counties in Idaho are Ada, Canyon, Elmore, Owyhee and Payette." And that mint coverage also extends into Oregon's Malheur County. The 2008 sales closing date for Mint with Winter Option is Monday, October 1st; otherwise basic coverage may be purchased until March 17 of next year. Seufer says 2008 crop year final fall sales closing dates are right around the corner for some Idaho and eastern Oregon producers. SEUFER "Canola and rapeseed is August 31 and that's for all fall planted types. Forage production which is Malheur County in Oregon, that's October one. And then we have a forage alfalfa seed pilot on October one as well, and we have selected counties for that. The fall planted barley with winter coverage is October one and then wheat for the entire region is October one." Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott