Can a producer plant a cover crop of the same crop that was prevented from planting?

In 2019- yes. An acceptable cover crop must be generally recognized by agricultural experts as agronomically sound for the area for erosion control or other purposes related to conservation or soil improvement is planted at the recommended seeding rate, etc. In 2019, the cover crop may be the same crop prevented from planting and may still retain eligibility for a prevented planting payment. The cover crop planted cannot be used for harvest as seed or grain.

Agricultural expert is defined in the Good Farming Practices Determinations Handbook as the following:

Approved experts by RMA include individuals who are:

  1. Employed by Cooperative Extension Service or USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), formerly Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES);
  2. Employed by the agricultural departments of universities;
  3. Certified by the American Society of Agronomy (ASA) as Certified Crop Advisers and Certified Professional Agronomists, https://www.agronomy.org/;
  4. Certified by the National Alliance of Independent Crop Consultants (NAICC) as Certified Professional Crop Consultants, http://naicc.org/;
  5. Certified by the American Society for Horticultural Sciences as Certified Professional Horticulturists; or
  6. Certified by the International Society of Arboriculture as Certified Arborists.

However, in the Crop Insurance- Prevented Plant Handbook, there is this caution for producers that normally have silage:

When the cover crop planted is a crop that is commonly planted for silage, grazing, etc., in the area or for the type of farming operation the insured has (e.g. dairy operation) the adjusted must use extra caution in verifying whether the insured’s actual intent was to plant the crop as a cover crop or for the purpose of silage, haying grazing, etc.. Items that may be verified include but are not limited to:

    1. The insured has the inputs to plant the crop claimed as PP
    2. That the insured has a history of planting the crop claimed as a cover crop for hay, silage, grazing, etc; and
    3. Whether the insured certified acreage at FSA this calendar year and if so, what use is shown for the acreage in question?

Updated: 7/1/2019

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