Washington, D.C.—U.S. Rep. Mike Bost (IL-12) applauded today the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s decision to allow farmers who planted cover crops on prevented plant acres to hay, graze, or chop those fields in by September 1st this year, rather than November 1st. The Risk Management Agency (RMA) moved up the date to help farmers who were prevented from planting because of flooding and excess rainfall this spring.

“Farmers across Southern Illinois faced tough planting conditions this year because of heavy rainfall and the second-highest Mississippi River crest in history,” said Bost. “I appreciate that RMA made this necessary change to ensure farmers affected by record rains will have the forage they need available for livestock this fall.”

Under RMA guidelines, prevented planting is the failure to plant an insured crop due to an insured cause of loss by the final planting date, which varies by crop and area. Under normal conditions, if producers are prevented from planting their insured crop by the final date, they may plant a cover crop and receive a full indemnity if the cover crop is not hayed or grazed before November 1st.

Congressman Bost is an original cosponsor of the FEEDD Act, which is bipartisan legislation to require USDA to move the November 1st date to ensure farmers get the assistance they need this fall.

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