Late Spring Proves Challenging for Grain Producers, Make Sure You are Prepared When Mother Nature Says it’s Go Time.

When most ordinary people think of May, they think of May Flowers and Mother’s Day. For farmers, May is a month of action. Usually, final tillage is done, along with fertilizer application, planting and chemical application. This year, Mother Nature is again showing us that weather is out of our control. When planting conditions get difficult and the majority of seed is still in the bag, it’s natural for our stress levels to rise. Even if your equipment is ready to roll, there are still plenty of other things to while Mother Nature takes center stage.

Be Prepared. Preparation will be the key to working quickly and efficiently when the weather conditions improve. Having several sets of detailed farm maps prepared will let your employees, custom applicators, and even your spouse know exactly what you are planning with each of your fields. The maps will make communication much easier and could avoid costly mistakes in a condensed planting season. Also, you might want to think about including an additional contact sheet with the names and telephone numbers of your key suppliers, including your fertilizer and chemical suppliers, agronomist, custom applicators or operators, parts suppliers, custom accounts you may work with, and of course, your AgStar crop insurance agent. Make sure these contacts are also entered into your cell phone, fax machine, and even email, to save everyone time when Mother Nature changes her mind.

Communicate. Sometimes, we take it for granted that everyone around us is aware of the stress we are experiencing and the increased demand on our time and workload that will be required because of the conditions. A great way to relieve some of the stress and also improve communication and attitudes of those around you is to have a quick meeting to communicate your workload expectations and your strategy for working through the challenging planting season. Include your employees, family members and any other key people to your operation in the meeting. Make sure to plan for any scheduling or work conflicts that employees or family may have during the planting season well in advance in order to avoid unnecessary stress down the road.

Have a plan. Develop a contingency plan in case planting delays persist. In the business world, the best CEOs had contingency plans at the end of last year for the drastic budget cuts, tax hikes, and lack of government services that could have been implemented in 2013. In the Upper Midwest, May 25 is typical for considering the move to shorter maturing hybrids. Identify which fields would most likely need the switch and calculate how much seed would be needed if the switch would be made. This will save time and effort later in the season when you may be in the field planting and decide to make the change.

Note important dates. In most of Minnesota, the final day to plant corn during the regular crop insurance period is May 31 (May 25 in some of the far Northern Counties of MN and WI). The final plant date for soybeans is June 10t. After those dates, you may still plant, but your crop insurance guarantee is reduced by 1% per day after that final date. If you choose to file a prevent plant claim on your crop insurance it must be filed within 72 hours of the final plant date for each specific crop. A claim for prevent plant, if approved, would pay 60% of your insurance guarantee. Many factors need to be weighed when choosing to switch maturities, intended corn or soybean acres, and filing prevent plant options. A spread sheet or on-line application is usually worth the effort when considering your options. Make sure to talk to your AgStar crop insurance agent as the deadline to plant approaches. Our agents are here to help you succeed.

Look ahead. Finally, don’t forget about your drying fuel and extra resources needed for this fall. Mother Nature has a strange sense of humor and our late spring might mean harvest will have its own unique set of challenges. Remember to put your action plan in place now and reduce your stress during entire season.

By Glenn Wachtler, AgStar Financial Services