Early planting might seem risky, but the rewards can be significant.
Farmers must understand how earliest and final planting dates affect federal crop insurance products. For instance, an early planting date erodes coverage provided under Young Planter (YP) and Replant Protection Policies (RP).
Corn
Corn planting season in many parts of the Midwest is quickly approaching, even as early Spring rains and cold temperatures have postponed full-scale fieldwork. Farmers should take note of these crop insurance dates and deadlines so they can plan accordingly.
First, Iowa counties’ early planting date for corn is April 11. Farmers who plant before this date risk violating their crop insurance policy’s replant provision and may not qualify for coverage if damage occurs. Second is Iowa’s final planting date – acres planted before this date receive their total yield or revenue guarantee while planting after this date could reduce contracts by up to one percent per day during late planting periods.
The final planting date is also vital because it acts as a reporting date for producers. They must report how many acres were planted by this date to their crop insurance agent. Furthermore, should a producer decide after this date not to grow, they must notify their agent within three days to be assessed for possible replanting options and informed accordingly.
As part of their 2023 growing season planning, producers should take a conservative approach when setting planting dates. This will maximize yield potential while protecting seedling emergence and growth directly related to soil temperature. Warm soils provide ideal conditions for seed germination. In contrast, cold soils significantly reduce yield potential as germination slows, and frost/freeze damage increases seed susceptibility – combined factors may dramatically lower corn’s potential yield potential.
Soybeans
According to LSU AgCenter Dean Lee Research Station, soybeans should be planted for optimal harvest potential between late March and mid-to-late April. If planting takes place outside of this period, yield may suffer by four bu/acre per day of delay in planting.
Soybean producers may be tempted to plant too early. But if the weather turns colder than anticipated after early planting, frost damage may occur and cause their soybeans to die prematurely. Soybeans must be planted before the last spring freeze date to minimize frost damage and save your crop from going under.
Michael Plumblee of Clemson Extension corn and soybean specialist stated that planting dates have been advanced by two weeks compared with 2022 crop insurance plans, allowing farmers to plant earlier soybeans while receiving full coverage on June 30 or July 10. In all instances, a reduced range is available until at least July 10 for complete coverage contracts.
Soil temperatures must be warm enough for rapid seed water imbibition for seeds to germinate and emerge within 24 hours after planting. Typically, 60 degrees Fahrenheit is recommended as this enables rapid seed water imbibition. Soybeans usually need around 60 degrees Fahrenheit for proper imbibition to occur.
Another critical consideration for growing soybeans is their canopy’s ability to capture sunlight and promote photosynthesis. Planting too late dates will delay canopy closure and limit sunlight interception by soybeans, decreasing moisture utilization rates while reducing soil surface evaporation rates.
Crop insurance replanting options are more limited for soybeans than corn, with planting dates across Minnesota being April 21 for silage and grain corn planting and April 26 in most northern counties, such as Aitkin, Beltrami, Clearwater, Carlton, Itasca, Kittson Koochiching Lake of the Woods Marshall Mahnomen Normandy Polk Red Lake Roseau, etc. If planted before these dates, any damage caused would disqualify you from any replant payments should your crop become damaged or destroyed.
Wheat
Wheat crops are among the most crucial staple crops for farmers across America. Wheat has long been an indispensable staple food source, especially for those living in northern regions of the country. Unfortunately, weather conditions this year have made planting increasingly challenging as cold and rainy conditions caused many producers to delay getting their crops in the ground.
Heavy April snowfall and rainfall have put many Northern farmers behind in planting, forcing them to be near or past their final insurance plant dates for corn and soybeans if they plant post-RDMA dates (these dates vary according to county and crop). USDA’s Risk Management Agency establishes these dates.
North Dakotan farmers must plant spring wheat fields by May 31 or June 5, depending on their residence, while this date also holds in most Minnesota and Wisconsin counties. Farmers rely on this date if their fields cannot be planted due to excessive moisture conditions; otherwise, they could file a claim and seek compensation from insurance providers.
The RMA has also established a practical replant date for each county and crop. If farmers can replant before this date, their yield or revenue guarantees will be entirely fulfilled under their crop insurance policy; otherwise, coverage will gradually decrease by one percentage point each day until it reaches zero.
Find final insurance planting dates and practical replanting dates quickly using the FMH Important Crop Planting Dates tool. Filter by state, county, crop type, and plan type so you can quickly identify critical dates that apply to your farm – making this tool an invaluable resource for farmers and their crop insurance agents alike.
Barley
Barley is another cool-season crop similar to wheat. Seeding may occur either fall or spring and requires well-drained soil rich in organic matter and sufficient levels of phosphorus and nitrogen to ensure fast enough growth to mature before frost arrives. Barley tends to be more vulnerable than wheat to disease; therefore proper fungicide management must be implemented if malting barley production is the goal; DON levels must remain below the threshold, something which fungicides alone can prevent from happening.
Farmers reported growing more wheat, canola, soybeans, and winter barley this year, according to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s June Field Crop Survey, than they did the previous year; on the other hand, their planting of lentils, peas, and dry peas decreased slightly. Alberta led this increase with seeding increases of 7.9% for small grains acreage.
Barley planting dates depend on your latitude; as a general guideline, plant as soon as possible. In general, though, the long-term average optimal seeding date in the north for small grains (e.g., small grain barley) is around April 11; Fusarium head blight risk decreases when barley follows corn silage or wheat rather than soybeans as its immediate preceding crop.
Chris Wilson, a family farmer from northern Iowa, recommends planting winter barley on fields already planted with corn or soybeans to take advantage of its early maturity and prevent lodging while decreasing the chances of late-spring freezes.
Chris will try relay cropping winter barley with soybeans for the 2023 growing season, drilling his soybean seeds before the winter barley boots reach boot stage so the beans can take over quickly and mature quickly, helping him avoid frost-impeding physiological maturity and maintain high-grade grain quality.
Farmers must take caution when planting crops too early or they risk forfeiting federal crop insurance coverage for replanting expenses. USDA’s Risk Management Agency has set specific rules regarding when farmers can plant corn and soybeans within each county – for instance, in Iowa, it starts on April 11 for corn planting, while April 21 is when soybean planting begins.
