Download
1 / 24
E N D
Disclaimer • Nothing in today’s material overrides any rules outlined in the applicable policy provisions, handbooks, or other related documents for either the federal or private insurance products being discussed herein today. Any forms or data shown here today are for training and example purposes ONLY and not intended to imply any individual affects or outcomes to your individual policies and/or actual coverage!!
Nondiscrimination • The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all of its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex (including gender identity and expression), marital status, familia status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, political beliefs, genetic information, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD). • To file a complaint of discrimination write to: USDA, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250, Mail Stop 9410; E-mail: ascr@usda.gov; Phone: 800-795-3272 (voice) or 202-720-6382 (TDD). • USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. • For more information, contact RMA Civil Rights Office at 202-690-3578 (main line). • Jack Walker Insurance Agency Inc. D/B/A Town & Country Agribusiness is an equal opportunity provider.
Privacy • COLLECTION OF INFORMATION AND DATA (PRIVACY ACT) STATEMENTThe following statements are made in accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a): The Risk Management Agency (RMA) is authorized by the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1501-1524) or other Acts, and the regulations promulgated thereunder, to solicit the information requested on documents established by RMA or by approved insurance providers (AIPs) that have been approved by the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) to deliver Federal crop insurance. The information is necessary for AIPs and RMA to operate the Federal crop insurance program, determine program eligibility, conduct statistical analysis, and ensure program integrity. Information provided herein may be furnished to other Federal, State, or local agencies, as required or permitted by law, law enforcement agencies, courts or adjudicative bodies, foreign agencies, magistrate, administrative tribunal, AIPs contractors and cooperators, Comprehensive Information Management System (CIMS), congressional offices, or entities under contract with RMA. For insurance agents, certain information may also be disclosed to the public to assist interested individuals in locating agents in a particular area. Disclosure of the information requested is voluntary. However, failure to correctly report the requested information may result in the rejection of this document by the AIP or RMA in accordance with the Standard Reinsurance Agreement between the AIP and FCIC, Federal regulations, or RMA-approved procedures and the denial of program eligibility or benefits derived therefrom. Also, failure to provide true and correct information may result in civil suit or criminal prosecution and the assessment of penalties or pursuit of other remedies.
Privacy Continued • TOWN & COUNTRY AGRIBUSINESSTown & Country Agribusiness is committed to respecting the individual privacy of Customers and their significant beneficial interest owners. We collect nonpublic personal information about Customers from information we receive from them such as information provided on applications or other forms, which may include name, address and social security numbers. To serve our Customers and to service our business, our employees have access to Customers personal information in the course of doing their jobs and we may share or disclose non-public personal information about the Customers to affiliates within Town & Country Agribusiness or with non-affiliated third parties with whom we have a contractual relationship such as agencies within the United States Department of Agriculture, or with banks where a written permission to transfer such information has been granted by the policyholder. Town & Country Agribusiness will not sell or share your personal information with anyone for purposes unrelated to our business functions with out our offering to the Customer the opportunity to “opt-out” or to “opt-in” as required by law.
Upcoming WHEAT dates • March 15th: MUST notify us if you intend to GRAZE or HAY any wheat acres insured as grain on the policy. If you intend to make any other use of the wheat, you must contact our office for specific instructions. DO NOT DESTROY without prior consent from your claims adjuster!! • WHEAT LOSSES: If your wheat is no longer viable and you need an adjuster due to blowing or other loss conditions, please contact our office so that we can open your notice of loss and begin your claims process. • July 1st: Wheat Premium is due even if you have an open claim that has not been finalized, this does not extend the due date and interest will begin to accrue on August 1st at 1.25% per month back to July 1, 2013. The company’s and RMA are taking a hard stance on this so please do not ask us to get the interest waived because your claim(s) have not been paid yet, we no longer have that “implied or lateral authority” we’ve had in the past to alleviate this additional cost of insurance for you.
Entity Information, Assignments of Indemnity, POA’s, Important Upcoming Dates and FSA Paperwork & Communication • It has become increasingly IMPORTANT that not only your acres and shares match FSA but also your ENTITY/NAMES match! • As Data Mining continues you MUST tell us immediately when there has been a divorce, death, legal separation, dissolution, remarriage, etc. and OUR POLICY MUST MATCH FSA or you run the risk of your claim being REDUCED or DENIED for failure to update your information with us.
Power of Attorney • Insureds may grant a third party authority to sign crop insurance documents, provided a legally executed POA is used: (1) A Legally Executed POA Includes: • POAs, which specify authority to sign crop insurance purposes, executed according to federal authorities, e.g. a FSA Power of Attorney form executed according to FSA regulations that indicates authority to sign for crop insurance. • Other non-Federal POA’s, if legally executed according to applicable state authorities and which authorize the grantee to sign crop insurance documents on behalf of the grantor. a. POA’s which grant authority to sign contracts and legally bind the grantors are sufficient for crop insurance purposes. b. In states that require POA’s to be notarized, the signatures of the grantor AND the grantee must be notarized. If notarization is not required by the state, the signatures of the grantor and grantee must be witnessed and the signature of the witness obtained on the document.
POA’s Continued (2) The POA shall be filed with the office where the official insurance file is maintained and shall remain in full force and effect until written notice of its revocation has been received by the office maintaining the official insurance file, such revocation shall be placed in the official insurance file. (3) If the GRANTOR of the POA dies, or is judicially-declared incompetent, the the POA is void. (4) An agent’s and/or Loss Adjuster’s use of a POA may be limited by conflict of interest requirements contained in the SRA.
Important Dates for Spring • Sales Closing: March 15th (Final date to make ANY changes to your coverage levels, update entity information, write new policies, etc.) • Requesting Written Agreements: MARCH 15th is the VERY last date and not reccommended for you to request coverage for specialty crops not insurable in your county, added land over 320 acres, etc.
Important Dates Continued • Earliest Plant Dates and Final Plant Dates have changed in some counties. Please call our office and ASK for these dates!! • Acreage Reports are DUE no later than 7/15/13!! If you are late planting Grain Sorghum until 7/25/13 then we must do a revised acreage report once you’ve completed planting to account for these late planted acres!! It DOES NOT allow you additional time to file your original planted acreages!! And you MUST complete an acreage report EVEN IF YOU PLANT ZERO acres of the crops listed on your policy!!! Uninsured/Uninsurable acreage must also be accounted for on the acreage reports!! • EXCEPTION: If you have a loss prior to July 15th, then you MUST contact our office and COMPLETE a partial acreage report on the loss acres in order to process your claim!! The adjuster is also going to require you to certify at FSA on these acres. It is best for you to certify FIRST and then bring us copies of the FSA paperwork along with your MAPS to expedite your claim process!! You will still then also need to file another acreage report on your later planted/undamaged crops by 7/15/13 to complete the acreage reporting requirements. • Premium is due for Spring crops AUGUST 15th!!
Assignments of Indemnity • AOI’s are simply requests to add your bank or lendor to the MPCI policy. • It is YOUR responsibility to request these for each crop year and get them signed by both you and your loan officer and return them our office for processing. • The requirements for this also continue to grow. We must now send a form to you/your lendor for each policy number/county you have for completion. Simply put, we can’t accept you or your lendor telling us they need to be listed on all crops anymore. • CROP HAIL assignments also need to be requested when you request this coverage. We strive to check if you have an MPCI form on file but during the course of hectic sales days, those are often overlooked. So your help in this matter is greatly appreciated. • Equally as important is you letting us know if you change lendors during the course of a crop year. We have to send new forms for the new lendor and new signatures are required!
Newly Broken Out Land • Land must have been prepared and ready for planting by 11/30/12 • Written Agreement is required for insurability • Conservation Plan must be in place and we will need a copy for verification • Detailed documentation is needed (dates tilled, applied chemicals, etc.)
Written Agreements • MUST be requested by no later than March 15th for newly broken land, ADDED LAND & any NEW CROPS not insurable in the County!! • Written Agreements require ALOT of information and TIME and they must be submitted completely in order to even be considered • Written Agreements requested ON March 15th will likely be declined by RMA due to backlog for previously and timely requested submissions. PLEASE DO NOT WAIT to request these from our office if you are considering planting something new this crop year or renewing a previous Written Agreement!!
Hybrid Seed • Hybrid Seed Contracts MUST be attached to the acreage report for insurance to attach!! Please contact your Seed Dealers and get these completed to us TIMELY or coverage for your planted acres will NOT attach!! • Hybrid Seed Contracts must now be COMPLETE!! Please don’t bring us unsigned or incomplete contracts!! They will not be accepted!
Sorghum Silage • Pilot Expansion into Texas and New Mexico for 2013 Crop year • Must have an MPCI Policy in force as this is an endorsement to the policy • Must sign a new application to add this endorsement by 3/15 • The endorsement is continuous until cancelled (i.e. the following crop year sales closing period) Becomes part of your course grains (Spring Crop MPCI) policy
Sorghum Silage Continued • Must submit acceptable records of acreage and harvested silage tonnage by the Production Reporting Date that is used to set your APH, that shows that you have planted and harvested silage sorghum in at least two (2) of the last four (4) crop years. • IRRIGATED Corn silage records will meet this qualification for the irrigated practice only. Records MUST show that production was either sold or fed.
Sorghum Silage RESTRICTIONS • Maximum level of coverage for silage sorghum is 75% level • Maximum of 125% of your previous average acres will be insured using approved yield • If more than 125% then your production guarantee will be reduced as follows: Average number of harvested acres from 2 previous crop years (X) times 1.25 and divide this by the number of acres for the current crop year. **That figure (not to exceed 1.0) (x) your production guarantee for the current crop year.
Example • Average of 125 acres. APH is 30 tons. So 30 x 75% level = 22.5 ton guarantee Current year 240 acres. 125 x 1.25 = 156 156/240 = .65 .65 x 22.5 = 14.6 new guarantee
Sorghum Silage Continued • Silage Sorghum a. Must be planted for harvest as silage b. Not a combine type hybrid grain sorgh c. Not Sudan, Sudax, or Sudex variety or a variety developed for haying or grazing IF HAYED without a silage appraisal – NO indemnity will be paid and the unit will be marked as WOC. (Withdrawal of Claim) Requirement: 7 Calendar Days prior to harvest, if placing production in silage bags or utilizing any acreage in any manner other than for the production of silage, we MUST APPRAISE!!
Silage Sorghum Continued • Price Maximum price election will be 80% of the projected price for corn silage, released by RMA on January 31st or the Contracted Price not to exceed $2.00 above the projected price set by RMA
Questions, Answers, & Miscellaneous Reminders and News • Important to check with FSA on new dates, NAP Requirements on Sorghum Silage, etc. • Online Access for some policy information, billing and claims status is available. Contact the office and we can help you set up your log in and/or mobile device. • RMA Audits and Data Mining: New RMA staff; intense compliance and auditing going on back to even as far as 2009 on APH’s, Entity determinations, New Producer Eligibility and more!!
Reminders • CROP HAIL: Once rates are set for each county and crop they do not change!! There isn’t a discount for buying it earlier or later (except in the case of Cotton July Rates) • If there is a “forecasted event” please try to contact our office well in advance to purchase your hail coverage.
Agency Communications • We try to keep the most current dates and news on our website. If you are not signed up to receive this email communication or do not read the website, we encourage you to sign up or start watching it so that you will know what the most up to date information is that affects your operations. www.MyFarmAgent.com
