There's a lot of misunderstanding when it comes to the issue of insuring the grain that you have stored on your farm.  Today Deb Etheridge, Vice President of Insurance at Water Street Solutions talks with Mike LePorte from KRVN about ways to make sure you're covered.  Insuring Stored Grain on Your Farm - Etheridge AUDIO

For the text of the interview, click here: Insuring Stored Grain on Your Farm

As the executive or CEO of your farm, you have a lot of decisions to make about what kind of business you're going to build. This month in Money News in the Illinois AgriNews, Darren Frye, President and CEO of Water Street Solutions, talks about two key practices used in many successful farming businesses.

ILAgrinews_2012_March_DifferentiatorsHelpBuildSuccess

Mike Wilson, the editor of Farm Futures talks today about positive changes you should be making to your culture on the farm, in order to move the business forward.  His material, in part, comes from a speech that Dean Heffta, Water Street Solutions' Director of Development gave at the Farm Futures Summit earlier this year.  You can read the article here.

Are you ready to plant?  Well, if you have certain kinds of MPCI policies, the government might not be ready to have you plant.  Today Deb Etheridge, Vice President of Insurance with Water Street Solutions talks about the rules with Mike LePorte from KRVN. Early Planting and Crop Insurance Coverage - Etheridge AUDIO

For the text of the interview, click here: Early Planting and Crop Insurance Coverage

Risk management comes in all shapes and sizes...and as you start getting ready for the busy planting season, think about the risks you have because of all of the additional assets you're handling.  Are they protected?  Darren Frye, President and CEO of Water Street Solutions discusses this on www.farmfutures.com.  Read his post here.

Keep in mind that the RMA establishes an earliest planting date for crops insured under the individual MPCI plans of insurance (Yield Protection & Revenue Protection) by county and state.  This does not apply to the Group Plans of Insurance (GRP & GRIP).  If a grower initially plants an insured crop prior to that date, they are forfeiting the replant coverage on the MPCI policy.  This would be determined on a unit by unit basis.  The same would be true for any Supplemental Replant Coverage they have requested.

This link will take you to the location on RMA's website where you can look up specific crops by state/county/plan of insurance.  If you select the specific search criteria and then click on View Report, you can then click on the Dates tab.  This is where you will find several dates, including the Earliest Planting Date.  Here are some general references, but please verify with the RMA website if there is any question of insurance coverage.

Illinois - Corn (4/6), Soybeans (4/16 - Northern counties) (4/21)

Indinana - Corn (4/6), Soybeans (4/21)

Ohio - Corn (4/6), Soybeans (4/21)

Minnesota - Corn (4/11), Soybeans (4/21), Sugar Beets (4/11), Dry Beans (4/26), Spring Wheat (3/21)

Nebraska - Corn (4/10) (4/15 - Northern Counties), Soybeans (4/25)

As an alternative, ask your Water Street Solutions Crop Insurance Specialist about TWI early freeze coverage.

There's a lot of risk on the farm and a lot to think about protecting.  You might have just taken care of your crop insurance.  That's one.  But there's so much more to think about.  Darren Frye, President and CEO of Water Street Solutions takes a look at protecting your stored grain in this week's Finance First post on www.farmfutures.com.  You can read it here.

The financial part of farming could get a little more challenging in 2012.  We're seeing input costs rise while grain prices are receding, compared to where they have been the last couple years.  Making a profit becomes more challenging this year.  Ken Rajhes from KRVN talks here with Tim Brhel, an Ag Finance Specialist with Water Street Solutions about how to get to your financial A game for this year.  The Difference with 2012 Brhel AUDIO

For the text of the interview, click here: The Difference with 2012

We often think about legacy planning as something that happens at a single point in time when you sit down with a lawyer and an accountant.  But the heart of legacy planning happens daily in what you do in front of people, in how you communicate with them.  Here Dean Heffta, Director of Development for Water Street Solutions talks with Ken Rahjes from KRVN about looking at legacy planning another way.  Your Legacy is What You Model Every Day - Heffta AUDIO

For the text of the interview, click here: Your Legacy is What You Model Every Day