By Blake Jackson
The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) has partnered with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Risk Management Agency (RMA) to offer crop insurance premium rebates to producers who planted cover crops in 2023. The rebates will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, with a total of $800,000 available to cover 160,000 acres.
Eligible recipients will receive a $5 per acre rebate on their summer 2024 crop insurance premium for acres that were planted with cover crops in 2023 and then planted with an insurable crop the following year. Producers who received state or federal cost-sharing to plant cover crops in 2023 are not eligible for this year's program.
To apply for the rebate, producers will need to use their FSA-578 form and submit it through DATCP's website. There is no limit on the number of acres that an applicant can apply for. However, applicants are encouraged to keep seed receipts and planting records, as DATCP may conduct audits to verify that cover crops were planted.
The rebate application will be available online starting at 12 p.m. on December 1, 2023, and will remain open until January 31, 2024, or until program funding is exhausted. A copy of the application questions and instructions will be available for reference on DATCP's website prior to the application period opening.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-mvburling
Categories: Wisconsin, Crops