April 29, 2021 — U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich), Chairwoman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, and Senator John Thune (R-S.D.), a longtime member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, introduced bipartisan legislation to ensure that farmers can plant beneficial cover crops without facing crop insurance penalties when bad weather prevents them from planting their crops for the season. The Cover Crop Flexibility Act of 2021 was inspired bySenator Stabenow and Senator Gary Peters’s successful effort in 2019 to give flexibility to Michigan farmers after record-setting flooding and wet weather delayed planting. Currently, crop insurance penalizes farmers for planting cover crops that can be used for livestock grazing or animal feed when farmers can’t plant their crops for the season because of bad weather. The bill will permanently lift this restrictive rule and provide certainty if farmers face poor planting conditions again this spring. “Historic rainfall in 2019 caused many farmers to miss the planting season,” said Senator Stabenow. “When extreme weather gets in the way of planting, farmers aren’t able to grow beneficial cover crops without facing a crop insurance penalty. This commonsense change permanently fixes that problem and is a win for the environment and for farmers.” “Unpredictable springtime weather poses risks for Michigan agriculture every year, and this bipartisan bill led by Sen. Debbie Stabenow helps ensure farmers who may have prevented planting claims can still unlock the many benefits of cover crops,” said Chuck Lippstreu, President of the Michigan Agri-Business Association. “As farmers and their trusted ag retail advisors look to cover crops for both economic and stewardship benefits, the Cover Crop Flexibility Act will provide added certainty well into the future.” The Cover Crop Flexibility Act of 2021 is supported by 37 ag organizations including MABA, Michigan Farm Bureau, Michigan Milk Producers Association, Michigan Corn Growers Association, Michigan Soybean Association, and The Nature Conservancy in Michigan. The full announcement is available here.
