After all that severe weather in May, some crops out in Wilbarger County are just fields of unusable, damaged wheat. It's just another reminder that crop insurance policies are crucial for farmers.
"It's just going to be a really slim crop this year," said Lisa Singleton, a crop insurance agent in Vernon.
It's been a tough season for farmers in the area.
"Basically it's wheat right now," said Singleton. "There is some canola right now."
Lisa Singleton, a crop insurance agent in Vernon says since April shes been busy assessing crop damages non-stop
"This year the adjusters are still out in the area assessing the damage. Primarily, from the hail, we've got a lot of damage out there," Singleton says. "But hail, wind, the rain has caused a lot of damage, so that's probably the primary causes of loss at this point in time."
With so many wheat and canola farmers losing out on harvesting this year crop insurance is a must.
"Crop insurance is so beneficial to them. It has kept most of the farmers in this area in business," Singleton says. "The adjusters will go out there and assess the damage and assess against their type of policy and then if they are in a loss situation, they will recive a claim payment."
Singleton says crop insurance helps farmers survive unpredictable weather, from devastating drought conditions to tornadoes.
"At this point in time, you just don't know. And to cover themselves financially I think everyone should be looking at crop insurance for the future."
Singleton says that farmers are guaranteed a certain amount of bushels per acre depending on the type of policy that they have.
Some farmers, she says, are fortunate enough to have about 30 bushels per acre, but others will be lucky if they can get seven bushels per acre.
Source - http://www.myhighplains.com/
