(NAFB) – Senate Ag Chair Debbie Stabenow and longtime committee member John Thune applauded the USDA announcement on prevented planting acres.

The Risk Management Agency is implementing their recommendation to remove the arbitrary November 1 restriction for harvesting or grazing cover crops on prevented plant acres. The announcement gives greater flexibility to producers in northern areas of the U.S.

“USDA will now encourage more cover cropping by making sure farmers don’t face a crop insurance penalty when extreme weather causes them to miss the planting season,” Stabenow says. “That means healthier soils, less erosion, and better capacity to capture carbon.” Thune also says he’s been a staunch advocate for this change for years. “Congress and this administration must support producers who use cover crops by working to remove the arbitrary barriers to ensure their success,” he says. Stabenow and Thune have worked together for several years to get the November 1 restriction removed.