releases: https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=695f7ef9-6256-47ed-be1b-31772dd3f9a0

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https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=695f7ef9-6256-47ed-be1b-31772dd3f9a0 Heitkamp Presses USDA for Clarity in Prevented Plant Policy, Encourages Crop Insurance Companies to Begin Adjusting ND Claims 2013-07-16 2013 2013-07 Democrat House ND Heidi Heitkamp H001069 www.heitkamp.senate.gov     legacy Contact: Todd Deutsch 202-224-9921 Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp today met with senior officials from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to discuss the impact of abnormally high moisture on the growing season in North Dakota. Senator Heitkamp pressed USDA Deputy Secretary nominee Krysta Harden to improve prevented plant policies at the Risk Management Agency (RMA) so that crop insurance providers will have clarity to process eligible claims. If confirmed, Harden will be the No. 2 official at USDA. “With 4.4 million acres prevented from planting in North Dakota, it is imperative that the RMA get the crop insurance policies right so all growers receive the coverage they paid for,” said Heitkamp. “As the extent of the harm from the wet season becomes clearer, it is also important that crop insurance companies get adjusters in the field to assess and document claims so that every eligible acre gets covered. I stand at the ready to defend any legitimate claim honored by crop insurance companies to North Dakota growers. What is most important now is that the claims begin to get processed.” Under RMA guidelines, growers are eligible to compensation for losses from prevented planting if they have been able to put in at least one crop over the previous four years. Additionally, if a grower plants once in a four year window, USDA requires that the conditions for planting be normal precipitation. Crop insurance adjusters and farmers are concerned about the lack of direction provided by RMA regarding what constitutes normal precipitation.   The meeting with USDA officials today follows previous discussions regarding prevented plant crop insurance policies hosted by Senator Heitkamp with Acting USDA Deputy Secretary Michael Scuse and RMA Administrator Brandon Willis. The RMA is responsible for setting policies for the Federal Crop Insurance Program, which provides coverage to growers that are prevented from planting a crop due to abnormally wet conditions. Senator Heitkamp recently sent a letter to the RMA requesting information regarding the application of the 1 in 4 rule and to inquire if the RMA will apply the “abnormally dry” exception in an across-the-board fashion to deny claims for North Dakota growers. RMA responded to Senator Heitkamp’s concerns and confirmed that no across-the-board determination will be made in North Dakota. Additionally, RMA explained that decisions regarding individual prevented planting insurance claims lie solely with the Approved Insurance Providers (AIPs) that administer the federal crop insurance program.                                                                                                                -END- 1 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z