Darin is a certified professional agronomist and a U.S. Army veteran who grew up in a farming community in Southern Michigan. Throughout his career, he has helped to support farmers in technical agronomy roles, including as a technology product manager, a research scientist and a director of technical development at some of the largest and fastest growing agriculture and crop protection companies in the industry.
The USDA Risk Management Agency developed the Rainfall Index Pasture, Rangeland and Forage (PRF) insurance program to provide coverage against lack of rainfall. Available in the 48 contiguous United States, PRF insurance was created because ranchers and hay producers were historically unable to insu
Body condition in beef cows can affect reproductive performance, overall productivity and longevity in the herd. These energy reserves can significantly impact specific stages of the production cycle. The amount of body fat or body condition a cow has at calving affects the postpartum to estrus in
The Rainfall Index - Annual Forage (RI-AF) Insurance program allows livestock and hay producers to purchase an insurance policy designed to provide coverage against the lack of precipitation on acreage planted annually to forage, graze or as hay for livestock. RI-AF is currently offered in Texas, Ok
Livestock Risk Protection (LRP) allows cattle and swine producers to protect against declining market prices and ensure their peace of mind. In the event that prices fall, livestock are still covered and allow the producer to realize the upside on the cash market. There are a number of different cov
The USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA) has an insurance program for ranchers and beekeepers insuring against the lack of precipitation in 2-month non-overlapping intervals throughout the year. The Insurance program is called Rainfall Index and is better known as either Pasture, Rangeland and Forage (
The USDA recently announced an updated livestock disaster aid addressing increased supplemental feed cost in 2021. The ELRP payment will be based on data from the 2021 Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP). Producers do not have to apply for the ELRP aid, but must have the following forms on file
In response to the severe drought conditions in many parts of the United States, the USDA RMA is suspending the Livestock Risk Protection (LRP) 60-day ownership requirement. The lack of rainfall is causing producers to sell cattle earlier than they normally would due to the difficulty in finding ade
Spraying is a vital component to each cropping season. Whether you’re feeding foliar nutrition or managing pest pressure, effective spray applications are key to protecting yields and your operation’s return on investment. There was a time when spraying was reserved for custom applicators. But in to
Whether we’re talking about corn, beans, cotton or any other crop you might have put out this year, plants are designed to grow. They innately know how to take in water, nutrients and sunlight and take the next steps to reproduce. But if you’re spending money on inputs to help your crops reach their
With many farmers still feeling the effects of cold, wet weather, it has been a challenging spring for planting corn thus far across much of the U.S. Because the growing point of corn is below ground from planting all the way to V4 or V5, soil temperature and frost-free days are important guides for