When do we want it to keep raining?

[freewheat]

I did not say I needed $150 to cover expenses although I would challenge you to look at your numbers to see if you can operate you farm for less than $250 per acre when all is included (depreciation, reasonable management wage etc)

Cash costs are one thing but overall profitability is another.

I was shown that $140 per acre reference margin would allow my operation to remain comparable to my history which has been strong and key word, stay in the black. With a excel spreadsheet tool, he showed me how quickly the impact of a lower reference margin had on the profitability of my farm and vice versa, how $180 (our 2010 actual) was a significant advantage.

I don't lease any equipment other than a few odd rental pieces, the majority of land is owned, minimal debt, spouse works so we only take about $50,000 a year from the business. The next operator will be different and it may not work.

As far as fees, its a fee per service payable as the work starts or is complete. Some years our corporations are $2000-$2500 (each), agristability is usually $1000 (each), personal tax with 2 kids is $450. I know what a few friends pay with smaller public accountants and MNP is not any more. We have good computerized records which I know helps.

The biggest difference is I make a point to get in an see my guy to go through the information. He admits to me that at times they get too busy and therefore they are not always able to do the things they want with their clients. Because he farms, May is a tough month to get together as well.

Yes, I am very pleased because I know I am getting something no one else provides or can provide. And when they can give me re-assurance as to where I stand in a year like this, its worth a few hundred bucks more.

My suggestion to anyone and you yourself, go and talk to them for an hour. They will give you that and show what they have to offer as I have had a couple friends sit with them this past year. Both of them are clients in 2010

[freewheat]

Freewheat - Are you strictly grain?

Is your application complete for 2009 and the reference margin calulated for 2010 (or has someone gave you this?)

If you only seeded 2 crops in the last 5 years was there crop insurance revenue and is it included in the right year?

If you don't get any crop seeded, yes you will have lower expenses for the claim year however that's not going to make your potential claim higher if you do not have a good margin.

Are you farming with another operation? If so, is there any benefit in combining to achieve more representive data?

Unfortunately if you faced more than a couple tough years since 2005 your margin (and crop insurance the same) will have taken a hit too. That's the unfortunate side of the program.

[Hopperbin]

I guess I try to operate pretty lean, I don't count on the main tractor blowing up in the middle of planting like last year and I don't count on the high clearance sprayer purchase in order to hire a good man that quits just before harvest starts or planting. Anyways if you got a ref margin like saskfarmer99 why even try planting anymore. Then again you don't get that ref by slacking either. There are a lot of farmers out there that have expanded because of their ref margin which increases when they take on more acres. Now we talk about a chinese bubble????

[GOODRUM]

has the 2009 's been completed or am I missing something?

[gregpet]

These are not disaster programs. Those programs are income leveling/insurance programs. We are having a natural disaster, in our case this is the third time since 2006 for us (too wet 2006, wet 2007, hail 80-100% 2008 (not disaster worthy but I thought I would just throw it in for sympathy), much wetter 2010).

We are in or will be in need of disaster relief payments.

[gregpet]

No gooddrum almost all applications would not be processed or completed however, the information required to calculate your margin for 2009 and therefore your reference margin for 2010 has been available for more than a month already.

In fact every year you were able to calculate your reference margin before seeding. Its all a matter of the tools and knowledge or who is preparing these for you and what they provide/don't provide.

[makar]

I think there is a date for crop ins like a best before date. You can seed after that but you lose the frost coverage. Like wheat may be june 1 you seed june 5 expecting full coverage. May be in for a surpise. My take is when it is to late cut your losses. At least fallow leaves you square in the spring, combining late seeded unsellable crop in the spring screws everything. For instance ci grades by the cgc for cwb grades. 52 lb wheat is feed wheat. Elvators discount from 58 lbs. Anyone sold 58 lb wheat to the cwb lately? Any poor grain is sold nonboard. I have been in your boat before, chose a point where to pull the pin. Ci will not help you if you seed late and do not harvest.

[makar]

Freewheat if you cant seed and can get unseeded seed nothing and work out at what ever you can get paid for. You will have peace, as it may be. Good luck, i have been there.

[Hopperbin]

Saskfarmer99 if a farmer continuous crops for say 10 years and now has 50 percent unplanted, is that going to affect the reference margin in any way for 2010?

[Hopperbin]

No, nothing is different for Agristability. In summary, there is no "seeding intensity formula's"

Where the issue lies is if all acres have been insured for crop insurance in 2010 and at 70% or better.

If a producer has not insured all of the acres at 70% or better, and would have been in a yield loss claim in 2010, the claim from crop insurance will be calculated and included as part of the claim year income.