Farmers are able to get back in flooded fields, assess damage to crops and meet with insurance adjustors. The question of “how bad do my soybeans look” and “do I have to harvest my flooded soybeans” will be on a lot of minds.
For farmers with beans that went underwater, it is important to document the flooding and any damage to the fullest extent possible. Report a notice of loss at the first opportunity. Work with the insurance adjustor to document flooding and damage, too.
North Carolina Farm Bureau just issued some great advice about flooded crops —
Many crops have been damaged by flood from the recent rains associated with hurricane Matthew. The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) policy states the following; “If the edible portion of a crop is exposed to flood waters, it is considered adulterated under section 402(a)(4) (21 U.S.C. 342(a)(4)) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and should not enter human food channels. There is no practical method of reconditioning the edible portion of a crop that will provide a reasonable assurance of human food safety.”
If the crop is covered under a Multiple Peril Crop Insurance (MPCI) policy and has been damaged by flood to the extent that the edible portion of the crop has been exposed to flood waters, we recommend the following actions to assure compliance with the MPCI policy provisions. Report a notice of loss to the crop insurance agent or company immediately. Do not destroy or put the crop to another use without receiving consent from the loss adjuster. When a crop is required to be destroyed by any federal or state agency, the production from the crop may qualify as zero market value for crop insurance purposes if the criteria is met to qualify for zero market value in accordance with the MPCI policy and procedures. The loss adjuster will assess the damage and provide the options to the producer as applicable under the policy.
