Changes Made in Wake of Crop Insurance Confusion

North Dakota’s congressional delegation says the federal Risk Management Agency has released new rules for prevented planting insurance for the 2014 crop year.

The changes come in the wake of confusion for some Upper Midwest farmers over a rule that’s aimed at stopping farmers from fraudulently collecting insurance payments on land that typically can’t support crops because it’s constantly flooded or parched. Some farmers believed they might not be eligible for insurance payments on flooded farmland this spring because of the unclear rule.

Federal officials say the confusion was caused by farmers misinterpreting some information. But the congressional delegation asked for better direction from the Risk Management Agency.

Sens. John Hoeven and Heidi Heitkamp and Rep. Kevin Cramer say the agency has now done that.