LAKE CRYSTAL, Minn. — It is likely that a significant number of corn and soybean producers in many areas of the Upper Midwest may qualify for crop insurance indemnity payments in 2023. Much of this region has dealt with lack of rainfall and drought conditions during much of the growing season, along with severe storms in some locations during the summer months. These weather issues will likely result in yield reductions on numerous farms across the region, which together with the price declines from the crop insurance base prices on March 1, increases the likelihood of 2023 crop insurance indemnity payments for many producers.
With Federal Crop Insurance, every year is different, and with the multiple options available to producers, there are many variable results from crop insurance coverage at harvest time. The 2023 crop year will be no different, with some producers choosing Yield Protection (YP) policies (yield only) versus Revenue Protection (RP) policies (yield and price), and producers having different levels of coverage on various crops. Producers also vary on having “optional units” versus “enterprise units” for their crop insurance coverage. In addition, some producers also have enhanced insurance coverage through private insurance companies, or through the “Supplemental Crop Option” (SCO) and Enhanced Coverage Option (ECO) policies that were available in 2023.
In the Midwest, most corn and soybean producers in recent years have tended to secure some level of revenue (RP) crop insurance coverage, rather than standard yield-only (YP) policies. Farm operators like the flexibility of the RP policies that provide insurance coverage for reduced yields, as well as in instances where the harvest price drops below initial base price. In 2023, corn crop insurance loss calculations with YP policies and RP policies will likely function differently due to the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) harvest price for corn and possibly for soybeans being below the 2023 crop insurance base prices, which were finalized on March 1.
The established base prices for 2023 YP and RP crop insurance policies were $5.91 per bushel for corn and $13.76 per bushel for soybeans. These base prices will be the payment rate for 2023 YP policies for corn and soybeans. These base prices will also likely serve as the final price to calculate revenue guarantees for determining potential RP crop insurance indemnity payments for corn and possibly for soybeans.
The final harvest price for RP insurance policies with harvest price protection is based on the average CBOT December corn futures and CBOT November soybean futures during the month of October, with prices finalized on November 1, 2023. If the final harvest CBOT price for December corn futures or November soybean futures is higher than the established base prices, the harvest price would then be used to determine the RP insurance guarantees, which is not likely for corn in 2023. The harvest price is also used to calculate the value of the actual harvested bushels for all RP insurance policies. As of September 11, the crop insurance CBOT prices were approximately $4.85 per bushel for December corn futures and $13.65 per bushel for November soybean futures.
Corn and soybean producers had the option of selecting crop insurance policies ranging from 60% to 85% coverage levels. The level of insurance coverage can result in some producers receiving crop insurance indemnity payments, while other producers receive no indemnity payments, even though both producers had the same adjusted APH yield and the same final yield. For example, at an adjusted APH corn yield of 200 bushels per acre, a producer with 85% RP coverage would have a yield guarantee of 170 bushel per acre, and a revenue guarantee of $1,005 per acre, while a producer with 75% coverage would have a yield guarantee of 150 bushels per acre, and a guarantee of $886 per acre. If the actual 2023 yield was 175 bushels per acre, with a $5.00 per bushel harvest price, the producer with 85% coverage would receive a gross indemnity payment of $130 per acre, while the producer with 75% coverage would receive an indemnity payment $11 per acre.
The likelihood of a lower crop insurance harvest price, based on the average CBOT December corn futures price during October, greatly increases the likelihood of crop insurance indemnity payments for Upper Midwest corn producers that have 80% and 85% RP insurance policies for 2023. Based on current CBOT December corn price projections, 2023 indemnity payments for corn could begin at final yields that are very near the 2023 APH yields for farmers with 85% RP insurance policies. For example, with an 85% RP policy on corn with a 200 bushel per acre APH yield and a $5.00 per bushel harvest price, 2023 crop insurance indemnity payments would begin at a yield below 201 bushels per acre (very near the APH yield). If the harvest price increases to $5.30 per bushel, the payments would begin at a yield below 189 bushels per acre (95 percent of APH yield).
Soybeans will likely require a yield loss that is closer to the level of insurance coverage to receive an indemnity payment. Based on current estimate for the average CBOT November soybean futures price during October, an 85% RP policy on soybeans will likely require close to a 15 percent yield reduction in order to earn a 2023 crop insurance indemnity payment. As of September 11, the CBOT November futures price was near $13.65 per bushel, which is very near the crop insurance base price of $13.76 per bushel. If the final harvest price exceeds $13.76 per bushel, producers with RP policies that carry the harvest price option will have their revenue guarantee increased, based on the final harvest price. However, a yield loss of 15 percent will be required to earn a 2023 soybean indemnity payment.
A majority of Midwest corn and soybean producers utilize “enterprise units” for their crop insurance coverage, which combines all acres of a crop in a given county into one crop insurance unit. By comparison, “optional units” allow producers to insure crops separately in each township section. Premium rates are somewhat higher with optional units. Enterprise units work quite well with RP policies to protect against price drops during the growing season, and when a producer has most of their land in the same general area. Optional units are preferable when a producer has a variety of land that is spread across a wide area in a county, or when producers have individual farms that are highly susceptible to natural disasters, such as flooding, drought, etc.
For example …… assume that producers A and B both have 5 separate farms in the same county with an APH corn yield of 200 bushels per acre, and that the overall average 2023 corn yield on all farms was 200 bushels per acre. However, three of the farms averaged 215 bushels per acre and two of the farms averaged 177 bushels per acre. Also assume a final corn harvest price of $5.05 per bushel. Producer A has an 85% RP policy with optional units and producer B has an 85% RP policy with enterprise units. Producer A, with the optional units, would receive no insurance payment on the three farms with the higher yield; however, he would receive a gross indemnity payment of $111 per acre on the two farms with the lower yield. Producer B, with the enterprise units, would receive no insurance payments on any farms, since that would be based on the overall average yield.
Producers that have crop revenue losses in 2023, which could result in potential crop insurance indemnity payments, should properly document the yield losses, regardless of their type or level of insurance coverage. A reputable crop insurance agent is the best source of information to make estimates for potential 2023 crop insurance indemnity payments, and to find out about documentation requirements for crop insurance losses. It is important for producers who are facing crop losses in 2023 to understand their crop insurance coverage and the calculations used to determine crop insurance indemnity payments.
Kent Thiesse has prepared an Information Sheet titled “2023 Crop Insurance Payment Potential,” which is available by contacting: [email protected]. The University of Illinois FarmDoc web site also contains some good crop insurance information and spreadsheets to estimate crop insurance payments. The FarmDoc web site is located at: https://farmdoc.illinois.edu/crop-insurance
— Kent Thiesse, Sr. Vice President, Farm Management, MinnStar Bank
