Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Mark Dayton today introduced legislation that would have improved protections for northern Minnesota farmers who receive prevented planting payments – crop insurance payments provided to farmers who are unable to plant their primary cash crop, due to adverse weather conditions. The amendment failed by a vote of 47 to 52.

Farmers who receive prevented planting payments are required to plant cover crops, which protect and improve soil, on their prevented planting acres. Under the current system, farmers may not access those cover crops for haying or grazing until after November 1, when the ground is often frozen in northern Minnesota. The Dayton Prevented Planting Amendment would have changed that date to October 15th, for farmers in counties designated as disaster areas, thereby allowing northern farmers to maximize the profitability of their acres.

“I am appalled that my amendment to move this year’s prevented planting date to October 15th, for farmers in counties with emergency disaster designations, was defeated,” said Dayton. “I deeply regret that this common sense way to help beleaguered farmers in northwestern Minnesota was defeated.”

Dayton said he will continue to fight to make the prevented planting program fair for farmers in Minnesota.

A radio actuality of Senator Dayton’s complete remarks on the Dayton Prevented Planting Amendment is available at 1-800-511-0763, code 4443.

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