SERIES: The Experts in Our Field ft. Crop Insurance

Choose MAFC for Your Crop Insurance Needs, Part 1

By: Kelly Bailey, crop insurance specialist

Hello, again!  I knew you would come back today to learn about why you should partner with MAFC for your crop insurance needs.  Since selecting your crop insurance agent is an important business decision that could impact your operation for years to come, you want to select someone who knows the industry and can keep up with the changes in the program that could impact your coverage.  We can do just that! Here are a few reasons why we are the experts in our field:

1. Our crop insurance department has been meeting farmer’s needs for over 25 years. How? We make sure your acreage and production reports are completed accurately and on time.  Also, we help our customers determine the best coverage for their individual needs.
2. Our agents have agricultural backgrounds, so they understand your concerns.  Teresa, Jordan, Jason, Kathi and I all grew up on farms varying to and from dairy, orchard, grain, and cattle operations.
3. We only sell crop insurance. This means we can devote as much time as necessary to keep up with industry changes, and make sure that our clients’ needs are met.
4. We work with those in our community: The agents at MAFC strive to establish relationships with the local FSA offices, Farm Bureaus, and Extension offices. We believe that by working together, we can help serve our customers more efficiently and provide exceptional service.

Still need more proof that we are the best crop of experts in our field?  Stop by tomorrow as we wrap up our mini-series on the crop insurance department and tell you more about how we’re working to serve you.  If you have any questions, tweet me @KellyBailey1103.

SERIES: The Experts in Our Field ft. Crop Insurance

Here’s All You Need to Know (about crop insurance, that is!)

By: Kelly Bailey, crop insurance specialist

So, you want to know what crop insurance is, why you need it, or how it came to be?  Let me share my thoughts with you.

The Federal Crop Insurance Program was first established in 1938, but due to the Crop Insurance Reform Act of 1994 which increased the demand for program participation, it became necessary for farmers to rely on private insurance companies for their crop insurance needs.  And we figured, who better to fill that need than an ag expert like Farm Credit?

Crop insurance is part of the Farm Bill (which is an agriculture hot topic right now) and as those programs, policies, and procedures change, crop insurance changes with it.  We lobby to make sure the changes don’t decrease your coverage when faced with crop loss.

Last year, there were 264 million acres of farmland protected through crop insurance. But, I bet you’re really wondering how such a large program impacts the local agricultural industry, right?  Well, in Maryland alone there were just over 900,000 acres of farmland insured and over $26 million was paid to the farmers in indemnities for both production and/or revenue losses. In Delaware, crop insurance protected $145 million of liability, with $8.8 million being paid to farmers for indemnities.

• So, you want to know why you need crop insurance and how it can benefit you? Consider this:
• Crop insurance makes sure you don’t suffer losses due to price or natural disaster.
• The programs are customizable to meet your individual needs and help protect you against revenue or production losses.
• Crop insurance can help with your marketing plans when it comes to settling forward contracts.
• Producers receive indemnities in a timely manner.
• Loan collateral – helps you increase your borrowing capacity. 

I think I’ve told you all you need to know (to get started), but do you want to know more? Visit farmcreditcropinsurance.com or tweet me @KellyBailey1103.  See you tomorrow to discuss why you should choose MAFC for your crop insurance needs.

SERIES: The Experts in Our Field ft. Crop Insurance

Meet the Experts, Part 2

At Farm Credit, we realize the risks you face each day and are here to help.  That’s why we’re expanding our crop insurance department to cover all of our territory.  We’ve also brought a couple new faces on board to help us serve you better.  So, without further a due, say “hello” to our crop insurance sales representatives:

Steve Grant.  Steve has been at Farm Credit for 35 years where he sells and services crop insurance in the Valley and Virginia territory.  He likes that insurance is reliable when the unfortunates of crop loss does happen.  Outside of work, he enjoys woodworking.

Jason Wisecarver.  Jason has worked for Farm Credit for 5 years.  Recently, he joined the department to sell and service crop insurance to the MidMD and Valley regions.  He loves giving farmers a little peace of mind, in good times and bad.  In his spare time, he likes to hunt, fish, and farm with his family.

Jordan Risser.  Jordan is new to Farm Credit and will be servicing and selling crop insurance in the Penn region.  He is really excited to get out there and help farmers manage their risks.  Outside of work, he enjoys farming, hunting, camping, and vacationing.

Now that you’ve met our whole department, tomorrow Kelly Bailey will be discussing the basics of crop insurance and why it is crucial for your farming operation.

SERIES: The Experts in Our Field ft. Crop Insurance

Meet the Experts, Part 1

You know the old saying – if you fail to plan, you plan to fail.  And as farmers, you know nothing could be truer when it comes to your farming operation.  Risk management is a factor that all farmers face, but crop insurance could be your golden answer.  Let us introduce you to our crop insurance department:

                                    

Tom Truitt, senior vice president of Valley region and crop insurance department.  Tom has been here for 19 years and likes taking on new challenges and capitalizing on opportunities.  At home, you can find him running, travelling, or spending time with his family.

Kathi Levan, our crop insurance manager.  Kathi has worked at Farm Credit for 12 years and is responsible for supervising and managing the department members.  She believes in forming relationships with customers to become trusted partners.  In her spare time, she enjoys quilting and reading.

Teresa Gleockler, crop insurance specialist.  Teresa has been servicing current crop insurance customers for 5 years.  She loves working with farmers to help them understand the workings of their policies.  Outside of work, you can find her spending time with her daughters.

Kelly Bailey, crop insurance specialist.  Alongside Teresa, she has been servicing current crop insurance customers for 1.5 years.  She thinks it’s a great feeling to help customers with risk management.  In her spare time, she likes to travel and spend time with her family.

Be sure to stop back by tomorrow to meet our crop insurance sales representatives.

Want to Become the Face of Farming?

Do you think you have what it takes to become the face of farming? When it comes to today’s agriculture, there are many examples of great farmers who bring food to the table for those around the world.  But unfortunately, few of those farmers are recognized by consumers, mainstream media, and influencers.  In fact, pictures and perceptions of farmers and their lives often don’t match reality – and U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance wants to change that.

The USFRA is looking for “faces of farming” to help put a real face on agriculture to the public.  The farmers selected will be featured in various national media, influencer, and public-facing opportunities.

The goal is to bring farmers and consumers together to answer people’s questions about how their food is grown and raised.

Selected winners will have opportunities to share their knowledge and experiences, plus they’ll receive:

• A $10,000 stipend to limit the burden on time away from the farm (no more than 30 days in 2013)
• A $5,000 charitable donation to the local or ag-related charity of their choice
• Professional media and speaker training

So, we’ll ask again…do you have what it takes to be the face of farming?  We bet you do.  Hurry up and apply at fooddialogues.com.

Have a Bite of the World’s Largest Crab Cake

Most of us could agree that nothing beats a fresh Maryland crab cake (speaking of, is it lunch time yet…now, we’re hungry)!  But if you want a piece of history, literally, head out to the Maryland State Fair on Saturday, September 1^st for a crab cake sandwich made from hopes of breaking another Guinness World Record.

Handy International is a 100+ year old Maryland seafood processor who currently holds the title for world’s largest crab cake.  They first set the record in 2006 and then broke that record in 2009 with a 253-pound crab cake.  This year they will attempt to break their record again!

The crab cake has to be cooked in a specially-built pan that weighs almost as much as the ingredients themselves.  It will take about 10 hours to cook being flipped every 15-20 minutes by 4 men for even cooking.

“Everyone is excited to see how many sandwiches the colossal crab cake yields” said Andy Cashman of the Maryland State Fair. Handy International’s goal is to serve more than 700 sandwiches served from the 2009’s crab cake.  Proceeds from the sales will benefit the Maryland 4-H Foundation.

So, be sure to stop by the Maryland State Fair and get a taste of the world’s largest crab cake. Let us know how it tastes, but in the meantime – we’re too hungry to keep writing…it’s lunchtime!

Cool (and yummy) Summer Recipes

With the extreme heat lately taking a toll on our outdoors activities, crops, and air conditioning bill, we find it fitting to provide you with 10 “cool” summer recipes.  From the creamy cucumber spread to the snickers salad, you’ll be sure to find something delicious to cool you down from the heat and fill your snacking desire.

You can find the recipes here.

We’re partial to trying the watermelon ice, but be sure to let us know your favorite and how it turned out!