WASHINGTON, DC (KELO.com) — South Dakota Cattle Producers are among the first in the nation to be able to insure against the risk of losing young calves. The USDA is rolling out the Weaned Calf Risk Protection program. Lowell Mesman of the Farm Bureau says it’s similar to crop insurance for grain producers.
Just over a decade ago, Western South Dakota cattle producers were at ground zero of winter storm Atlas. The storm lasted for days, dropped feet of snow, and included fierce winds that killed tens of thousands of head of cattle. Mesman says the new USDA program that would cover those kinds of losses.
South Dakota is one of four states in the pilot program for the coverage, which is similar to crop insurance.
The Farm Bureau will hold informational meetings on the new program next Wednesday in Wall and Thursday in Mitchell. Mesman says the signup deadline for the coverage is the end of January.
