RALEIGH, N.C., July 7, 2017 — The USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) announced sales closing date and final planting date changes for the canola program in participating counties across North Carolina and Virginia beginning with the 2018 crop year. The updated sales closing date is August 31, 2017. The final planting date is October 25, 2017, for North Carolina and October 5, 2017, for Virginia.

The new dates apply to canola insured under the Federal crop insurance program in Beaufort, Camden, Iredell, Northampton, Robeson, Washington, and Wayne counties in North Carolina, and Brunswick County, Virginia.

Canola planted within five days after the final planting date will still be insured. The per-acre production guarantee will be reduced by 3 percent per day for days 1-5 of the late planting period. Producers are encouraged to visit their crop insurance agent soon to learn specific details for the 2018 crop year.

Crop insurance is sold and delivered solely through private crop insurance agents. A list of crop insurance agents is available at all USDA Service Centers and online at the RMA Agent Locator. Producers can use the RMA Cost Estimator to get a premium amount estimate of their insurance needs online. Learn more about crop insurance and the modern farm safety net at www.rma.usda.gov.

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