Every year about now I get several calls about how crop insurance regards aflatoxin in corn, so I thought it would be good to write a quick article about it.
Your crop insurance policy applies a reduction to the yield of the corn crop based on the level that aflatoxin exists. Within the policy there is Discount Factor DF table that specifies how much to reduce the yield based on how much (parts per billion PPB) aflatoxin is present in the grain. For example, your corn has a level between 50-100 ppb the DF is 20%, so you are producing 100 bushels per acre, it’s discounted to 80 bushels per acre and lets say your yield guarantee is 120 bushels per acre, you will be paid for 40 bushels at the appropriate price.
So what do you need to know this harvest season?
- If you suspect aflatoxin, collect a hand sample and carry it to a local elevator for testing either under a black light or a chemical test
- If corn is placed in storage without a test and comes out with aflatoxin, it’s not protected by your crop policy, it must be tested prior to going into storage
- Call your crop agent if you have any questions, its better to err on the side of caution
- Give Alliance a call if you need any guidance on this or any other issue this fall
Thanks
Brian Montgomery