Iowa farmers should get a jump on determining their 2014 crop insurance program and talk with their agents as early as possible to avoid what is likely to be a hectic period just before the March 15 deadline, advised Steve Johnson, Iowa State University Extension farm management specialist.

"I think there is going to be a lot of procrastination this year on crop insurance, but you don’t want to wait until ‘March madness,’ when everyone is trying to get things done," Johnson said last week at a crop insurance and risk management webinar sponsored by the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF). "I’d encourage farmers to talk to their agent now because there is just going to be a lot going on those last few days...