Spring Storms Add Pressure as Farmers Balance Planting and Risk Management

Austin Rice with Specialty Risk Insurance shares guidance on handling storm damage, navigating the insurance claims process, and managing risk during a volatile planting season.

agricultural land affected by flooding crop insurance_Photo By Andrii Yalanskyi via Adobe Stock.jpg

Photo By Andrii Yalanskyi via Adobe Stock

CARTHAGE, MO. (RFD NEWS) — Fluctuating weather conditions remain a major focus as spring planting ramps up across the country, with strong storms in parts of the Midwest forcing farmers to carefully navigate operational decisions this week.

Austin Rice with Specialty Risk Insurance joined us on Tuesday’s Market Day Report to offer guidance for producers facing severe weather impacts.

In his interview with RFD News, Rice discussed steps farmers should consider taking if their operations are hit by a strong storm and what the claims process looks like after contacting an insurance agent.

He also shared final advice for producers managing both weather risks and today’s challenging market conditions.

Marion is a digital content manager for RFD News and FarmHER + RanchHER. She started working for Rural Media Group in May 2022, bringing a decade of digital experience in broadcast media and some cooking experience to the team.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

National FFA Organization Chief Program Officer Christine White previews the programs and activities planned for this year’s FFA Convention.
Dave Kestel, a farmer from Will County and member of the Illinois Farm Bureau, joins us to share a boots-on-the-ground update on the 2025 corn harvest.
Wed, 10/15/25 – 7:30 PM ET | 6:30 PM CT | 5:30 PM MT | 4:30 PM PT
American Coalition for Ethanol’s Ron Lamberty shares the significance of California’s approval, opening up the country’s largest gasoline market to a cleaner-burning, often lower-cost fuel option.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated this week that the government will intervene to help, following China’s withdrawal from the U.S. soybean market. One trader says the industry will remain in a holding pattern until Tuesday.
University of Illinois Ag Economist Gary Schnitker says early projections indicate soybeans will be more profitable than corn in 2026.