On a recent trip Louise and I were delayed 4 hours from departure from Joe Foss field, in Sioux Falls.  We spent 2 hours on the plane and then 2 hours off the plane, while we waited for the elusive de-icer to appear. Consequently, we missed our connection and spent a short night in a Dallas, Texas hotel before making another connection and then our final destination, twenty-four hours late.

There was some solace in our predicament because eight Pioneer Sales Agencies, sixteen people in all, were flying on the same plane, with the same itinerary. We each knew only a couple of the others; most were strangers when we first got on the plane. Four hours later we were getting well acquainted as we worked together in getting our flights rebooked, vouchers for accommodations procured, ground transportation set up etc. The experience highlighted a few lessons:

• Delayed airline departure to a business meeting where it is warm and sunny in the middle of winter is a “First-World Problem.”
• Accept the things that you cannot change……. and make the best of it.
• When you can control the outcome get busy and protect your interests.
• New friends and great relationships can be made while solving problems together.

 In hindsight we realized that we got acquainted with great people that we wouldn’t have gotten to know as well under normal circumstances.  We look forward to meeting them again.

How do I apply my highlighted lessons to the importance of crop insurance?

• March 15^th is the Sales Closing Date for Crop Insurance Coverage for the 2018 growing season.  Crop Insurance is our “First-World” opportunity to protect our yields and our revenue.   Take advantage of your many options and products available to best insure your crops.
• Weather:  We haven’t figured out how to control it….yet.  Best option?  Accept it and insure against it.
• Crop Insurance can be a grower’s tool to manage risk and insure profits in a very risky line of work considering today’s environment of low commodity prices.  A good relationship with a knowledgeable, well trained, crop insurance agent, who understands crop and livestock production, and has a good understanding of your operation and your goals, is critical.  Working with your agent determining your farms best cropping strategy is an important step in realizing your profit potential.  Your coverage should be tailored to your needs and your agent should be available to you when you need him or her. Your relationship with your crop insurance agent is important and a good relationship will allow for a great problem solving team.    

Louise and I, and our staff, have been in the crop insurance business for more than a few years now and don’t plan on stopping anytime soon.  We’ve made ourselves available to you beyond the office and appreciate the relationships we have made with many of you and look forward to getting acquainted with more of you.  Each one of us has established ourselves in this area with our own farming operations.  At Bauman Agency we are here to stay and we truly do see crop insurance from your side of the fence.   All of us welcome the opportunity to work together, with you, to insure your success.

Featured Image Credit: Bartkusa