AGRICULTURE

Farmers Reminded on Crop Insurance: Farmers will have to take out the insurance before they can sign up for price supports, loans and other farm programs, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said. The department issued the reminder because the system was changed last year to restrain federal spending on crop losses and make growers rely more on private insurance. Depending on the crop and location, the extended sign-up deadlines for crop insurance are Feb. 15, Feb. 28 and March 15. Under the reform, producers of insurable crops pay $50 per crop per county each year for a basic catastrophic policy. The insurance covers half the average crop at 60% of market value. Until the law was changed, growers could pressure Congress to hand out crop disaster money.