About BE

The Pilot Biotechnology Endorsement was offered for the first time beginning with the 2009 crop year. The previous program, BYE, was replaced by the new BE program.

Availability

This endorsement is available in all Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin counties in which an eligible policy and plan of insurance is offered. Availability will be limited in some states based on the qualifying hybrid planted, as indicated in the eligibility table to the right.

Eligibility Requirements

Producers choosing to apply for the BE will be required to purchase an individual yield (APH) or group insurance plan (RP or YP) at a coverage above the catastrophic 50% level, and plant at least 75% of their corn acres of an insured unit to a corn hybrid containing the specific corn hybrid trait combinations as specified by the approved endorsement. All other program requirements must be met to realize a rate reduction. Producers are reminded of their responsibility to be in compliance with other U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) refuge acre requirements. See your seed dealer for refuge planting details.

How It Works

If a policyholder meets all pilot program requirements, reports eligible units of insured corn to their crop insurance agent on or before their respective acreage reporting date, and offers assistance if selected for mandatory review under the policy rules and regulations, crop insurance premiums will be reduced by the BE rate reduction.

BE Premium Discount

Estimated premium rate reductions range from 12% to 24% depending on a producer’s average yield history as well as the plan and level of crop insurance coverage elected. The discount will be a higher percentage for lower coverage level policies and lower percentage for higher coverage level policies.

The premium rate reduction applies only to the yield portion of the crop insurance premium (excluding the revenue rate factors).

Hybrid	Practice	Counties
Corn hybrids that contain one of only the following specific trait combinations: YieldGard® Rootworm, YieldGard® Corn Borer, and Roundup Ready® Corn 2, marketed under the trade name YieldGard® Plus with RoundupReady® Corn 2; YieldGard VT Rootworm/RR2® and YieldGard® Corn Borer, marketed under the trade name YieldGard VT Triple®; YieldGard VT Rootworm/RR2® and YieldGard VT PROTM, marketed under the trade name GenuityTM VT Triple PROTM; YieldGard VT Rootworm/RR2®, YieldGard VT PROTM, HERCULEX® I Insect Protection, and HERCULEX® RW Rootworm Protection, marketed under the trade name GenuityTM SmartStaxTM or SmartStaxTM; HERCULEX® I Insect Protection and HERCULEX® RW Rootworm Protection, marketed under the trade name HERCULEX® XTRA Insect Protection; or HERCULEX® I Insect Protection, HERCULEX® RW Rootworm Protection and Roundup Ready® Corn 2, marketed under the trade name HERCULEX®	Non- Irrigated and Irrigated	All counties in Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.
Corn hybrids that contain one of only the following specific trait combinations: Agrisure® CB/LL, Agrisure® RW, and Agrisure® GT, marketed under the trade name Agrisure® 3000GT; or Agrisure® CB/LL and Agrisure® RW, marketed under the trade name Agrisure® CB/LL/RW.	Non- Irrigated and Irrigated	All counties in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.

Hybrid Eligibility

Qualifying hybrids are listed in the provided table. Additionally, in order to be a qualifying hybrid, the corn hybrid planted must be seed that was obtained for planting in the crop year in which the premium rate reduction will be applied. Corn hybrids planted using seed that was obtained for planting in a prior crop year do not qualify as a qualifying hybrid for the current crop year. (For example, corn hybrid seed that was obtained for planting in the 2008 crop year, but was not planted until the 2009 or subsequent crop year, is not a qualifying hybrid for 2009 or subsequent crop years.)

Responsibilities

Producer must:

• Plant at least 75% of their insured unit corn acres that will be harvested for grain to a hybrid containing the specific trait combinations as seen in the provided chart.
• Complete the insured certification forms (with copies attached of all purchase and returned seed invoices for qualifying hybrids).
• Report those insured units meeting the BE eligibility requirements to their crop insurance agent on or before their applicable acreage reporting date.
• Assist crop insurance company representatives when or if selected as a random review under the BE rate reduction program.

Seed dealer must:

• Provide seed receipt or purchase summary that indicates the state, county, seed company, seed hybrid, and volume of qualifying seed purchased by the insured entity (minus returns).

Insurance agent must:

• Accept all completed insured certification forms.
• Assist insureds in completing the acreage reporting process, including the BE information.
• Process and report acres, plant dates, and BE option by insurance unit for crop insurance purposes.

Crop insurance company must:

• Process policyholder acreage reports and apply qualifying BE rate reductions by insurance unit.
• Produce summaries of insurance coverage for policyholders.
• Complete timely random reviews of qualifying BE policies as dictated by the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) and the Biotechnology Endorsement.

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