Seriously though folks, is 2020 over yet?! If nothing else, this year has offered each and every one of us a reminder to not only live life to the fullest, but to properly prepare for the future. So far this year, we’ve had a pandemic sweeping through the country, murder hornets, floods, droughts, seemingly never-ending trade disputes, and now a derecho traveling almost 800 miles in 14 hours, from southeast South Dakota into Ohio, wiping out massive amounts of American farms, how can you possibly prepare and protect yourself from this?

A week ago, a level 2 land hurricane, known as a derecho, leveled the crops and buildings of Midwest farms, and most unfortunately left 4 people dead as a result. Never heard of a derecho? Fear not, let the “Richey-Barrett Farm Guy” tell you about it and how you can prevent losing your future because of a similar event.

The term “derecho” was coined by University of Iowa physics professor Dr. Gustavus Hinrichs in 1888 and is defined as a massive and fast-moving straight-line windstorm. A Midwesterner can typically expect 1-3 derecho events each year, with storms of this magnitude encountered about once every two years. Although Iowa took the brunt of the storm this time doesn’t mean that Ohioans are out of the woods. Prior to this occurrence, the last few significant derechos in central Ohio was June 29, 2012 with an average of 65mph winds, and June 12-13, 2013, where a twin derecho event took pushed thorough almost 1,000 miles from the Midwest toward the eastern seaboard and into the Atlantic Ocean with top wind speeds of up to 100mph and almost 3 inch diameter hail. The derecho last week exceeded wind speeds of both of those as it reached gusts of over 112mph, causing utter devastation across nearly 800 miles such as leveled buildings, as well as deceased humans and livestock. Farm owners are now grappling with the loss of over 20 million acres of battered corn crops across the Midwest, 10 million acres in Iowa alone, along with power loss for 800,000 residents for what could end up being weeks. Imagine a tornado leveling whole counties in one fell swoop, that’s what the good people of the Midwest farming community are trying to bounce back from now.

We at the Richey-Barrett Agency in Westlake, Ohio, can ensure that should this phenomenon ever happen to you, you’ll be made whole again. Not only will your house and property, trucks, equipment, and outbuildings be covered, but we can ensure that livestock, and crops are sufficiently covered so that you can get back to what you do better than anyone else, running your farm quickly, efficiently, and profitably.

By properly planning ahead for these types of occurrences, we can ensure that as crops increase in value throughout the growing season, so does the policy protecting them, allowing them to be fully covered from planting to harvesting without any additional actions on your part through the use of Peak-season coverage. Additionally, this coverage applies to any stored grain in your silos, which would not otherwise be covered by your regular policy. In this case, while the silos may have been covered, millions of bushels of stored grains have been lost by the farmers due to inadequate coverage for their needs. You’re too busy running your farm to have to spend time worrying that the assets in your fields aren’t covered, we’ll do that for you. You have livestock on your farm worth more than what your current insurance policy values them at? No problem, you can cover the value of your cattle for what they are actually worth, as opposed to a maximum number covered by your average run-of-the-mill farm policy. Afraid of lost income due to an unforeseen event? When properly covered, you can even protect yourself against the loss of your farming income, as well as additional expenses brought on by having to relocate temporarily while your home is being restored or replaced.

At Richey-Barrett, we believe it’s significantly easier to be resilient after a loss when your insurance agent is your ally, who shows a true interest in your livelihood, that’s why it’s crucial to have an independent agent who specializes in farms. We not only help protect the mission of your farm, but also help guide you through the rebuilding process following a tragic loss, like the derecho in the Midwest.

Contact your Trusted Choice Independent Agent at Richey-Barrett at 440.835.4800 to review your needs and the insurance market for farm owners so you’ll be properly prepared for even the most unexpected occurrences. In the shadows of darkness, we at Richey-Barrett stand in the light. When you think things can’t be worse, we’re there to help you through the process of getting back on your feet, so you can quickly resume life as usual. We’re ready to stand with you, and we hope for a speedy recovery for the great American farmers across the Midwest.