“We’re very fortunate to have a lot of great tools today to deal with the challenges we face, from seed variety to equipment, and now we have extra protection from financial failure with Total Weather Insurance (TWI). Purchasing TWI wasn’t a difficult decision because the product is straightforward. It plugged some voids in my risk management plan that I was struggling to fill.”
His Story
The only son in his family, Louis Wischmeier grew up helping on his parents’ farm alongside his dad, who was a teacher and farmed part-time. Having retired last year, his dad is now active on Louis’s own family operation that he runs with his wife, Holly, and their two daughters, ages 9 and 12.
Louis always had a love and passion for agriculture and when he graduated from high school he created the vision to get where he is today: farming 5,300 acres or corn, soybeans, as well as some high amylose corn, and employing four workers in addition to the help from his family. With such a large operation, he faces many challenges but what really keeps him up at night is “ultimately the weather.”
“This year we really struggled with the rains and there will be a wide variation in yield. Not a disaster, but lower yields. And the excessive heat we’ve gotten this summer will affect the entire crop, even the plants that had been doing well up to this point. So now, after the rain, heat is the biggest factor and detriment – it’s excessive compared to the past. “
Because of the weather difficulties he faces as well as what he saw as some voids in the risk management provided by federal crop insurance, an advertisement for Total Weather Insurance (TWI) struck his curiosity. “There’s territory that is very uncertain concerning the ability to go out and plant and still be covered by federal crop insurance. TWI really plugs in for low APH or specialty crops like high amylose corn that crop insurance just doesn’t cover.”
Even though Louis admits to not being an expert when it comes to computers, internet or email, he “found that the process of buying a TWI policy was great.” And since “early season rain is a huge issue, if I get planted late, I’ll suffer all season regardless of the weather for the rest of the year. So TWI is a great value.” As a young, progressive farmer, he finds that others in the community would benefit greatly from adopting this new tool.
For more on Louis, see his feature in Bloomberg Businessweek!