Dairy farming can be dangerous and implementing a safety training program is a proactive measure to enhance the well-being of workers and the overall efficiency of your operation.
 

The shop is one of the most integral parts of any agricultural operation – it’s your business headquarters. A building for equipment and maintenance activities can morph into a meeting space, offices and training room.
“Now is a great time to address deep cleaning, inventorying and repairs,” says Dan Kent, Agri-Services Agency Loss Control Consultant.

Winter brings cold weather challenges for the agricultural community — no holiday hours or closures. Farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses do what needs to be done no matter the conditions.

Alfalfa fields across the country are nearing ideal maturity, indicating it’s time for harvest. As haying equipment and other heavy implements are prepared to be put into action, farm safety is once again top of mind.

Over the next several months, farmers will be harvesting forages and putting high-powered equipment to work. While that equipment poses its own safety risks, the upright silos and bunkers that store the forage offer another set of safety challenges.

As the winter season approaches, being prepared in advance is the best way to ensure the safety of your farm and employees. Preparation can be as simple as having an extra set of gloves, socks and hats on hand.

At DFA Insurance, we are passionate about serving our farmer-owners. Our team of experts develop new solutions, processes and programs to enhance insurance offerings and help your farm minimize risk, improve safety culture and offer competitive benefits.

Farm equipment accidents can be serious. Skid steers, tractors, feed mixers, and manure spreaders can all be dangerous if not used correctly and safely. Outlined below are common hazards and safety solutions to help improve safety on the farm.

Insurance is designed to help protect what matters most. Farmers and agribusiness owners are up against a unique set of risks and challenges – from market volatility to extreme weather to rising costs and labor shortages, it can be difficult for any operation to plan for.

Often times we get asked if there is anything a client can do to help their insurance costs. When it comes to workers’ compensation insurance, there is. This is where your Experience Modification Rating (E-Mod) comes into play

The holidays are in full swing and regardless of which one you celebrate; agriculture plays a significant role. Let’s look at the different ways that agriculture is represented in the winter holidays.

There are many ways to avoid and prevent accidents involving slipping, tripping, and falling in the workplace. These hazards have historically caused many injuries. With most of the suggestions provided below, common sense dictates safe practice.

Another year has flown by!  With many group health plans renewing on January 1^st, we’re running out of time to review your coverage options.  If it’s been a while since you’ve looked at your policies, there is still time to contact DFA Insurance for a review.  If you don’t currently offer health insurance to your employees but have been

Would you like to offer health insurance to your employees, but minimum requirements enforced by insurance companies make it difficult?  DFA Insurance might be able to help.

First, let’s answer the question, what is a wellness program?  Healthcare.gov defines a wellness program as a program intended to improve and promote health and fitness usually offered through the workplace sometimes offered directly through insurance companies.  These programs usually offer incentives to quit smoking, effectively manage diabetes, maintain a healthy weight, participate in preventative health screenings and more.  The goal is to minimize injury and illness while maintaining the health of your workforce through the use of education, support teams, communication and technology.

The short answer is that purchasing workers’ compensation insurance is a really good idea.

Obviously, one of the major concerns when deciding to offer health care benefits or selecting a plan for your employees is cost.  Healthcare costs almost always go up each year making it difficult to start or continue offering benefits.  There are several steps you can take to help manage your costs.

There are plenty of surveys that ask how employees feel about benefits packages.  The numbers vary between industries and surveys, but they are all very similar and they all say employees think healthcare is an important reason they choose a new employer or stay with an existing one. 

The most obvious benefit from workers’ compensation insurance is the monetary protection it provides if one of your employees is injured on the job.  Workers’ comp will cover employee’s medical bills, lost wages, rehabilitation, retraining, legal costs, and other expenses associated with the injury.  This coverage is critical and what most business owners think of first.

There are many factors to consider when selecting your workers’ compensation insurance.  Here are some terms – five D’s – you may have heard and the affect they have on the cost of your coverage.

With 2022 winding down, now is a good time to review your group health plan offerings for the upcoming year.  If you don’t currently offer health insurance and would like to start, now is the time to design a new plan for you and your employees that fits your budget and coverage expectations.

Workers’ compensation insurance is a federally mandated, state regulated program that protects your business if an employee suffers a work-related injury.  If your business is covered correctly, workers’ comp coverage will pay for employee’s medical bills, lost wages, rehabilitation, retraining, legal costs, and other expenses associated with the injury.

Labor markets are still challenging, it can be difficult to hire and retain employees. Employers are offering signing bonuses, extra vacation and other incentives to join or stay with their company. Offering health insurance to your employees can improve your reputation as a more attractive employer and help you...

When your spouse passes away there are suddenly so many changes happening. You are grieving, trying to adjust to life without them, being pulled into a million different directions to handle the arrangements, paperwork, and everything else that comes with this loss. It can be very overwhelming.

Have you ever heard stories about family farms ending up in the wrong hands due to a death in the family or an owner choosing to leave the agriculture industry? We have. Nothing is worse than being forced to do business with a stranger and having no way out other than an expensive buy out. So how do you avoid that? How do you prepare for changes in the ownership of your agri-business?

When applying for a life insurance policy, you will be asked about naming primary and contingent beneficiaries. In our experience, those applying for the policy spend very little time thinking about the answer to this question. And, in reality, for most people at the time of application, there may not be much to think about. “It should go to my spouse.” Yes, it should. If you are to pass away before your spouse. But what if the situation becomes much more complex?
 

Life Insurance. It is something that everyone needs but no one ever wants to talk about. However, it is really important to talk about and to make sure you are protecting your loved ones. Picture this, you pass away unexpectedly, and you didn’t have life insurance or a will. You had always said you would get to that eventually or when you were older. Now your loved ones are stuck dealing with your funeral costs, settling your estate, and their grief from losing you. Wouldn’t you want them to be able to grieve without the worry and financial burdens?

Beyond the normal coverage you carry, like a farm package, business auto, or a business owners policy, there are some important coverage options you should consider.

We get a ton of questions when it comes to business insurance. Let us help answer some of the more commonly asked ones! 

Insurance can be a complex topic, terms that are commonly used in the insurance industry can be confusing.  For instance, what is property and casualty insurance? 

Pesticides can be hazardous to workers if they are exposed to them through their skin, eyes, mouth, or even if it’s in the air they breathe. Agricultural pesticide handlers should get the proper certificates, permits, and training to use pesticides safely, correctly, and according to the requirements of the law.

The agriculture industry is the backbone of America, feeding the country and the world.  Farmers face a number of risks at work – dangerous equipment, livestock, and physically demanding work.  When an employee is injured at work, it is likely that workers’ compensation insurance benefits will provide them with a portion of their regular paycheck as well as reimbursement for medical bills and rehabilitation required due to the injury. If one of your employees was injured away from work, what would they do?   Would they be able to survive financially if they became disabled?

Good housekeeping is one of the surest ways to identify a safe workplace. Good housekeeping isn't the result of cleaning up once a week or even once a day. It's the result of keeping cleaned-up all the time. It's an essential factor in a good safety program, promoting safety, health, production, and morale.

The short answer is that purchasing workers’ compensation insurance is a really good idea.

The most obvious benefit from workers’ compensation insurance is the monetary protection it provides if one of your employees is injured on the job. With that said, there are some additional benefits you should consider when making your buying decision.

There are many factors to consider when selecting your workers’ compensation insurance.  Here are some terms – five D’s – you may have heard and the affect they have on the cost of your coverage.
 

In the agriculture industry, workers’ compensation coverage is an important part of your overall insurance strategy.

With the year coming to a close, many of us are starting to think about our resolutions for next year. Is protection on that list? Making sure that you are covered in all aspects of your life can make it easier to rest at night and make sure that you are financially protected in the event of a loss.

This winter season, before you get into your vehicle, take a moment to make sure everything in and around your vehicle is in good condition and working properly.

Summer is near and the weather is warming up. The rising temperatures can be dangerous for your herd, putting them at risk for many issues including heat stress, summer mastitis, metritis, ketosis, and reduced nutrient intake. All of which can reduce milk production and milk fat percentage. There are several ways that you can help cool down your herd and manage their risk.

Does your business employ undocumented workers? Are you sure? The Immigration Reform Act made it detrimental to hire undocumented workers for your business. Undocumented Worker Endorsement is a specialized coverage designed to handle claims related to undocumented worker claims.
 

True Farms Inc. in Perry, NY looks back on how the pandemic affected their day to day decisions and what being a farmer in 2020 looked like

As time goes on, it is easy to get into a routine and just go through the motions when it comes to farm safety. If you’re careful, accidents may not happen often, but farming is dangerous! Even when you are doing everything you can do to make farming safer it is still possible to have an accident. However, being mindful of safety and making it a part of everything you do is critical to your success. A safe farm is a productive farm! Here are some tips to always keep in mind.

We know your livelihood depends on the success of your operation, which is why we have designed a farm-owners package complete with property and casualty insurance. This coverage protects your property against losses and your business against liability claims.

When you consider how long it took you to accumulate all your farm equipment and how much it all cost, does it overwhelm you? If a loss event were to happen would you be able to list all that equipment? Would you be able to cover the cost of the loss out of pocket? 

In the event of a loss, the last thing you want to be worrying about is whether or not you will be compensated for your losses. You rely on your home and your business for livelihood. It is important to make sure you understand how your coverages will compensate you in the event of a loss.

Many businesses, big and small, like to consider themselves as a family. This is why many employers could never consider that they could be sued by an employee, past, present, or future.

Often times we get asked if there is anything a client can do to help their insurance costs. When it comes to workers’ compensation insurance, there is. This is where your Experience Modification Rating comes into play.

When your business is covered correctly, you and your employees will have the peace of mind you deserve. 

Don’t risk finding out if your farm is underinsured when you have a loss. Insuring to the accurate value of your home, buildings, equipment, and inventory is an important consideration when reviewing your insurance coverage needs.

A loss control program can help reduce claims and losses through safety and risk management information and services. It can also help to reduce the severity of accidents that do happen.

A good succession plan takes time, money, and effort. Deciding what happens with your farm or ranch is not an easy task, but you are not alone. DFA Insurance partners with several quality providers, including Nationwide’s Land as Your Legacy program, to assist you in easing the transition to the next generation and ensuring long term success for your operation.

When it comes to the cold winter weather, there are plenty of articles and videos out there detailing winter pet safety. However, when it comes to your livestock, they have their own considerations and needs for when the winter weather hits.

With DFA Insurance, you have a whole team of dedicated professionals taking care of all your insurance needs. We take the time to get to know you, learn about your unique needs, and identify the potential risks that you face.

Winter is here and despite the colder weather, the work must be done. Here are some tips to remember when you are working in the cold and to help keep you safe. 

Offering health insurance benefits to your team is a great way to attract qualified, skilled workers, decrease turnover rates, and increase morale and productivity. There are many options and factors to consider that could make the process seem overwhelming and confusing.  Working with a qualified agent can make the process much easier, together you can design a plan that meets your needs and your budget.

This year has led to many changes and a lot of agriculture businesses have implanted the use of technology into their everyday operations. The increased use of technology creates a lot of risk. Farmers needs to prioritize cybersecurity to protect their information and their business.
 

Monica Schaapman, DFA Insurance Specialist for the Southeast Region, is a fresh face at DFA Insurance; she is new to DFA Insurance, but she does have a long family history with agriculture and dairy farming. “My parents have a dairy farm,” said Schaapman.

Carbon monoxide is odorless, colorless and non-irritating, it’s impossible to detect without the correct instruments. Before you know what’s happened, you can end up seriously ill. These safety tips can help. 

When heavy snow meets fierce winds, even the best-engineered buildings can collapse. That’s why it’s important to calculate your roof load and be adequately insured for this type of situation.

It’s hard to believe the year is almost over.  With many group health plans renewing on January 1^st, we’re running out of time to review your coverage options.  If it’s been a while since you’ve looked at your policies, now is a good time to contact DFA Insurance for a review. 

If offering health insurance to your employees is something that you would like to do, but the minimum requirements enforced by insurance companies have made it difficult, DFA Insurance may be able to help.

Workers’ compensation insurance is a federally mandated, state regulated insurance program that protects your business if an employee gets injured or becomes ill as a result of work-related activities. However, because of the complex nature of worker’s compensation insurance business owners often have misconceptions regarding their coverage and what their capabilities are.

Health Insurance can be a big expense and complicated.  DFA Insurance, provided by Agri-Services Agency, can help explain all your options and design a plan that will meet your group health insurance needs and your budget. 

This year more than ever we have become digitally connected as a world. Everything from school lessons to grocery shopping is being done online. While it may make life a bit easier at time, it also exposes us to greater cyber security risks. Cyber risks can be expensive and messy, with the expected costs of cyber risks reaching $21 trillion by 2021. So how you protect yourself?

With open enrollment right around the corner, healthcare is probably already on your mind.  Now is the right time to consider why offering health insurance to your employees is a good idea.

In today’s world, health care will be on everyone’s mind. With unemployment being so high and the job market not being as competitive as it once was, how do you attract employees and keep employees? Offering benefits like quality health insurance can help. DFA Insurance understands the unique needs of farms and agribusinesses. Whether you are a small business with two employees or a large company with hundreds of employees on multiple operations, we can help develop something specifically to meet your unique needs.

On some operations, livestock are the most valuable commodity. However, raising livestock can be unpredictable and risky. This is why livestock protection is a necessity to protect from the unexpected events and accidents that can result in losses.

National Dairy Month began 83 years ago as a way to stabilize dairy demand when production was at a surplus. It has since evolved into an annual tradition of celebrating the important contributions of the dairy industry. National Dairy Month also serves to highlight the importance and nutritional value of dairy products.