Harold, Don and Jim Tones own Clearview Farms with their father, Harold Sr. Their operation includes 365 acres of grapes and 300 hay acres as well has grape harvesting and trucking. Clearview Farms relies on Crop Growers agent Dave Kibler for crop insurance coverage. Harold shared their experience with Financial Partner Magazine:

“It is a given that we carry crop insurance right along to protect our crop and our assets. In the good growing years we just deduct the premium payments. In poor yield or loss situations, we may recoup those payments.

“To succeed, we add and replant acreage to more marketable varietals. New vineyards take considerable investment and three years until first harvest. While we could withstand some crop damage, we would not be able to develop new vineyards. Our crop insurance payment on recent winter kill losses allowed us to sustain investment for our future. Otherwise, we would have had a big zero.

“Crop insurance coverage on our 16 grape varieties is complex and we have had issues. Dave has always straightened things out. We are very pleased. Our Farm has been with Farm Credit since the early 1960’s. It has been a good experience, straight through.