Sentinel Staff WASHINGTON — Legislation introduced by U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow would allow farmers to plant cover crops without facing crop insurance penalties when bad weather prevents them from planting for the season. Stabenow and South Dakota Sen. John Thune, both Democrats, introduced the Cover Crop Flexibility Act of 2021 in the Senate on April 29. The bill would lift insurance penalties for farmers planting cover crops. “Historic rainfall in 2019 caused many farmers to miss the planting season,” Stabenow said in a statement. “When extreme weather gets in the way of planting, farmers aren’t able to grow beneficial cover crops without facing a crop insurance penalty. This commonsense change permanently fixes that problem and is a win for the environment and for farmers.”