Helping farmers across the mid-South
by Mark H. Stowers
The Bolivar Bullet
Jimmy Barrett first got into the insurance business more than three decades ago as a sideline business when he was still farming. These days, he and his wife, Natalie along with Jimmy’s son Brent serve the Mississippi Delta, Arkansas and parts of Tennessee helping farmers with crop insurance needs.
“We’ve been around for a long time. I was an adjuster first, but I’ve been an agent for more than 25 years,” said Jimmy Barrett.
Barrett Ag Services only handles crop insurance.
“During the mid-90’s when I was still farming I partnered with three other agents,” said Barrett. “That business was sold and I became an independent agent. This is our second year being independent.”
Jimmy’s wife, Natalie, originally from Kansas, had worked with that same crop insurance company as well since 2009. She covers the Arkansas area for the firm.
“We also had a custom applicator business and selling crop insurance so I got out of farming. I still have about 40 acres that I play around with,” said Barrett. “Our main goal as a company is to be there to serve farmers and help them cover their risk. We try to help a farmer sleep a little better at night.”
Their main office is in Cleveland where Jimmy holds down the fort while Natalie maintains the Memphis area office to serve the Arkansas and Tennessee customers.
January and February are the busy months in crop insurance.
“We meet with farmers starting in January because we are supposed to make any changes or updates to their policy by February 28,” he said.
“Our main focus is to get with farmers this time of year is to make sure they understand what we do and insure and guarantee bushels based on what they’ve done in the past,” said Natalie. “In doing that, when the market gives them the opportunity to sell their grain, they can do that without having the grain in their hands because they’ve insured it a good level.”