Farmers Help Fund $14 Billion of the Farm Safety Net in 2014
Farmers who filed crop insurance claims in 2014 collectively shouldered approximately $10 billion in deductible losses before collecting any payments, according to new data unveiled today by the National Crop Insurance Services (NCIS). When combined with the $3.9 billion spent to buy insurance coverage in 2014, farmers absorbed at least $14 billion in out-of-pocket costs, […]
While Many Parts of the Country are Waterlogged, California Remains Locked in Drought
A quick look at the U.S. Drought monitor says it all. For the vast majority of the country, the years-long drought has been all but eliminated. A year ago, 13 percent of the contiguous U.S. was locked in “extreme” or “exceptional” drought, the two most severe stages. All of this area was west of the […]
Crop Insurance in Action: Bill Christ, Metamora, Illinois
For those who have ever visited America’s Corn Belt, they know that the region has soil and climatic conditions for growing corn and soybeans. “And our farmers are hardworking, committed and driven to produce record crops every year,” notes farmer and crop insurance agent Bill Christ. In the past, when drought would occasionally come, “many […]
Crop Insurance Helps Farmers Survive Unpredictable Weather All Across the Country
“Frost threatens northern U.S. corn; rains soak southern Plains.” This recent headline says it all. The diversity of American agricultural production coupled with the varied growing conditions across the country and the swings in weather explains why farmers need a safety net. More importantly, it describes why crop insurance is the centerpiece of the farm […]
Farmers in the Northwest Need Access to Affordable Crop Insurance
When the 2014 Farm Bill became law, it marked a pivotal moment in the history of U.S. farm policy. The new Farm Bill eliminated direct payments and reduced some of the price support policies of the past in favor of expanding crop insurance, which allows farmers to purchase varying levels of protection for their crops. […]
Why America’s Cotton Producers Need Access to Affordable Crop Insurance
Crop insurance products were improved in the recent farm bill because Congress recognized that these products are a necessity for farmers, regardless of size. To me, a federally-supported crop insurance policy is defensible because a portion of the product’s cost is borne by the farmer. I am one of those farmers. I raise cotton, […]
Convo 58
Mother Nature is the toughest, most unpredictable boss. Farmers are resilient and they adapt, but a safety net is crucial to their survival. And, it’s not a safety net if it’s not affordable.
Convo 57
I would not have had the opportunity to grow my farm without crop insurance.
Hollis, Oklahoma farmer: Affordable Crop Insurance is Critical
I started farming and ranching with my father and grandfather in southwest Oklahoma and the Texas panhandle 40 years ago, and I am the fourth generation to farm cotton, peanuts, wheat, corn, milo and cattle on our family’s land. I was 17 when I started farming on my own, and although I have four decades […]
Convo 56
We live in one of the richest nations in the world and virtually anything you want to eat is right at your fingertips. But that doesn’t occur by accident. It’s possible due to good farm policies and hardworking farmers, who together produce the cheapest and most reliable food in the world. Nowhere else has been […]
