Crop insurance a key for producers
My husband and I have been farming in Southeastern Colorado for more than 40 years, and during that time it’s safe to say there have been a lot of changes not only in farming practices, but also in farm policy. The biggest policy change through the years has been the affordability and availability of crop […]
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, […]
Keep Crop Insurance Affordable
Living through the drought of 2012 as an Illinois farmer gave me a whole new appreciation for risk management tools. There are things that farmers can do to try and deal with the curve balls served up by Mother Nature and with the ups and downs of market swings, but many things – like a […]
Crop Insurance Policies are Crucial for Farmers
As someone who has spent more than four decades managing a fourth-generation farm and the past 10 years building my family’s crop insurance agency, I believe I have valuable perspective worth sharing regarding how essential today’s federal crop insurance policies are to America’s farmers and consumers. Specifically, I would like to explain how essential the […]
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.
No crop insurance would mean no food
We are blessed in this country to have the ability to grow our own food and have enough to export to other nations. In fact, that is what inspired me to farm. I had a passion for growing food and, in the case of my home state of Washington where wheat is a highly exported commodity, […]
