With a one-year extension of the Farm Bill signed into law, Congress is turning its attention to drafting a five-year Farm Bill that strengthens the farm safety net. As the cornerstone of this safety net, crop insurance has received a lot of attention lately. We’re proud of this public-private partnership that keeps family farmers on the farm and saves taxpayer money by quickly delivering aid for verified crop losses.
Let’s hear it from the Hill:
“Federal crop insurance…is one of the most successful examples of a public-private partnership in existence. Farmers willingly pay significant premiums for crop insurance coverage because it provides reliable assistance when disaster strikes. This timely indemnification doesn’t just benefit farmers, it bolsters rural economies by ensuring that producers can pay back their lenders, retain their employees, and get back on their feet to farm again the following season.” – Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson (PA-15-R), Chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture
“Leave crop insurance alone. Just keep it going the way it is… that’s what I’ve been hearing from farmers.” – Sen. Chuck Grassley (IA-R)
“[Crop insurance] works pretty darn good right now.” – Sen. Jon Tester (MT-D)
“Crop insurance has proven to be a bedrock risk management tool… I firmly believe an opportunity exists to build on the program’s success by making higher coverage levels more affordable to producers across the country. This will help alleviate the need for ad hoc assistance programs, saving money while strengthening this important risk management tool.” – Rep. Michelle Fischbach (MN-7-R)
“Crop insurance and other programs… are very important in my region to help to ensure that our farmers are continuing to feed America.” – Rep. Lloyd Smucker (PA-11-R)
It’s no surprise that Congress is sharing its support for this critical risk management tool. That’s because crop insurance:
- Protects 540 million acres of American farmland
- Supports all farmers: large and small, conventional and organic, and specialty-crop growers and livestock ranchers
- Delivers aid to farmers and ranchers in just days or weeks, thanks to the more than 20,000 private-sector insurance agents, adjusters, and other personnel who support crop insurance
- Earns the trust of America’s farmers and ranchers through consistent service and risk protection
- Keeps America Growing
Congress should work to improve crop insurance so it covers more acres, more crops, and more farmers in the next Farm Bill.
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