Is it true, as some critics claim, that crop insurance has been a major factor in raising land values?

No. There is no evidence to support that crop insurance has had any substantive effect on the appreciation of U.S. farmland values. There is a large body of research that has examined the effect of farm programs on agricultural land values. Much of that research indicates that the value of land depends on the net income expected to be earned from owning the land. Many factors affect land values, such as commodity prices and non-agricultural use values, including recreational and natural amenities; resource endowments of the land, such as water; population; distance to urban centers; general economic conditions; interest rates; and so on. Furthermore, while part of government support benefits land owners, part also benefits consumers through production and part benefits farmers operating the land. One study that examined the potential effects of eliminating farm subsidies found about 40-60 percent of the subsidies benefitted landowners, the remainder going to consumers and farmers.