Sens. Grassley and Roberts: Crop Insurance is the #1 Issue for Farmers

With discussions around the next Farm Bill right around the corner, Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), and Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) are passionately touting crop insurance as an essential risk management tool.

The two Senators recently addressed the issue in an interview with KIOW News Director A. J. Taylor.

“This is the Number One issue that farmers talk to (Sen. Grassley) and to myself about…all throughout farm country…all of us know…we have to protect crop insurance—it’s the Number One tool in the risk management toolbox that farmers must have,” said Sen. Roberts. “It’s a great program and it’s terribly important.”

Sen. Grassley, who has been outspoken about the importance of crop insurance to eastern Iowa in the wake of severe flooding, noted that with crop insurance, which is partially funded by farmers and delivered by the private sector, works for both farmers and taxpayers.

“If you have a hurricane, a flood, tornadoes—all the natural disasters you can have—when the federal government comes in…it’s 100% paid by taxpayers.  But with crop insurance, the farmers are paying into it, and you are buying ahead and you are trying to manage your risk,” said Sen. Grassley. “It’s such a smarter way to do it than going back to the old [ad hoc disaster] system.”

To listen to the interview in its entirety, click here.