House Crop Insurance Caucus Shares Importance of Farm Safety Net

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Congressional staff filled a hearing room on Capitol Hill last week for the official launch of the bipartisan House Crop Insurance Caucus, hosted by co-chairs Cheri Bustos (D-Ill.) and Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-Pa.).

The House Crop Insurance Caucus will work to share with lawmakers the benefits of crop insurance and demonstrate how this program helps our farmers endure hardship by mitigating their risks.

Bustos has seen first-hand how crop insurance can be a lifeline for farmers devastated by unexpected weather events. Her Illinois district was hit hard by the extreme weather that inundated the Midwest this spring. “Our growers and producers are hurting,” she said. “Our family farmers are hurting.”

“This bipartisan Crop Insurance Caucus will work arm-in-arm to educate other members about the importance of a strong farm safety net and agricultural economy,” Bustos said.

Thompson made it clear what’s at stake when it comes to protecting the Federal crop insurance program. “Having crop insurance is incredibly important,” Thompson said. “We know that agriculture is really about food security. And food security is really about national security.”

This briefing was just the first of many, as the caucus hopes to be an accessible resource for Congress and an avenue to encourage bipartisan collaboration to strengthen the Federal crop insurance program.

“This caucus aims to educate our colleagues and educate the general public on the importance and value of crop insurance.” Thompson explained. “It all starts today.”

Farmers and agriculture lenders also spoke alongside the members of Congress, sharing their personal experiences with crop insurance.

Illinois farmer Ron Moore discussed how the impact of crop insurance extends beyond individual farmers to the local economies that rely on the income generated by agriculture. “Crop insurance is a valuable tool that we have as farmers. It’s imperative that we continue to preserve that tool because it not only helps me as a farmer, but it also helps my community,” Moore said.

Heather Greenwalt, Assistant Vice President at Farm Credit Illinois, remembered the 2012 drought and the role crop insurance played in preserving family farms across the Midwest. It was a beautiful spring and all of the local farmers were so proud of what they were able to accomplish in the field, she recalled. Until one day it just stopped raining. It was the worst drought since the Dust Bowl.

But the farm safety net worked as it was designed. Private crop insurance companies worked efficiently to deliver aid to farmers, saving tens of thousands of jobs along with taxpayer money.

“Crop insurance in 2012 was the difference in people staying in the agriculture industry in 2013,” Greenwalt said. “And crop insurance is again in 2019 going to be a major and crucial risk management tool for many farmers and producers.”

Risk is an intrinsic part of farming and producers are always calculating the variables that can impact crop production or their herd. But Greenwalt knows that when disaster strikes, the farmers she serves can find comfort in knowing that crop insurance gives them options for relief.

Greenwalt added, “As an agent and as a farmer, a strong crop insurance program means for a strong rural economy and a strong food supply for our nation.”

Learn more about how the Federal crop insurance program works by watching our brand new Crop Insurance 101 video or visiting CropInsurance101.org.

National Crop Insurance Services Launches New Website to Educate Public, Policymakers on Importance of Crop Insurance

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Our nation’s farmers and ranchers face unpredictable hazards, many of which can destroy a hard-earned livelihood in moments. Thankfully, farmers can count on crop insurance to help them navigate these risks and protect their operation should disaster strike.

However, the continued success of crop insurance depends on keeping the program affordable, widely available, and economically viable. And that starts with educating both the public and policymakers as to the important role crop insurance plays in the farm safety net.

National Crop Insurance Services (NCIS) has launched a new website at CropInsurance101.org that aims to be an easily-accessible resource where visitors can learn more about the history of crop insurance, download fact sheets, or find a glossary of common terms. As part of this initiative, NCIS also debuted a new Crop Insurance 101 video that explains how crop insurance works.

The Crop Insurance 101 website was officially launched at a congressional briefing today hosted by the new House Crop Insurance Caucus.

Created by Reps. Cheri Bustos (D-Ill.) and Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-Pa.), this bipartisan caucus will provide a forum for all members to learn more about the value of the public-private partnership that makes crop insurance unique while encouraging bipartisan collaboration to strengthen this program for rural America.

Members of the caucus include: Reps. Cindy Axne (D-Iowa), Mike Bost (R-Ill.), Salud Carbajal (D-Calif.), TJ Cox (D-Calif.), Angie Craig (D-Minn.), Rodney Davis (R-Ill.), Alcee Hastings (D-Fla.), Dave Loebsack (D-Iowa), and Jefferson Van Drew (D-N.J.).

Illinois farmer Ron Moore provided congressional staff at the briefing with a first-hand perspective of the importance of crop insurance.

“The crop insurance program is a critical tool to protect against the risks that come with farming,” Moore said. “As the rural economy faces another tough year, it is encouraging to see members of Congress from both sides of the aisle come together to stand up for America’s farmers.”

And with crop insurance policies protecting nine out of every 10 planted acres of principle crops, crop insurance does more than provide economic security – it safeguards our nation’s food and fiber supply.

Learn more about how crop insurance works for both farmers and taxpayers alike by visiting CropInsurance101.org.

How Does Crop Insurance Impact Your State?

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Crop insurance is a cornerstone of U.S. farm policy.

But what does that really mean for America’s farmers?

To put it all into perspective, National Crop Insurance Services has highlighted the state-by-state impacts of crop insurance at CropInsuranceInMyState.org.

There you can find individual fact sheets that illustrate the unique significance of agriculture in each state.

It’s probably to be expected that oranges are a staple in Florida, but did you know that New Jersey can thank tomatoes for being the largest agricultural contributor to the Garden State’s economy? Idaho might be famous for their potatoes, but potatoes lead the list of top crops for Maine as well.

And the federal crop insurance program helps these crops drive the economy by providing an invaluable safety net for those farmers and ranchers harvesting oranges, tomatoes, potatoes and the more than 100 additional covered crops.

Everything is bigger in Texas, and with 38 million acres protected by crop insurance, they come in at number one in acres covered. But corn-production powerhouse Iowa can boast the highest value of crops covered by federal crop insurance, with nearly $12 billion in protection.

And because crop insurance requires farmers, private insurance companies, and the federal government to share the burden of risk, each fact sheet outlines how much farmers and insurers invested into the federal crop insurance program through premiums and indemnities.

In total, federal crop insurance protects more than $100 billion worth of crops across more than 300 million acres in all 50 states.

Head back to the homepage to download a fact sheet for your state and view first-hand testimonials from the farmers and ranchers who rely on this valuable risk management tool.

Pennsylvania Farmers Consider Crop Insurance a Must-Have Tool

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Brian Campbell always knew he wanted to be a farmer. He started a produce stand when he was just 14 years old. Now, his Pennsylvania farm produces mostly vegetables, including broccoli, sweet corn, lettuce and pumpkins.

But weather can be unpredictable in the Northeast, and his farm has seen challenges. In 2011, a severe flood wiped out approximately 50 percent of his expected revenue for that year. Banks no longer wanted to do business with him and he had to dig deep to recover.

Thankfully, the introduction of the Whole Farm Revenue Protection program with the passage of the 2014 Farm Bill allowed Campbell to adequately insure his diverse crops against risk.

National Crop Insurance Services visited Brian Campbell Farms as part of our mission to tell the first-hand stories of the farmers and ranchers who rely on the safety net provided by the federal crop insurance program.

Campbell credits crop insurance for his growing success, saying, “If it wasn’t for whole farm revenue protection today, you know, I may not be at the size that I am.”

And he’s always looking forward to the next year, “I love what I do. It’s a passion. I really enjoy it.”

For family farmer Dave Clark, farming is also a passion that he just couldn’t shake. He briefly tried working off the farm but returned to his roots in 2001 when he and his wife purchased the family farm in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania.

“I always say it’s in your blood. I love farming,” Clark says.

Clark considers crop insurance a must-have business tool. He relies on crop insurance to help protect his farm against the inherent risks that come with putting your faith in weather to grow your crops and a favorable market in which to sell them.

As John Ligo says, “Risk in farming is part of the landscape. The risks that we face, some are controllable, and some are not.” But he emphasizes that one way to help mitigate these risks is to purchase crop insurance.

His farm in Grove City, Pennsylvania is home to approximately 600 head of cattle and he grows about 400 acres of corn alongside 600 acres of grass and rangeland.

Last year, Ligo’s farm saw 40 inches of rain and by early June he was short 100 acres of what he intended to plant. Crop insurance helped his farm survive. During those years when drought hindered grass production, crop insurance helped him then, too.

“It does change the way I farm, knowing that my risks are at least covered to a certain extent,” Ligo says.

Third-generation dairy farmer Billy Smith feels deeply connected to his family legacy of farming.

“I feel that it’s our God-given right here to take care of this land,” he says. “I feel that we’ve been blessed in many ways. You know, it’s our livelihood.”

He’s had to file a couple of crop insurance claims. But knowing that this valuable federal program exists helps ease the worries that come with farming. By reducing some of the risks that can arise on his farm, crop insurance allows him to better plan for the future.

“It’s always there to back us up whenever we need it.”

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