America’s Farmers Remain Open to Feed America

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Chip and Karla Bailey own KC Bailey Orchards in Williamson, New York, where they grow apples. They’re proud to help provide for their neighbors as well as customers across America, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The past few months have resulted in some dramatic changes in our daily lives, but for America’s farmers, like the Baileys, there are still crops to be planted, fields to be fertilized and apple trees to be pruned.

The Baileys recently wrote an op-ed published in their local paper, the Times of Wayne County, talking about the essential work America’s farmers and ranchers continue to perform at this critical moment:

This crisis has demonstrated the importance of supporting our farmers and ensuring that we have a stable, safe and affordable food supply.

But with farming comes immense risk. The Baileys write that they are always dealing with weather threats. Hail and frost are not only hard to plan for, but they can be devastating to an apple crop.

That’s why they purchase crop insurance. The Baileys consider crop insurance a fundamental part of the farm safety net and are asking Congress to continue to support this important program:

Farming is our passion. As first-generation farmers, we know the difficulties that come with growing food. The COVID-19 virus has created more challenges and that’s why we are thankful for the steps that Congress has taken to help support rural America by passing aid packages with help earmarked for farmers.

However, it’s important that Congress also support, long-term, the farm policies that assist our family farm and allow us to survive even the difficult years.

That includes tools such as crop insurance.

America’s farmers are still farming. Let’s make sure they have the tools they need.

NY Apple Farmer: Hope Has Not Been Cancelled

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A family apple farm in New York is reminding America that farmers are still out there growing essential food, fiber and fuel.

Chip and Carla Bailey produced a video at their KC Bailey Orchard in Williamson, NY, with a simple message: Hope has not been cancelled.

“Because of COVID-19 a lot of things have been shut down and cancelled across America,” Chip Bailey said. “But on the farm, springtime is not cancelled.”

The video features the family hard at work pruning, fertilizing and planting trees to get ready for the spring.

The apples they grow are an important and nourishing food source for many communities. The family is proud to grow food for their neighbors right in New York and customers across America.

Their son, Josh, had to leave college after classes were cancelled but he’s happy to be back on the farm helping out.

“I’m able to work on the farm and I think that’s a great opportunity to be back with the team and keep contributing any way I can,” he says.

The Baileys were featured in a video story National Crop Insurance Services produced last year about how crop insurance helps family farms and allows them to survive the difficult years.

“Unfortunately, so many things have been cancelled but America we are growing the food for you,” Chip Bailey says. “And just remember that hope has not been cancelled.”

We couldn’t agree more.

Crop Insurance Backs Farmers During Unprecedented Uncertainty

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Crop insurance has been there for rural America through the many uncertainties that farmers and ranchers face every single day. It’s helped agricultural producers survive droughts, tornados, blizzards, floods, low prices, prevented plantings and even volcanos.

Still, over the past few months, the COVID-19 pandemic has introduced new and unprecedented challenges as farmers navigate supply chain disruptions and try to predict how this crisis will affect demand for the products they raise. Yet, despite these difficulties, farmers continue their essential work to feed, clothe and fuel our nation.

So, we have no doubt that we will weather this storm, together, as well.

Crop insurance helps manage some of the risk that farmers still face. Because Mother Nature does not abide by stay-at-home orders and droughts, floods and freezes will inevitably occur, regardless of the pandemic.

Now more than ever, as farmers are planting their crops while facing an unpredictable future, crop insurance is a familiar tool, with a track record of success, that farmers can rely on as they work to feed America and the world. And we are proud to be a trusted partner to so many famers across the country, protecting more than 90 percent of planted acres.

Crop insurers, agents and our partners at USDA have been hard at work to support our producers and we are proud to maintain our incredible record of service to the America farmer during these uncertain times.

We are so grateful for rural America’s tireless commitment to ensuring that we have safe, affordable and nourishing food to provide for our families. That’s why, through this pandemic –  and all storms large and small – we’ve got your back.

Crop Insurance Protects Rural America, Solidifies Popularity as Risk-Management Tool

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Crop insurance proved to be a critical risk-management tool for America’s farmers in 2019, keeping rural America afloat during what was one of the most difficult years in recent memory. Crop insurance policies protected a record 380 million acres of land, or more than 90 percent of planted acres.

In his opening remarks today at the crop insurance industry’s annual meeting, Jim Korin, chairman of National Crop Insurance Services (NCIS) and president of NAU Country Insurance Company, credited crop insurance’s integral role in the farm safety net for its increasing popularity.

“Despite the financial challenges that rural America has faced over the past several years, farmers continue to invest in the reliable crop insurance products we provide,” Korin said. “This is a testament to our industry’s record of service as well as the trust farmers place in us to provide assistance with efficiency and integrity when disaster strikes.”

In 2019, farmers purchased 1.1 million crop insurance policies, collectively paying $3.75 billion in premiums and shouldering more than $10 billion in deductibles.

As disasters threatened both planting and harvest across the heartland, the crop insurance industry acted quickly to deliver aid. As of Feb. 10, 2020, the crop insurance industry has already paid more than $9.15 billion in crop insurance indemnities to help farmers cope with their losses, and this number is expected to grow as claims are finalized.

“The fact is, corn fields and cow herds can’t survive on political promises,” Korin said. “Farmers can’t wait for politicians to fight over the details of what they deserve when their farm and their livelihood is on the line.”

Mike Davenport, chairman of the American Association of Crop Insurers and Chief Operating Officer of Rain and Hail LLC, a Chubb Company, also addressed the convention and asserted that crop insurance delivered as promised to farmers.

“We have indeed helped farmers and ranchers manage a challenging year by processing claims and getting payments out the door quickly. It underscores why private-sector delivery is such an integral part of the program and it demonstrates that crop insurance works,” Davenport said.

Both Korin and Davenport praised the wide availability of crop insurance, noting that the program protects the vast diversity of food, fuel and fiber production across the United States.

Korin concluded his remarks by pledging that the industry will continue its efforts to strengthen crop insurance, saying: “We will always work to ensure crop insurance remains affordable, widely available and economically viable.”

Crop Insurers: Proposed OMB Budget Undermines Farm Safety Net

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The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) today released a proposed Fiscal Year 2021 budget that includes steep cuts to the Department of Agriculture and federal crop insurance.

The American Association of Crop Insurers, Crop Insurance and Reinsurance Bureau, Crop Insurance Professionals Association, Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America, National Association of Professional Insurance Agents, and National Crop Insurance Services released the following joint statement in response:

“Last year brought unprecedented challenges for rural America. Even now, farmers and ranchers across the country are dealing with the lingering consequences of weather events that destroyed fields and ruined crops. And there looks to be no reprieve from the ongoing rural recession: The USDA estimates that farm cash flow will tighten this year, dropping more than $10 billion, or 9 percent, from 2019.

“The federal crop insurance program reacted quickly and efficiently to keep many farmers afloat during this difficult time. It’s no wonder then that the nation’s farm organizations teamed up in late 2019 to ask Congress to reject any attempts to cut crop insurance and weaken the farm safety net when it’s needed most.

“It’s inexplicable as to why OMB would target such a critical risk-management tool for budget cuts. The proposed cuts will make crop insurance unaffordable and unavailable for farmers, seriously undermining the farm safety net.

“The crop insurance program works for farmers and taxpayers alike:

  • Crop insurance protects more than 90 percent of America’s planted crop land acres.
  • Farmers invest in their own protection by spending $3.5 to $4 billion per year to purchase crop insurance and bearing a significant portion of losses through deductibles.
  • Crop insurance policies provide critical collateral to farm bank and credit lenders who assist farmers through operating loans, especially during a time of low commodity prices.
  • The federal government spends less than a quarter of 1% of its budget on the farm safety net, including crop insurance, making this a worthwhile investment to protect the world’s most affordable and safe food and fiber supply.

“Thankfully, for the sake of America’s struggling farmers and ranchers, OMB’s budget is sure to be rejected by Congress. We urge the White House and Congress to support America’s farmers and ranchers by protecting and strengthening crop insurance.”

Investing in the Future of Agriculture

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National Crop Insurance Services is proud to invest in the future of agriculture through the NCIS 1890 Scholarship Program. NCIS awards scholarships to students majoring in agriculture-related disciplines at historically-black 1890 Land Grant Universities.

Scholarship recipients are driven students with strong academic records. Their accomplishments are not constrained to the classroom and students have a dedicated record of service to their communities.

These awards not only help deserving students complete their education, they promote diversity in agriculture in recognition of the wide range of farmers NCIS serves.

NCIS is proud to introduce the exceptional young men and women who have been named this year’s recipients of the NCIS 1890 Scholarship Program.

Celina Bowman is from Woodbridge, Virginia, and attends Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University. Bowman is majoring in Family and Consumer Science with a concentration in General Dietetics with the goal of becoming a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist.

 

 

A’ysha Callahan is from a low-income neighborhood in Waukegan, Illinois, and is majoring in Food Science at Alabama A&M University. She is dedicated to helping people in poor communities improve their lives by improving their diets.

 

 

Myles Davis is from Kansas City, Missouri, attending the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. Davis is majoring in Agricultural Business and one day he would like to help reduce food insecurity in low-income urban areas.

 

 

Morgan Green is from Houston, Texas, and the first member of her immediate family to attend college. She is an Animal Science major at Prairie View A&M University and would like to continue her education to become a veterinarian.

 

 

Kevin H. Holmes Jr. is from Marianna, Arkansas, and is pursuing a degree in Agricultural Business at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.  Holmes grew up working on the family farm and would like to use his degree to help his family succeed on the farm.

New York Dairy Farmer Thanks Crop Insurance

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Dairy farmer Steve Durfee milks about 1,000 cows at his farm in upstate New York. It’s a family operation, started by Durfee’s grandparents in the 1940s after they lost everything during the Dust Bowl in Nebraska and moved east to start again.

Now, if anything were to happen on Durfee’s farm, he has peace of mind knowing that his crop insurance policy will help protect his family and give them the opportunity to rebound.

Durfee shared his experience with crop insurance in a recent guest column he wrote for the Madison County Courier:

When I think back to the challenges my grandparents faced as they packed up and left Nebraska, it reminds me just how much farming has changed. I think they’d be surprised and pleased at how successful our family farm has become.

We wouldn’t have been as successful without a strong farm safety net. The centerpiece of that safety net is the public-private partnership of crop insurance.

I recently invited representatives from the crop insurance industry to my farm to tell my story and show them how we use crop insurance to manage the weather and price risks that, for my grandparents, were nearly unmanageable.

The large investment required for each acre we plant makes crop insurance a must. Buying insurance helps take out some of the risk on those acres.

As Durfee notes, farmers would rather sell their products on the market than file an insurance claim. Thankfully, crop insurance helps America’s farmers and ranchers pick up the pieces when disaster strikes, ensuring they can continue providing our nation with food, fuel and fiber.

He concluded his column by urging Congress to keep families like his in mind as they discuss protecting and strengthening farm policy.

I’d like to thank Congress and the American public for backing a strong system of crop insurance in the Farm Bill. As the political cycle heats up and we head toward the 2020 elections, I hope policymakers will remember just how important crop insurance has become to rural America.

Giving Thanks for Our Farmers

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This Thursday as you gather around the Thanksgiving table with your family and friends, we hope you pause for a moment to give thanks for America’s farmers and ranchers.

Our farmers work long hours all year long to make the Thanksgiving bounty we enjoy possible.

And farmers are thankful for the Federal crop insurance program.

Crop insurance protects the corn and peas on your table, sweet potatoes in the casserole, pecans and sugar in the pie, even the cranberries in the sauce. The farmer who raised the centerpiece turkey may have protected the land that bird foraged with crop insurance, too.

In total, more than 100 crops are covered by the Federal crop insurance program.

More than one million crop insurance policies protect 90 percent of farmland, providing a dependable risk management tool for farmers of all sizes and many of the foods found at your table, no matter your Thanksgiving tradition.

Producing these crops carries with them a huge amount of risk. Especially in years like these, where weather made planting difficult and harvest impossible for some farmers. Some farmers may not survive what has been an exceptionally tough year. But many others will be able to plant again next spring, thanks to the safety net provided by crop insurance.

Farmers are grateful the Federal crop insurance program gives them an opportunity to invest in their own protection. Farmers and ranchers are required to help fund the crop insurance program, spending $3.5 – 4 billion annually on premiums alone and shouldering billions more in deductible losses.

But crop insurance gives farmers a fighting chance against unpredictable dangers that could jeopardize an entire farm’s future in a moment.

And since it’s run in partnership with the private-sector, farmers do not fear having aid held up by a slow political process. They receive aid in weeks – not years – for their verified losses.

So, as we enter into this season of gratitude, take a moment to celebrate the hard work and dedication that goes into producing America’s food.

Crop Insurance a Farm Business Must

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My family knows a little about how much farmers are at the mercy of Mother Nature.

During the Dust Bowl, my grandparents Edson and Harriet Durfee fled the disaster in Nebraska and came back east to Chittenango to start again.

Back then, there was no farm safety net. When the Nebraska prairie turned against them, farmers like my grandparents lost it all and had to rebuild on their own.

Today, our family’s Tuscarora Dairy Farm is going strong. I farm with my wife and three sons. We grow corn and wheat and have about 1,000 milk cows.

Our farm is not on the outskirts of town. It’s right in the heart of Chittenango with about a thousand homes nearby.

It’s a great opportunity to continue to connect consumers with agriculture. Most people today don’t have a good understanding of where their food comes from. We run a small vegetable stand to serve the community. It doesn’t make much money, but we do it because it makes our neighbors happy and keeps them connected to farming.

When I think back to the challenges my grandparents faced as they packed up and left Nebraska, it reminds me just how much farming has changed. I think they’d be surprised and pleased at how successful our family farm has become.

We wouldn’t have been as successful without a strong farm safety net. The centerpiece of that safety net is the public-private partnership of crop insurance.

I recently invited representatives from the crop insurance industry to my farm to tell my story and show them how we use crop insurance to manage the weather and price risks that, for my grandparents, were nearly unmanageable.

The large investment required for each acre we plant makes crop insurance a must. Buying insurance helps take out some of the risk on those acres.

When it comes to milk, last year the price was so low that we feared if it continued it would put a lot of stress on our finances.

We bought a dairy revenue protection policy from our local crop growers agent to help mitigate the risk of the volatile dairy market. Fortunately, the price of milk rebounded, and we didn’t need to use the insurance.

Like all farmers, we would rather sell products at a good price than make an insurance claim.

Crop insurance is just like all the other insurance you have. We end up spending a lot of money on insurance, but you can sleep at night knowing if something happens, you are going to be protected partially and you will be able to rebound from it and continue on.

I’d like to thank Congress and the American public for backing a strong system of crop insurance in the Farm Bill. As the political cycle heats up and we head toward the 2020 elections, I hope policymakers will remember just how important crop insurance has become to rural America.

Steve Durfee operates Tuscarora Dairy Farm with his wife and three sons in Chittenango. This op-ed appeared in the Madison County Courier.

Crop Insurance Receives Bipartisan Praise

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Autumn is here and most of America’s farmers are in the full swing of harvest. As farmers are working long hours in the field, legislators on Capitol Hill are tackling a different kind of challenge: implementation of the 2018 Farm Bill.

The 2018 Farm Bill was passed last December and included key provisions to strengthen crop insurance and solidify its position as the most important risk management tool for farmers.

The Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee recently held a hearing where Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Stephen Censky provided an update to senators on the USDA’s progress on implementation of the legislation.

With crop insurance being a critical program for rural America, it is no surprise that it received praise from both sides of the aisle during the hearing.

During his opening statement, Censky applauded the federal crop insurance program, saying that it “has been a vital part of the farm safety net.”

Censky also noted “key provisions related to veteran farmers and ranchers have been implemented that made crop insurance more affordable and with more robust coverage.”

National Crop Insurance Services previously commended Congress for including provisions in the Farm Bill to expand crop insurance to veteran farmers. This will help expand the farm safety net to traditionally underserved communities and give veterans the tools they need to effectively manage their farming risks.

Committee Chairman Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS), also touted the crop insurance program, particularly during what has been a difficult year for farming.

“This fall, as producers are trying to harvest their crops, challenges have continued just this past week,” Roberts said. “The 2018 Farm Bill does provide important risk management tools such as crop insurance to mitigate the risk and losses from these unpredictable weather-related events.”

Ranking member Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) joined in the bipartisan praise, noting that the 2018 Farm Bill “recognizes the diversity of American agriculture” and expands access to the federal crop insurance program for new crops and types of production.

All told, the crop insurance program provides a dependable risk management tool for a wide variety of crops and farmers of all sizes. More than one million crop insurance policies protect 90 percent of farmland. It also covers more than 100 crops, a fact that was cited by Senator John Boozman (R-AR) during his line of questioning.

“Crop insurance is certainly a cornerstone of reform policy, provides crucial risk management tools for producers and covers well over 100 crops,” Boozman said.

With such high praise, it’s easy to see why Congress strengthened crop insurance in the 2018 Farm Bill.

As America’s farmers harvest this year’s crop and prepare to sow again in the spring, they know that they can depend on the affordable and reliable safety net provided by crop insurance.

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