Why Crop Insurance Matters to You

We all want healthy, fresh food for our families. And America's farmers and ranchers provide that and more everyday, for your family and families all over the world. Crop insurance provides the access to capital and security farmers need to increase crop yields, improve efficiencies and stay competitive in world markets. A healthy farm economy is essential to the economic stability of America's economy.

And of course farmers and ranchers don't just grow food; they grow the plants that provide the fiber for our baby blankets, cozy sweaters, wedding gowns and the feed for livestock that provides the raw materials for hundreds of essential products.

In 2008, the crop insurance program paid out $8.6 billion to producers across the U.S. who purchased crop insurance. Much of that $8.6 billion was paid out due to revenue losses when prices for many of the major commodities dropped significantly late in the year. As many as five million acres of crops were damaged in the 2008 Midwest floods, an area almost as large as New Jersey. Crop insurance provides a safety net against perils such as frost, drought, flooding and hail. Without a strong crop insurance program, uncontrollable changes in weather could undermine the financial security of individual farmers and place the entire farm economy in jeopardy.

Everyday we depend on the goods and products made by America's farmers and ranchers. And they depend on crop insurance as an essential business tool in today's difficult agricultural economy. In an increasingly volatile business environment, crop insurance provides an important measure of stability for America's agricultural producers. Access to affordable crop insurance allows American farmers to continue to provide affordable food for America and the world.